School of Varlaam Scholarships

Site Progress to Date

Varlaam Mitropolitul School is a school in Iasi operating under Orthodox Christian values. The students attending this institution are cultivating their talents in an Orthodox spirit, and in this way Varlaam Mitropolitul School is contributing to the moral development of a new generation of future Christian Romanian leaders. This school serves as an innovative example of one of the Romania’s first educational projects, providing great benefits for youth starting with kindergarten age to adolescence.

SPOC President Mariana Cuceu with Atanasia Pantea, 12th grade and Ana Grozavu, 11th grade – two outstanding SPOC scholars at Varlaam school Iasi during summer of 2022

SPOC Contributions

A total of $75,235 in scholarships has been allocated to Varlaam School starting in 2016 until October of 2022.

Financial support has been granted towards scholarships and school expenses of a total of 16 talented and academically strong students coming from families with major social and economic challenges.

SPOC Varlaam School Scholars received clothing in addition to tuition funds to support them during 2022-2023 school year

The most important attribute of providing help to the children in addition to providing them daily meals, is creating an environment that encourages and nurtures education mentally and spiritually to strengthen their future. Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity(SPOC) is embarking on a new mission to offer educational opportunities for Romanian’s most vulnerable children in partnership with the “Varlaam School” a project developed by the Varlaam Mitropolitul Fundation.

This school serves as an innovative example of one of the Romania’s first educational projects, providing great benefits for youth starting with kindergarten age to adolescence. This project in particular supports youth from various grades, ranging from 4th grade to 6th grade, with the hope of expanding these opportunities all the way to High School continuing to foster educational opportunities centered on Christian values.

Varlaam School 2019 report (PDF)

Moving forward in the 2016-2017 school year, Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity (SPOC) decided to offer scholarships to 4 students attending Varlaam School Mitropolitul in Iasi, a school operating with Orthodox Christian values. We received a generous donation of $3,000 from Ancient Christian Foundation. We combined that donation with another $4,000 from our own fundraising events, enabling us to provide a total of $7,000 in scholarship funds to the 4 students. The conditions to keep the scholarship are: annual grade point average over 9.30, and annual conduct grade 10.00.

The following are brief descriptions of the student scholarships provided by Saint Paraskeva Orthodox Charity, each of whom have excellent academic records, but whose families struggle financially and would not be able to keep their children at the school without the assistance that SPOC provided:

ȘTEFAN POSTU | primary school

Ștefan is Claudia’s brother. They practice together taekwondo and are very close. He has managed this semester to get very good results, and his general average is FB (Well Done).

CLAUDIA POSTU | 6th grade

Claudia is the proof that hard work and perseverance bring the best results. Her general average from the first semester of the 6th grade was 9,94, and she managed to get an average of 10 for almost all of the school subjects.

She adores her younger brother and always takes care of him. Claudia takes part to various extracurricular activities: she practices rhythmic gymnastics and she holds the runner-up title in the European Taekwon-do competition.

Everything that I have discovered at this school thanks to the scholarship offered by St. Parascheva Foundation gives us the hope that we will be able to make good use of what God gave us!

Claudia

We can tell that our children’s mental, physical and spiritual formation has truly began and we are certain that in the future they will not turn a blind eye to other people’s needs. We are truly grateful for this opportunity!

Claudia and Ștefan’s Parents

STELIANA CĂLIN | 7th grade

Steliana’s general average for this semester was 9,11.

She was an active member of the tutorial program where her colleague, Atanasia, helped her to achieve visible results. She is now able to communicate better, to identify difficulties and ask for help when needed. Steliana and Atanasia have study meetings every Tuesday and Thursday.

This scholarship has represented Steliana’s opportunity to study in an environment where intellectual growth is combined with spiritual and intellectual development. We are grateful for this opportunity!

Mihaela, Steliana’s foster parent

DAMIANA FĂDUR | 8th grade

Damiana has finished successfully the first semester of the 8th grade, with a general average of 8,94. She was also involved in the tutorial program. Damiana and Atanasia have study meetings every Tuesday and Thursday.

Damiana is optimistic, involved in class activities, paints in her free time and she has become more mature and conscious of the importance of School and Church in her life.

This scholarship allows me to grow academically but also spiritually. I enjoy a lot being part of this school where people encourage me to make progress, study hard and follow Christian morals.

Damiana

ANA-GEORGIANA GROZAVU | 8th grade

Ana won a merit scholarship awarded after achieving high score at a contest organized in our school. She is very ambitious and self-confident. She is passionate about fencing, she practices it 3 times a week. She loves Math. She comes from a single-parent family and she lives in a house of her relatives. Ana wants to be a doctor and help others.

She has very good results at school. Ana’s general average for this semester was 9,94.

This scholarship has a good influence on me because it motivates me to study even harder. It is also a chance to be a future student of the “Varlaam” High School.

Ana

IULIANA MOCĂNAȘU | 9th grade

Iuliana finished successfully the first semester of the 9th grade with wonderful results due to her remarkable perseverance. Her general average was 9,55.

She is a sensible, shy girl with a wonderful evolution, starting to trust herself more given the remarkable results she has achieved last year.

This scholarship is important for us because it has offered our child the chance to attend the classes of “Varlaam Mitropolitul” High School, a place where students are encouraged to grow from a spiritual, emotional and mental point of view, where they meet people who are passionate about their job and where they are guided to grow their talents.

Iuliana and her parents

ANCA PENU | 9th grade

Last year was a challenging one for Ancuța, who managed to achieve wonderful results due to her effort, seriousness and mature spiritual life.

Ancuța has finished successfully the first semester of the 9th grade, with the general average 9,77.

This scholarship has given me the opportunity to be a student of this school, which made me love waking up in the morning and coming to school! But this is not all. Everything that this scholarship has provided me, such as a warm meal and a uniform, made me feel that I have to worry less about my financial situation! It has had such a meaningful influence and I appreciate a lot the fact that I was offered this chance.

Ancuța

ATANASIA MOGLAN | 9th grade

Atanasia was raised surrounded by orthodox values. She is thrilled by the activities developed by Varlaam School and loves her colleagues very much. She helps Steliana and Damiana study and improve their knowledge.

Atanasia’s general average for this semester was 9,83.

To me, this scholarship has had a huge financial and academical impact. From a financial point of view, it has offered me the chance to attend various classes that otherwise would have been inaccessible. Furthermore, I may say that part of my worries is gone, knowing that somebody else apart from my family offers me their help and support. From an academical point of view, it has motivated me to achieve higher grades so that I won’t disappoint my mother and the people who help me.

Atanasia

To me the impact is as great as I am sure it is to my daughter. It helps me a lot to know that every month someone covers a part of the expenses required for my child’s education. Furthermore, I am glad that Atanasia has started to help other two younger girls with their studies. Another great impact was to see that Atanasia is involved in so many activities and that she has changed in a positive way. Thank you so much for everything that you do for us!

Atanasia’s mother

Please join us in this wonderful program so we can sponsor the education of many more children whose families are struggling economically in Romania today. Thank you for your partnership!