Falmouth Education Foundation Honor Daria and Michael Kasparian

What you may know about Michael and Daria Kasparian is that for decades they have supported and enriched the Falmouth community—Michael through the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce and as a board member of Belonging To Each Other, which works to house the homeless, and Daria as an English teacher and advisor at Falmouth High School.

“I really do believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Our children are where they are because of growing up in this stable community. In fact both were beneficiaries of FEF grants in the public schools. It was exciting to see how Falmouth children grew from the ripples of impact from the FEF grants.”

For their dedication and service to the community, the Falmouth Education Foundation will honor them at its annual gala at The Coonamessett Inn on Saturday, March 16, 2024.

The nonprofit Falmouth Education Foundation was established to award grants to teachers in the Falmouth public schools for innovative programs that are not within the schools’ budgets. Since 2006 the foundation has awarded over $1.6 million in grants. The gala is the FEF’s primary fundraiser.

“Michael has advocated for local businesses and nonprofits, provided educational programming, and been a leading voice in local issues that impact residents and visitors,” said Ellen Barol, former president of the FEF. “Daria’s dedication to the students of Falmouth as an educator and class advisor is immeasurable; she has been a mentor and guide to countless students over the years.”

Mr. Kasparian, who grew up and attended school in Providence, Rhode Island, began working at the Falmouth Chamber in 2008 after serving as manager of donor relations at Falmouth Hospital. He has been president and CEO of the chamber since 2016. In the past the Chamber’s board of directors drew primarily from the business community. But building on work done by his predecessor, Jay Zavala, Mr. Kasparian has expanded the board to include representatives of the police and school departments, the science community, Falmouth Hospital and other nonprofits.

“We collaborate,” he said. “What’s good for the community is good for business.”

Recognizing the need for affordable housing, for instance, he considers how much Falmouth has changed in 20 years (“mind boggling”!) and encourages the town to take a long-range view. He sees the chamber as an important agency “just to put ideas out there,” he said. “You can either let things happen or make things happen.”

What you may not know about the Kasparians is that both are motorcycle enthusiasts and were before they even met. Their garage holds three Harleys in mint condition. Mr. Kasparian built one of them.

In addition to several degrees and honors for his business acumen, Mr. Kasparian also has a degree from Rhode Island School of Design and is a certified antique appraiser specializing in American furniture.

Ms. Kasparian, who retired from teaching this year, is a certified mindfulness, meditation and yoga instructor. During her 28-year tenure at FHS, she received three FEF grants. Guided by her longtime belief in the benefits of meditation, she used one grant to institute a wellness program at the high school. In her retirement she hopes to bring the program to other Falmouth schools as well. She has recently offered wellness workshops to people who have movement disorders.

The Kasparians were married at the Armenian Church of Cape Cod, where Mr. Kasparian continues to serve as deacon. They have also been members of the Church of the Messiah in Woods Hole where he has served in the vestry and she as a Sunday school teacher.

When you enter the Kasparian house, you are welcomed with friendship and food. “You are in an Armenian household,” Ms. Kasparian said as she cut three kinds of cake and put on the kettle for tea.

The couple recently returned from a two-week visit to Armenia, where their oldest daughter, Phoebe, is working in Yerevan on a project called Rerooted, which documents the experiences of recently displaced Armenians from Artsakh and elsewhere and informs the United Nations of their plight.

They plan to return for several weeks next year when he will work with the British and Armenian chambers of commerce and she will work on English curricula in their schools. Their younger daughter, Sophia, is a student at Massachusetts College of Art. Samples of her blown glass decorate the kitchen table.

After spending childhood summers in Falmouth, Ms. Kasparian knew she wanted to raise her children here. It wasn’t hard to convince her husband.

“What I liked so much about Falmouth is the sense of community here, how people work together. Falmouth has a small town feel—a big small town,” he said. She agreed. “I really do believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Our children are where they are because of growing up in this stable community. In fact both were beneficiaries of FEF grants in the public schools. It was exciting to see how Falmouth children grew from the ripples of impact from the FEF grants,” she said. “The education they got in the Falmouth public schools was phenomenal. They were blessed to live here.”

Tickets for the gala are $90 and are available on the FEF website www.falmoutheducationfnd.org. Early bird tickets can be purchased for $75 until December 31.