Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School celebrates 50 years in Little Armenia

LITTLE ARMENIA (KABC) -- Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School is celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The school started in 1969 and Principal Dr. Alina Dorian has been there since the beginning.

"I came here from three years old until sixth grade. I actually did my elementary school here," said Dorian. "I graduated and then went on to a different Armenian school for high school and then many years later I came back as principal of the school so I was here at the beginning."

The school opened as a result of many Armenians moving to Los Angeles due to the genocide.

"I think the school is a victory in many ways, a success. Who would've expected a small Armenian school at that time," said Dorian. "Having it survive for 50 years and be a premier academic institution is very important."

While the school is a competitive academic institution with successful athletic teams, Dorian expressed that academics isn't their only priority.

"I tell people we're not just producing Armenian scholars, we're producing great humans and we're succeeding at it," she said.

Every year, the school adopts a theme that helps guide the students throughout the year.

This year the theme is "Future Forward."

"It's very important for us to think and look back at the legacy of what we built for 50 years. But we really wanted to celebrate the next, so it's sort of the beginning of the next 50 years is the way were looking at it instead of the end of the first 50," she said.