AIAP Holiday Social 2011

December 1, 2011

The AIAP (Association of Iranian-American Professionals) is having its holiday party on Thursday, December 8 from 6-9 pm at Flora and Muse in the Town and Country City Centre area.  AIAP is a professional organization with monthly networking luncheons on the first Thursday of every month at Garson Restaurant from 11:30am-1pm.  Members of the business, engineering, medical, and cultural community typically attend and all professions are always welcome.   The annual holiday party is AIAP's way of saying thank you for the support of the Iranian-American community in Houston.  Appetizers will be courtesy of AIAP.  For more information, email Saied Alavi.   Here is AIAP's official invitation: Dear AIAP members and patrons: You and your significant other are cordially invited to attend our holiday mixer to meet and mingle with other Iranian professionals to catch up on the year’s event and hear about the business & career opportunities that were facilitated by AIAP. If you missed the last social event, this is the one NOT to miss! So come one, come all, bring a friend, and as always bring lots of business cards for who knows where the next business prospect may be. We look forward to seeing all of you there. AIAP Board of Directors  

ICF School Celebrates Its Best Semester

November 21, 2011

Come celebrate the ICF school's record-breaking semester.  Our first grade graduates can now fully read and write in Persian! Our beginner and intermediate first graders apart from learning so much of the Persian alphabet have gained skills in arts and dance!   Our Pre-K kids have also done a lot in the language and arts area as well, and they will all be showcasing what they have learned this semester at the Iranian Cultural Foundation! So come and join us as we celebrate their success!   Details: Sunday, December 18, 2011, 11am-1pm at Jones Hall at University of St. Thomas, 3910 Yoakum Boulevard, Houston, TX  77006. Contact the ICF office for more information.

Iranian-American Holiday Party 2011

An unprecedented collaboration between PAAIA (Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian-Americans), ICF (Iranian Cultural Foundation - Houston), SIAWE (Society of Iranian-American Women for Education), and Shabeh Jomeh culminates in a 2011 holiday party.  Come learn about all four of these well-established Houston organizations and socialize with friends or make some new friends.  The atmosphere is casual, very friendly and welcoming. Each organization will share its 2011 successes and talk about their big plans for next year. Come out and learn about the different Iranian-American organizations in your community. Pass this along to your friends! When: Thursday, Dec 1, 2011 , 8 PM – Midnight Where: HUNGRY’s NEXT DOOR, 14714 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX  77024 Price: FREE Admission! Dress Code: Smart Casual  

Persian Thanks 2011

Persian Thanks is a new PAAIA (Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian-Americans) program that embraces American culture Persian-style. Starting in 2011, we are mobilizing PAAIA Chapters nationwide to donate Cash, take Canned Foods/ Clothing and Hygiene items to homeless shelters on Thanksgiving Day--or on any day during the week--and hope that "Persian Thanks Week" will become an Iranian-American tradition. To do good as a community on this most American of American holidays is our way of showing that we are grateful to have a home away from our ancestral homeland, that we care, and that we want to share our cultural heritage with our fellow Americans.   Volunteers are participating in the "33rd Annual Thanksgiving Big Feast of Sharing" at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Thanksgiving morning, November 24, 2011.   Please arrive between 7:30 and 10 AM on Thursday, November 24, 2010 for Volunteer Orientation in Exhibit Hall A3 at the Volunteer Registration. The George R. Brown Convention Center is located at: 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, Texas, 77010.   For more information on the city-wide event, check it out on Facebook or call Navid at 832-687-8030.

First Annual ICF Gala and Awards Ceremony a Huge Success

November 14, 2011

On October 1, the Iranian Cultural Foundation - Houston held its first gala with resounding support from the Iranian-American and Houston communities.  Hosted at the J.W. Marriott, the event was attended by over 150 supporters of the ICF as well as a number of dignitaries.  This year's award was given to prominent Iranian architect Houshang Seyhoun for a lifetime of achievement in art and architecture and a positive representation of Iranians across the world.   Unfortunately, he was not able to attend the event due to last-minute travel restrictions, but the ICF, in collaboration with the Hines College of Architecture at the University of Houston endowed a scholarship in his name, which was awarded to a lucky recipient that evening.  The endowed scholarship will be funded through the support of the local community over the next three years and the $25,000 endowment will perpetually guarantee a $1000 scholarship to be awarded every year.  The vision of the endowed scholarship is to get the architects of the future to recognize the contribution of Iranian-Americans to the profession and to be inspired by their works.   A documentary about his life was also shown during dinner.  The annual gala is also ICF's annual fundraiser, and through generous donations, a silent auction, and a rousing live auction conducted by professional auctioneer and ICF board member Navid Zanjani, the bar was set high for future events with over $18,000 raised.  The evening concluded with the modern jazz sounds of Ziba Shirazi, who delighted the crowd until the end.

ICF School In Middle of Highest Enrollment To Date

November 13, 2011

In the Fall of 2008, the ICF school was started with only 15 students and one adult class with two teachers at St. Thomas University.  By the Spring of 2008, enrollment was increased to 18 with 7 adult students.  2009 was a banner year for the ICF school with relocation to our current 9700 Richmond facility and enrollment increased again to 28 students.  At the request of the parents, a dance class was added.  These dance students are now featured every year at our annual Nowruz Festival wearing traditional Iranian clothing.  In the Fall of 2010, enrollment once again increased to 35 students and a pre-K program was added. Currently, we have 5 teachers, 36 language students, 11 adult students, and 16 pre-K students.  All of our teachers hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in art or science.  The ICF school teachers have also created novel teaching resources and workbooks for their classes. We are also proud to announce that in collaboration with Spring Branch ISD, high school students will soon be receiving foreign language course credit upon passing an ICF Farsi language exam.  The plan is to expand this program offering to Houston ISD as well.  

ICF School Collaborates With Spring Branch ISD for Foreign Language Credit Exams

November 12, 2011

The Iranian Cultural Foundation school has partnered up with Spring Branch ISD to offer foreign language credit in high school by taking a competency exam administered by the ICF.  This expands on SBISD's foreign language offerings and on a collaboration program that features many other languages not offered in traditional high school classes.  For students coming from Iran, this could lead to earlier graduation from high school by getting credit for Farsi.  Iranian-American students can benefit by taking their mother tongue as a foreign language to help identify more with their culture and heritage.   This collaboration will eventually lead to Farsi classes at ICF specifically designed for middle school and high school students, competency exam tutoring, and future collaborations with the school district.  ICF is also looking to pursue the foreign language credit program with Houston ISD and other Houston-area school districts.   For more information about the program, contact the ICF office.

Cultural Workshops Focus On Prominent Iranian Poets

The Iranian-American community in Houston not only enjoys a diverse mélange of cultural richness that this cosmopolitan city offers to her dwellers, it is also privileged by the contributions of scholars with deep knowledge of the Persian history and heritage who are willing to share their knowledge with the public.   Shahnameh Workshop is an example of a unique opportunity to learn about Ferdowsi’s magnificent contribution to the Persian literature and language for those of you who are passionate and proud about your roots. Lessons From Golestan is another opportunity to soak your soul into the thinking and philosophy of Sa’adi Shirazi, one of the most prominent Persian poets, a scholar who earned his rank and respect by travelling the world and learning from the harsh realities of life. Poetry Night (Shabe Sher) is a colorful “bazaar” for experiencing a wide array of poetic expressions by classic and contemporary Persian poets. Come hear Houston’s own poets read their poems and bring your favorite poetry to recite and share with the audience. All these ICF-sponsored events are open to the public and free of charge. Check the calendar of events for dates and times, and come join the therapy for the soul.