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Odyssey Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware celebrated a major milestone in its mission of Greek language and cultural education on September 9, 2026, with the unveiling and ribbon-cutting of its new K-5 Immersion Building during the school’s Όραμα Celebration: An Evening of Legacy.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Agiasmos Service at the entrance of the new building, blessing the facility and offering prayers for the students, educators, and families who will be shaped within its walls.
Others in attendance included Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Gregory-Telemachos Stamkopoulos, Director of Greek Education for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Very Rev. Fr. Christoforos Oikonomidis, Dean of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Wilmington; Odyssey Charter School CEO Elias Pappas; Dr. Ioanna Lekkakou, Vice President of Hellenic Education and Global Outreach; as well as educators, students, alumni, parents, and community supporters.
In his archpastoral remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros reflected on the significance of the new facility and the distinctive nature of Odyssey’s acclaimed Greek Language Immersion Program.
“Today we ask that this building become a place of illumination, where teachers are granted wisdom and students grow in knowledge and character,” the Archbishop said.
Highlighting the uniqueness of the program, he noted that Greek at Odyssey is far more than a subject taught in the classroom. Students learn mathematics and science through the Greek language and receive Greek language arts instruction from native-speaking educators, with half of their academic curriculum taught in Greek and half in English.
The Archbishop also underscored what makes the program particularly remarkable: most Odyssey students are neither of Greek heritage nor members of the Greek Orthodox Church, and many arrive at the school with no prior knowledge of Greek.
“Yet Greek becomes part of the way they learn, think, inquire, reason, and understand the world,” he said. “This should fill every Hellene with pride, because the greatest gifts of Hellenism became great precisely because they were shared.”
The new K-5 Immersion Building represents the latest chapter in Odyssey Charter School’s commitment to academic excellence and the promotion of Hellenic language and culture, providing expanded opportunities for future generations of students to experience the enduring values of Greek education.
Following the ceremony, guests gathered for a festive reception featuring traditional Greek dance performances, celebrating both the school’s growing legacy and its vision for the future.
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