Ferrahian School Expands By Adding Elementary School on Encino Campus

Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School began the new academic year with a historic milestone. For the first time since the 1980s, the school has once again opened its doors to its youngest elementary students. With this new chapter, the Ferrahian school community has grown larger, more vibrant, and more diverse.

At the Encino campus, alongside middle and high school students, dozens of kindergarten, first-, and second-grade students are taking their first steps into their educational journey. The youngest students, recognizable in their yellow shirts, attend classes in the Keosian complex, where dedicated spaces and facilities have been created to meet the new needs , including new classrooms, a playground, and other essential infrastructure.

As demand for a Ferrahian school  continues to grow, the  administration has already begun planning the next phases of expansion, including the addition of new buildings and facilities in the coming years.

Founded in 1964 with just 12 students, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School—the first Armenian daily  school established in the United States—has grown into the largest Armenian educational institution in the Diaspora. In terms of enrollment, it is surpassed only by a handful of schools in Armenia. Today, the main Ferrahian campus serves approximately 670 students, while the school’s entire educational system, for the first time in its history, is approaching a total enrollment of 1,435 students.

“This record growth is not simply a number. It is a reflection of trust, dedication, and faith in Ferrahian’s mission,” Principal Sossi Shanlian said in her remarks on the first day of school.

Alongside this historic growth in enrollment, Ferrahian has also achieved notable academic success in recent years. According to last year’s statistics, the majority of the school’s 85 graduates received a total of 119 university acceptances. These included California’s leading public universities—UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Irvine—as well as prestigious private institutions such as Stanford, USC, Boston University, Georgetown, and Pepperdine, among others.

Independent data further reflects these achievements. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s 2026 rankings, Ferrahian ranks among the leading private high schools in California in terms of the number of graduates admitted to universities within the UC system.

Alongside its academic growth, the school continues to modernize and strengthen its curriculum. Ferrahian offers rigorous coursework, including Honors and Advanced Placement programs. Students are encouraged from an early age to think critically, work independently, and prepare for the demands of university life. These results are not accidental; they reflect the educational philosophy and approach that the school has cultivated over the years.

At the same time, Ferrahian places significant emphasis on practical preparation and the development of real-world skills. The school has established a structured internship program, along with life-skills courses that allow students to explore different professions, gain practical experience, and better understand their own interests and strengths while still in school.

One of the notable academic developments this year is the introduction of a Personal Finance course for high school students. In California, personal finance has been incorporated into the state’s educational requirements for public high schools, with the course becoming mandatory beginning in the 2027–28 academic year. Keeping pace with these evolving educational priorities, Ferrahian has chosen to make these essential skills available to its students now, with the goal of strengthening their financial literacy and preparing them to make informed financial decisions in the future.

Over the years, Ferrahian’s College Counseling program has developed into an established, professional, and highly effective institution within the school, providing students with individualized guidance throughout the complex university admissions process.

The school also places great importance on community unity and the sharing of knowledge and experience, seeking to use its resources and expertise for the benefit of the broader Armenian community. One example is the special USC College Admissions and College Counseling event hosted at Ferrahian, to which the school also welcomes high school students from other Armenian schools.

Rather than focusing solely on competition, Ferrahian has chosen collaboration—sharing its experience and expertise with other Armenian schools and helping create broader opportunities for Armenian students throughout Los Angeles.

Yet academic and practical achievements represent only one part of Ferrahian’s story. The school remains deeply committed to its mission of preserving Armenian identity. The teaching of the Armenian language, history, and culture is not treated as an addition to the curriculum, but as one of its essential foundations.

Ferrahian has sought to create a meaningful balance between academic excellence and strong national roots, supporting students not only in their intellectual development but also in the formation of their identity and character.

“I believe you would all agree with me that Ferrahian continues to be that exceptional environment where our children not only receive a high-quality education, but also grow up as Armenians, learn to love their language and culture, and prepare themselves to meet the challenges of the future,” Principal Shanlian concluded.