FLUSHING, NY – The Stephen and Areti Cherpelis Greek Afternoon School of St. Nicholas in Flushing on Sunday, Jan. 28 held its annual celebration of the Greek Letters immediately following the first Divine Liturgy, in the Sarantakos Hall, dedicated to the students.

The students Elena Douveas, Zoe Kalantzopoulos, Christina Papazachariou, and Eliana Kostakis presented excerpts from St. Basil the Great’s speech to the young people and impressed the audience with their eloquence and the message they shared.

Immediately afterwards, scholarships were awarded to the students Kimonas Valais, George Kalantzopoulos, Andriana Kostakis and Elias Loukissas, who graduated from the school and were awarded prizes in the essay competition “The Importance of the Greek Language in Our Orthodox Faith.”

Also awarded prizes were Maria Gatzonis and Elpida Hatzidimitriou for excellence in the recent Modern Greek regents exams.

Welcoming remarks were given by the presiding priest of St. Nicholas, Father Paul Palesty, the principal George Kanellopoulos, president of the community Bill Kakoullis, Maria Zolotas- school board president, and Barbara Preponis- PTA president.