ACS Athens proudly hosted the signing ceremony for the Blue Frontiers Program, an inspiring international partnership between Roger Williams University, the International Propeller Club Port of Piraeus, the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, and ACS Athens. This collaborative initiative establishes a strategic alliance dedicated to advancing maritime education and ocean stewardship for the next generation of leaders.
The program, centered on a commitment known as "Our Pledge," offers students a real-world summer exploration of the Earth’s oceans and the burgeoning global Blue economy. By combining academic rigor with scientific research and industry networking, the partners aim to inspire youth to protect and sustainably manage marine environments.
The event featured impactful remarks by ACS Athens President Dr. Peggy Pelonis and Mr. Costis Frangoulis, President of the International Propeller Club, Port of Piraeus, whose vision and leadership continue to champion environmental stewardship and youth opportunity. The ceremony also welcomed Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Greek Prime Minister’s Envoy for the Ocean and Chair of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection, who underscored the national and global importance of such initiatives.
A significant highlight of the partnership is the generous scholarship support provided by Mr. Frangoulis and the Propeller Club, which helps make this transformative experience accessible to students. Additional insights were shared during the ceremony by Ms. Carla Tanas, Dean of the Institute, and Ms. Beatriz Tintoré of the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, who both emphasized the vital intersection of research, sustainability, and experiential learning.
Through the Blue Frontiers summer program, students are challenged to embrace Conscious Global Citizenship—applying their skills, compassion, and learning to protect the oceans and improve life and living for future generations.
The official agreement was signed on May 13, 2026, at ACS Athens, marking a new chapter in international educational collaboration for the benefit of the global maritime community.
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The name of a young Greek expatriate man has been added to the list of 159 people that are missing after the sudden collapse of a 12-storey building in Miami, Florida.
A Greek-American family was found dead in their home in Jackson township in Ohio.The father Nicholas Mavrakis was a US Army veteran that served in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Jackson Township Police Department released the identities of the four family members who died during an apparent murder-suicide.
According to police, the youngest victim was 5 years old:
Nicholas Mavrakis, 47
Lesley Mavrakis, 37
Ace Mavrakis, 13
Pippa Mavrakis, 5
Investigators responded to a Salerno Street NW residence on the afternoon of Father’s Day for a welfare check, according to Jackson Township police.
There, officers found the bodies of four individuals, all from the same family.
Police believe the deaths stem from a domestic dispute that turned deadly.
Detectives from Jackson Township, along with the Stark County Coroner’s Office and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are treating the case as a triple homicide and suicide at this time.
The coroner is still in the process of conducting autopsies to determine the manner of death.
Superintendent Chris DiLoreto released a statement on behalf of Jackson Local Schools, where the 13-year-old boy attended:
“The Jackson Local School District extends its sincerest sympathy to all those affected by the tragedy in our community Sunday afternoon. Our district grieves the loss of two young children, and their family.
Ace Mavrakis was well-liked by faculty and staff at Jackson Memorial Middle School. He was a member of the Jackson High School ninth-grade football team. Pippa Mavrakis was registered to start kindergarten at Strausser Elementary School in August.
Members of our ninth-grade football team met this morning and grief counselors were available to our students. The district is collaborating with Coleman Crisis Services to provide grief support and counseling to any students and/or staff members who may want to speak with a trusted adult.
Anyone wishing to speak with a counselor should call 330-452-6000.”
U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) submitted into the Congressional Record the American Hellenic Institute’s (AHI) written testimony to the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs on the Biden Administration’s foreign aid proposal for FY2022.