Athens College

Athens College (Κολλέγιον Αθηνών) is a co-educational private independent school in Psychiko, Greece, a suburb of Athens, part of the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation (Ελληνοαμερικανικό Εκπαιδευτικό Ίδρυμα) which also includes Psychiko College, although both schools are usually referred to as "Athens College". Athens College is considered to be the top and most prestigious educational foundation in Greece. It was established in 1925 to bring the best of both Greek and American educational systems to Greece. The school's founders and big donors were Emmanuel Benakis, namesake of the Benaki Museum of Athens, as well as the school's main building, and Stephanos Deltas. Instruction is in both Greek and English.

Overview

The 3,000 students are divided among Athens and Psychico College, each of which includes an Elementary School, a middle school, and an upper school. The upper school of Psychico College also offers students interested in studies abroad the International Baccalaureate programme. In addition the adult education program enrolls 2,000 students.

Approximately 98% of its graduates go on to university, half of which abroad.

Athens College is known for hosting an annual school fair (Panigiri), following the example of the Moraitis School, which raises money for charity and attracts people from all around Athens and other schools. Besides this, Athens College has a Forensics Club, a Model United Nations Club and a Drama Club.

Athens College has a great tradition in mathematical competitions, both national and international. Its students are prepared in the school's Mathematics Club. School representatives every succeed in the national competitions, participate in the national team and win prizes in Mathematical Olympiads as well as forensics competitions, yearly. Also notable are the school's distinctions in competitions such as AMC 8, AMC 10 and AIME. The Drama Club has begun a tradition the last years by earning prizes, distinctions and awards every single year in national and regional tournaments. Also notable is the Model United Nations Club action which every year participates with great success in conferences such as THIMUN, SAIMUN, BERMUN and DSAMUN at the Deutsche Schule Athen.

Athens College's library is one of the largest school libraries in Europe and the first in Greece to have all its books electronically cataloged. The sporting facilities of Athens College include a gym, two football pitches (one gravel), seven outdoor basketball courts, three outdoor tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool, a track & field court, and an indoor sports center with facilities for squash, table tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, martial arts, and other events. The school's varsity teams are well-known in Greece for their continuing success in football, basketball, volleyball and track & field.

Athens College is incorporated in both Greece and the State of New York and is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization. Furthermore, very important for the school's spirit and an indication of its special status is its scholarship programme (funded by the parents associations and the alumni club SAKA) which gives the opportunity to students from all social and economic layers to study there.

Notable alumni

• Michael Dertouzos, (1954) former director of the M.I.T. Laboratory for Computer Science, and chairman of the Athens College Board of Trustees.
• Nikiforos Diamandouros (1961) academic, and since 2003 the European Ombudsman.
• Nikos Dimou, (1954) writer and broadcaster
• Stavros S. Niarchos, (1928) Greek shipping magnate
• Andreas Papandreou, (1938) economist and politician; served three times as Prime Minister of Greece (1981-1985, 1985-1989, 1993-1996).
• George Papandreou (1971) politician and Foreign Minister of Greece from 1999 to 2004; became leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement in 2004. Voted President of Socialist International on January 2006. He is also the current Prime Minister of Greece.
• Sotirios Hatzigakis, (1962) politician and Minister of Employment of Greece from 1989 to 1990 and Minister of Agriculture from 1991 to 1992; Vice - President of the Parliament from 2004 to 2007; and Minister of Justice from 2007

External links

• Athens College web site (in Greek)
• American site
• Homer W. Davis, The story of Athens College: The first thirty-five years, 1925-1960, ISBN 960-85002-1-4. Davis was its first president.
• Δημήτρη Καραμάνου, Κολλέγιον Αθηνών, 1925-2000: Σταθμοί και Ορόσημα.