Lisa Apovian Earns Top Award in Education

WLawrence, Mass.—Somebody once imparted words of wisdom to Lisa Apovian during her 17 years as an elementary teacher in Lawrence.

“If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life.”

It’s stuck like glue with the Grade 3 instructor at Parthum School, where she has endeared herself to her students inside a locality that can best be described as “challenging.”

Apovian was presented the coveted Sontag Prize in Urban Education, given to the educator who best symbolizes the educational welfare of a community.

The prize is bestowed upon a teacher who best provides top level instruction to some of the more needy students in the areas of mathematics, English, Language Arts, and other disciplines.

Along with a plaque, $3,000 honorarium and an IPAD came a scholarship for a two-day training period at Harvard University where she rubbed elbows with some of the best educators throughout the state. Most importantly, this award recognizes excellence in teaching and provides students with an extra week of high-quality education.

One of the reasons for attending Harvard was training to teach an accelerated academy over the school vacations. The stipend will compensate for her services during those periods.

“I truly love going to work every day,” she said. “I was encouraged by my peers to apply and was embarrassed at first. Getting this award was the experience of a lifetime.”

While at Harvard, Apovian worked on team building tasks. One personal highlight was meeting actor Tony Plana, a Cuban immigrant, who has appeared in such films as “Three Amigos” and “Ugly Betty.”

“We sat over lunch and shared stories of our immigrant families,” she said. “Combining theater with English and writing brings positive results in the classroom. He started a company in California that introduces Shakespeare to children in urban settings.”

At St. Gregory Church, Lisa has taught Sunday School; served as a trustee and member of the Bazaar Committee; chaired the Ladies Guild, and worked Bingo. She planted her roots as a Sunday School student here and helps with the Aghavni newsletter.

With a wedding date in December, and three stepchildren walking into her life, Apovian is enjoying quite the year. She is also taking additional classes toward an eventual doctorate degree in counseling. For three years, she’s been volunteering in a Trauma Intervention Program in her community.

“I’d like to work inside a school setting as a counselor surrounding children and grief counseling,” she added. “Hopefully, I will earn my doctorate and pursue a specialized area which has long interested me.”

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.

Latest posts by Tom Vartabedian (see all)

• Vartabedian: My Final Column - November 13, 2016
• A Hat to Match Any Occasion - October 19, 2016
• More Smiles Keep the Frowns Away - October 12, 2016