A Tribute to Ms. Jan Karvouniaris: The Teacher Who Brought History to Life
By the Grateful Students of the Class of 1993

For those of us who walked the halls of ACS Athens in the early 1990s, there are certain memories etched deeply into our minds: the laughter shared in the courtyard and backfield, the intensity of IB and AP exams, the lifelong friendships formed — and sitting in the back row of Ms. Karvouniaris’ IB Higher Level History class, trying to keep up with a woman who turned the study of the past into a profound journey of thought, understanding, and, ultimately, purpose.

Ms. Jan Karvouniaris — or Ms. Showkeir to some — is more than a teacher. She is a force. A force of intellect and beauty, of inspiration, of unwavering belief in the power of education to change lives. And she certainly changed ours.

I still remember myself, Christos Mastoras, and Darko Madey sitting at the back of her classroom, and Mina Michaelidis sitting in the row in front of us.  The joy of taking notes and sharing with each other.   It wasn’t just about dates, treaties, and timelines. It was about questions. It was about why. Why did these revolutions happen? Who gains the most from conflicts and wars?  Why do patterns of conflict repeat? Why haven’t we learned? And most importantly: What do we do with this knowledge?

In those two years of IB History with Ms. Karvouniaris, we didn’t just prepare for an exam. We debated. We listened with our ears and our eyes. We reflected. And above all, we learned that history is not static. It breathes. It echoes. It talks to you.  And if we don’t understand it, it will repeat itself — sometimes loudly, sometimes tragically like a Greek Tragedy. 

Ms. Karvouniaris joined ACS Athens in the late 1970s, eventually retiring in 2015 after 35 years of dedication, innovation, and leadership. Her teaching was never confined to four walls. She believed in learning through experience, and organized Humanities study trips across Greece, France and Italy with the Humanities team, offering her students the rare gift of standing where human history developed and ideas were born. With her teaching partner, Kathy Jasonides, she helped launch ACS Athens first accredited online Humanities courses, further breaking down barriers to how and where learning could take place.

From MACOS (the Jerome Bruner interdisciplinary) in middle school to IB History, Humanities Honors and Theory of Knowledge in high school, from Department Chair to Division Chair, she wore many hats — each with humility and passion. She was not just an educator but a pioneer in interdisciplinary and experiential learning, inspiring both her students and fellow educators across the world.

Retiring didn’t stop her educational journey; she continued to consult with ACS Athens faculty and professional development projects.  She co-authored two chapters for the first and second editions of the book, Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through the I2 Flex Classroom Model, respectively. And, thanks to former colleague, Maria Avgerinou (now at Deree), she is exploring a new realm of knowledge by reviewing manuscripts for the International Journal of Visual Literacy. 

But for us — the class of 1993 — she was the reason we fell in love with history. She taught us that it’s not just about what happened, but what it means.

As Ms. Karvouniaris herself said recently: “Life-long learning, professional fulfillment, gratitude for the friends I made.” Those ten words perfectly capture the legacy she leaves behind — a legacy that lives on in each of us she taught, mentored, and believed in.

Thank you, Ms. Karvouniaris. You taught us to think critically, to reflect deeply, and to understand that history isn’t behind us — it walks beside us. Always.