2014 "ARTHUR HALVAJIAN MEMORIAL" ARMENIAN POETRY COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Armenian Students' Association, Inc.

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Warwick, Rhode Island 02888

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Web: www.asainc.org

E-mail: asa@asainc.org

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact: Nathalie Yaghoobian 

E-Mail: asa@asainc.org

2014 "ARTHUR HALVAJIAN MEMORIAL" ARMENIAN POETRY COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

WARWICK, RI---The Armenian Students' Association, Inc. (ASA Inc.) congratulated Katia Khanlian, Emily Hagopian, and Gegham Mughnetsyan who were the winners of the 2014 "Arthur Halvajian Memorial" Armenian Poetry Competition. The competition was organized and sponsored by the ASA Inc. in partnership with the support of the Armenian Poetry Project. The competition ran from the autumn 2014 through the spring of 2015.

"Congratulations to the 2014 winners and thank you to those who helped make it possible by contributing to the organizing and selection committee's efforts," said Brian Assadourian, Chair of the ASA Inc. Board of Trustees.

Gegham Mughnetsyan of Washington, D.C. won the $250 prize in the 23+ age group for his entry, "Hayrenee Meghetee". New Jersey resident Emily Hagopian took home the $100 prize in the 18-22 age category for her entry, "Never Forget". Katia Khanlian, a student at the A&M Hovsepian School in Pasadena, CA garnered the $50 prize in the 12-17 age group for her entry, "To My Clueless Sister".

Receiving honorable mentions in the 12-17 age group included Vahe Demirdjian of California (for "Thirty Ticks") and Sipan Kouchian of California (for "Deep into Darkness").Yeva Aleksanyan of Colorado ("Hayreneekees"), Kevork Kalayjian of New Jersey ("Beedee"), and Anna Gharabaghtsyan of California ("Vakhi Maheh") all received honorable mentions in the 23+ age group.

The Armenian Poetry Project, led by Lola Koundakjian, is a research and documentation site of 19th to 21st Century Armenian poets and poetry. Tsoleen Sarian of Massachusetts, Christopher Janigian of Rhode Island, and Haig Hovsepian of Washington, D.C. rounded out the organizing and selection committee. Alice Movsesian, a member of the ASA Inc. Board of Trustees served as the liaison to the group.

You can learn more about the Armenian Poetry Project by visiting http://armenian-poetry.blogspot.com. Winning entries from the 2014 competition as well as those from previous years can be viewed online by visiting the "ASA-APP Poetry" section of the ASA Inc.'s website, www.asainc.org.

The Armenian Students' Association, Inc. encourages educational pursuits by Armenians in America and the raising of their intellectual standards, provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships to deserving Armenian students, develops fellowship among them, cultivates in them the spirit of service in the public interest, and acquaints them and the entire American community with Armenian culture.