OPEN HOUSE AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ARMENIA

This fall I took a few students from the high school English club at the Kotayk Library in Hrazdan to the American University Armenia in Yerevan to an open house there. I wanted to expose them to something different from the typical Armenian University where cheating and buying good grades is rife.  Yes, purchasing your grades and class position is common if one has money. 
American University Armenia is an extension of the University of California.  It is managed then as an American University and has many US professors. The standards and financial aide are the same as in the US and the students have US college credits which they can of course transfer to the US should they decide to go to graduate school there.
The trip opened their eyes to something different that is available to them.  They are young and have a few years before time for a university, but they will remember when the time comes this day.

 

My three students...

 

Introductory program in the auditorium....

 

Audience participation with a student musical group....

 

Later.. ice cream cones on this warm day in Yerevan..

 

Me and two of my students, Narine and Nellie

just having found out they passed the first qualifying

round of the FLEX competition.

 

FLEX is Future Leaders Exchange where Armenian students can spend a year of High School in the US if they win the completion of 300 students a year chosen from Armenia.  Nellie, on the left, passed the second round but elected not to further compete as her family did not want her to go alone for a year to the United States.  Narine's family was very supportive, but alas, she did not make the second round. Narine can compete for her four years of high school so she has more chances to improve her English for this competition.