NEW MILFORD, NJ - On Monday, October 30, as part of the activities of the Armenian Cultural Month, upper-grade students from the Hovnanian Armenian School, accompanied by Vice-Principal Anahid Garmiryan and their teachers, paid a visit to the 80 residents of the Home for Armenian Aged in Emerson, New Jersey.

Coming to the Home early in the afternoon, the students performed a short program conducted by Ms. Hilda Aynejian, teacher of English for upper grades. After the singing of the Armenian and American national anthems, Mr. Vartan Matiossian, teacher of Armenian for upper grades, shared some thoughts with the audience, following which Knar Mesrobian, an eighth grader, read a well-written essay in Armenian, sharing her thoughts about her final year at Hovnanian School.

The energetic singing of the Armenian folk song "Hanik Ninar" by the sixth graders was greeted with great enthusiasm by the residents, many of whom joined in by clapping rhythmically. Following the singing, gym teacher Ms. Toni Ann Dolfi conducted a few stretching games with the residents. At the end, eighth-grade girls performed two Armenian dances.

After this sampling of song, dance, and Armenian words, the students dispersed among the residents, offering them small packages with gifts of choreg and chocolate. Then some students started the Intergenerational Project, which had been settled by the school administration. This project aims at establishing contact between the residents and the students; the latter "adopted" a senior by their own choosing and will keep in touch through visits, letters, or other ways, as if having a grandparent of their own.

In the end, Ms. Aida Aprahamian, the Administrator of the Home, thanked the students and the school for their thoughtful initiative. The children said goodbye to the seniors with a sense of satisfaction and joy.