In order to encourage the study of Modern Greek at secondary and tertiary levels, the Pontian Community of Melbourne and Victoria established an award of $1000 annually, to be given to a student who, having achieved high marks in Modern Greek at VCE level, will proceed to enrol in the following year in the Greek Studies Program at tertiary level.
For this year, two students have met the above criteria, and received $500 each. The students in question are Kyriakos Velos and Denise Anagnostou.
At a function organised by the Pontian Community at their premises in Brunswick, last Friday, the President of the Pontian Community, Mr Spyros Korosidis, presented Kyriakos and Denise with a cheque for $500 each, and an Honorary Diploma, acknowledging their interest in studying Modern Greek. He congratulated them for the excellent results they achieved.
The function was attended by the parents of the two students, Bill and Demetra Velos, and Dimitris and Anastasia Anagnostou, their siblings, the Head of the Greek Studies Program at La Trobe University, Dr Maria Herodotou and her husband, Dr Stefanos Herodotou, the former President of the Pontian Community, Mr Apostolos Alexiadis, and Kyriakos and Dina Amanatides.
Dr Herodotou commended the Pontian Community for their initiative, congratulated her two students for their keen interest in the Greek language, culture and history, and acknowledged the significance of their families encouragement and support.
The President of the Pontian Community, Mr S. Korosidis, said the award of $1000 will continue in the future, and expressed hope that other Greek organisations will take steps to provide similar incentives for students to study our language at secondary and tertiary levels, thus reversing the downward trend in student enrolment numbers evident in recent years.