More than 60 students were honored in Heraklion this year for their success in the Panhellenic examinations, in a record-breaking ninth year for an initiative supporting the children of hotel workers.
The Heraklion Hotel Workers’ Union presented the awards at the city’s Labor Center, where successful students received a symbolic €300 to help with the next step in their lives, including the costs of moving away for university.
Among those honored was Dimitris Kapellakis, who was admitted to the Athens University of Economics and Business.
“This support will be very helpful for our new beginning and for our new home in another city,” Kapellakis said, thanking the teachers and tutors who helped him reach his goal.
More than 60 Students Honored
According to union president Nikos Kokolakis, this year’s ceremony marked a record for the initiative, with more than 60 students receiving recognition.
The union has organized the event for nine consecutive years, offering both financial support and public recognition to students who have succeeded in the demanding national examinations.
Kokolakis also praised the parents who supported their children throughout the preparation period, describing the years of studying, late nights and anxiety that accompanied the examination process.
This year’s ceremony also recognized successful candidates who work in the tourism sector and members of the union.
General secretary Nikos Smyrnakis said the organizers discovered that some of the successful candidates were not children of union members but were themselves working in hotels.
For the organizers, the initiative has therefore grown beyond its original purpose, becoming another way for the union to support people connected to the tourism industry.
The hope, Smyrnakis said, is that the number of students receiving awards will be even higher next year.
From Exam Anxiety to University Life
The students attending the ceremony spoke about very different experiences of the Panhellenic examinations.
Anna Miliaraki, who was admitted to the Law School of Democritus University of Thrace, described the year as difficult but manageable with a steady study routine. The pressure of the examination days, she said, was ultimately rewarded by the result.
Marina Danousi, who was admitted to the Department of Management and Tourism at the Hellenic Mediterranean University, said she approached the examinations calmly after setting a clear goal for herself.
Now, she is looking forward to university life and to becoming more independent.
For the successful students and their families, the ceremony offered more than a certificate and €300. It marked the end of one demanding chapter and the beginning of another, with university, a new city, and a very different kind of independence ahead.