Over the Columbus Day weekend, 28 teens from St. Mary’s ACYOA Juniors joined hundreds of participants from across the Eastern Diocese at the ACYOA Juniors Fall Sports Weekend, hosted by St. Leon Armenian Apostolic Church in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. This year’s gathering, themed “Hye Rooted,” brought together more than 250 teenagers from 16 Diocesan parishes for a memorable weekend of faith, fellowship, and friendly competition.
A Weekend of Team Spirit and Community
The journey began Friday afternoon as the Washington, D.C. group departed from St. Mary Armenian Church, eager to connect with their peers from across the Diocese. Upon arrival, they joined an evening prayer service before meeting their host families for the weekend.
Sports competitions took place at St. Leon Church, where St. Mary fielded both boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. While the basketball trophies eluded them this year, the teams played with determination—highlighted by the boys’ opening victory.
The parish’s strong participation allowed for the formation of two volleyball teams, which faced off against each other in the quarterfinals. Ultimately, St. Mary’s Juniors captured the volleyball championship, proudly bringing home the trophy.
In individual sports, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Aslanyan earned second place in advanced backgammon, and Allen Arjona received a special award for good sportsmanship – both excellent examples of St. Mary’s spirit and character.
Faith, Fellowship, and Service
Saturday evening’s dance brought together ACYOA Juniors from all parishes for a night of music and camaraderie. On Sunday, participants united in prayer for a beautiful Badarak before celebrating at the Awards Banquet, which featured Armenian music and dancing.
In keeping with the weekend’s service theme, teens also contributed to a charitable clothing drive, collecting five boxes of new and gently used clothes for families in Armenia.
Gratitude and Acknowledgments
The St. Mary ACYOA Juniors extend heartfelt thanks to Der Hovsep Karapetyan and the parish community for their unwavering support. Special appreciation goes to the dedicated chaperones – Kareen Guiragossian, Sintia Petrosian, Avedis Seferian, and Suzy Simonyan — for ensuring a safe and joyful experience for all.
A special thank you also to the organizers and coaches — Sara Arabian, Ari Arzumanian, Becky Bagdasarian, Greg Kumkumian, Sintia Petrosian, and Sevan Topjian — and to all the parents who helped make this trip possible.
Looking Ahead
The St. Mary Juniors represented the Washington community with pride, enthusiasm, and unity. Their success and spirit reflect the strength of our youth and the vitality of our Armenian Christian faith.
We look forward to future gatherings that continue to nurture our young people’s connection to their faith, culture, and community.
