On June 7, a much-anticipated meeting took place at Secondary School Number 2 in the Zolakar community. The school's staff and students warmly welcomed Carol Aslanian...
On June 7, a much-anticipated meeting took place at Secondary School Number 2 in the Zolakar community. The school's staff and students warmly welcomed Carol Aslanian, who joined the Teach For Armenia #NationBuilders program in 2021 and became the sponsor of Zolakar Secondary School. Karen Melikyan, a Teacher-Leader of Teach For Armenia, works at this school and also serves as its principal.
During the meeting, the students had the opportunity to meet Carol and proudly showcase the school's interesting features and cultural aspects. Carol took a tour of the school yard and classrooms, where she got acquainted with the various Student-Led Innovation Projects, observed their handicrafts, and witnessed school life firsthand. She also shared the remarkable story of her family, particularly her mother's survival during the 1915 Genocide and subsequent escape to Alexandrapol.
The touching story of Carol's family holds special significance, as Carol dedicated her sponsorship to Zolakar School in memory of her mother, Armenuhi Baghdasaryan, who always valued education and worked tirelessly to provide her children with a good education. In honor of this occasion, Teach For Armenia prepared a plaque dedicated to the memory of Armenuhi Baghdasaryan, which now proudly hangs next to the "Info Library" project established with Carol's support.
As part of the Infolibrary initiative, students at Zolakar School create high-quality educational materials, including maps, posters, signs, and other resources. The best of these materials are preserved in the Infogradaran repository and later utilized by teachers, enriching the classroom experience with engaging, meaningful, and colorful content.
“First of all I'm an educator myself, I have taught school and I'm now working with higher education institutions. Education has always been an important part of my life and my family’s life and I think if I'm going to do anything in Armenia to support the population and its children, it would be to support the teaching and education field,”
Educator
Following the inspiring and engaging discussions, the students put on a remarkable performance, showcasing their talents and skills.
"I applied to the Teach For Armenia program because I realized that children are no longer captivated by traditional teaching methods. I sought new teams, opportunities, and like-minded individuals to make education at our school modern and interesting for students. I can confidently say that thanks to the numerous positive changes that have taken place since joining Teach For Armenia, our students now have open and relaxed discussions and meetings with guests. The Infolibrary project is one of the outcomes of this transformation and will continue to have a lasting impact,"
Principal of Zolakar Secondary School Number 2 and Teach For Armenia Teacher-Leader
At the end of the gathering, the students presented handmade gifts to the guests and bid farewell, eagerly anticipating future meetings. Carol expressed her gratitude and shared her profound feelings, assuring everyone that her visit to Zolakar Secondary School will always hold a special place in her heart.
On August 10th, I was able to witness what Teach For Armenia has done for the students all over Armenia by visiting Shenavan Basic School in the mountains of Lori.
