Visit our site at
View this email in your browser
()
PRESS RELEASE
April 2, 2015
Contact: Vasken Yardemian
[email protected]
[email protected]
AESA Office: (818) 547-3372
Los Angeles Area Armenian Students Present Their Findings at the
14^th AESA Science Olympiad
(Northridge, CA) – 105 Armenian young `scientists’ from 6^th through
12^th grade presented their science projects at the 14^th Armenian
Engineers and Scientists of America’s (AESA) Science Olympiad on
Sunday March 15, 2015. The Grand Salon of California State University
Northridge had an eclectic mix of 85 science projects in the
categories of life sciences and physical sciences in two levels of
middle school and high school. As the 105 excited students began
arriving with their log books and science equipment they had used for
preparing their science projects, the room took a life of its own
abuzz with the chatter of students meeting classmates and other
likeminded peers who were just as passionate about science. At ten
o’clock, once the professional scientist and engineer judges entered
with their notebooks in hand, the students were ready to hone their
presentation skills as they began explaining their work and answering
the questions of the AESA’s seasoned judges. AESA judges had not only
judged at previous AESA Science Olympiads and numerous school science
fairs, they also had been judges at the Los Angeles County and
California State Science Fairs. In addition, some of them have had the
opportunity to be a judge at the Intel’s International Science and
Engineering Fair that took place last year in Los Angeles.
The following nine schools had student representation: AGBU
Manoogian-Demirdjian School, AGBU Vatche Tamar Manoukian High School,
Armenian Sisters Academy, Charlotte and Elise Merdinian Armenian
Evangelical School, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School, Ribet Academy, Rose
and Alex Pilibos School, St. Gregory Alfred and Marguerite Hovsepian
School, and Vahan and Anoush Chamlian School. This year’s keynote
speaker, Dr. Patrick Sislian, co-founder and CEO of Deton Corporation,
an early clinical stage diagnostics company, focused on respiratory
infectious disease diagnosis, delivered a PowerPoint presentation to
the audience and especially to the students on how, by choosing to
follow the Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM)
education route they could combine different professions such as
medicine, engineering, science and business, for their future careers
depending on their interests. This year’s Olympiad theme was
`research’, which in science, is like setting out on an adventure. In
her address to the students, Mrs. Jenik Gharabegian Chair of Science
Olympiad Committee stated `In the end as adventurers you are going
away from this experience with three things: 1) a sense of curiosity,
2) ability to meet challenges and 3) perseverance to reach your goal.
The road ahead can be an exciting one filled with rewards, now that
you have seen what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.’
Parents, science teachers, schools, judges and mentors, sponsors of
the endowment fund, auxiliary committee members and the Science
Olympiad Committee members each received recognition for their role in
making this year’s Science Olympiad and the tradition of science fairs
a reality.
This year the science Olympiad committee was very grateful for the
donations received towards the Science Olympiad Endowment Fund. This
fund provides funding for approximately $4,000 awards each year. Two
of our donors, Mr. & Mrs. Zaven and Sonia Akian and Dr. & Mrs. Vaughn
and Audrey Gregor donated $1000 each. In addition $10,000 was
bequeathed by Helen Dabaghian. Helen was a charter member of Science
Olympiad Committee. She was very passionate to see Armenian youth
excel in sciences. Dr. Marina Guevrekian, the 2015 President of AESA
and founding member of Science Olympiad Program who organized the
first 11 successful Science Olympiads addressed the audience prior to
joining the committee members and sponsors in giving out the obsidian
medallions made in Armenia to the student award recipients.
The prize for 1^st place $500, 2^nd place $250, 3^rd place $100 and
honorable mention $50. In addition to the awards given to the
students, the Science Olympiad Committee awards three additional
awards: The School Award, Teacher Appreciation Award and Judge
Award. The criteria for the school and the teacher appreciation awards
are based on number of students’ participants, total number of
participating projects in each category and level and the point value
of each award. School Award is presented with a trophy and $300 to go
towards the purchase of equipment for their school’s science
laboratory. This year the School Award went to St. Gregory Alfred and
Marguerite Hovsepian School. The Teacher award is presented with a
plaque and a $300 check. This year the Teacher Appreciation Award went
to Mrs. Lida Gevorkian of Vahan and Anoush Chamlian School. The Helen
Dabaghian Judge Award criteria are based on the most total number of
schools and Olympiad judged. The judge is awarded with a plaque. This
year the Helen Dabaghian Judge Award went to Mr. Sarkis Barkhoudarian.
The following are the award recipients:
JUNIOR PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Award Name and Place Student Name School
Guevrekian Family First Place Award Karoune Kossayan C & E Merdinian
Armenian Evangelical School
Barkhoudarian Family Second Place Award Soseh Hovasapian Vahan &
Anoush Chamlian School
Friends of Helen Dabaghian, in the memory of Helen, Third Place Award
Narek Daduryan St. Gregory A & M Hovsepian School
Sarafian and Ookhtens Families Third Place Award Kaitlyn Marcarian
Vahan & Anoush Chamlian School
Dr. Chahen Khandjarian Honorable Mention Award Natalia Opel C & E
Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School
Mrs. Amalia Guevrekian Honorable Mention Award Sevag Avedissian
Shirag Istanboulina Armenian Sisters Academy
Prof. Harotune and Berjouhi Kallayan and Mrs. Hovnanian Honorable
Mention Award Levon Babayan
Aram Apanian Vahan & Anoush Chamlian School
SENIOR PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Award Name and Place Student Name School
Helen Dabaghian First Place Award Taniel Keosseian Rose And Alex
Pilibos Armenian High School
Dabaghian and Agbabian Families Third Place Award Michael Gyadukyan
Ribet Academy
Dr. Darian and Nazeri
Family Honorable Mention Award Ashley Pezikian AGBU
Manoogian-Demirdjian School
Mr. Krikor Vahan Bezdikian Honorable Mention Award David Galumashvili
Narek Kltchian Rose And Alex Pilibos Armenian High School
Mr. Simon Guevrekian, in the memory of George Guevrekian, Honorable
Mention Award Vahe Yacoubian
Daniel Yacoubian AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School
JUNIOR LIFE SCIENCES
Award Name and Place Student Name School
Dr. Emmanuel Aaron Shirajian First Place Award Larisa Assadourian
St. Gregory A & M Hovsepian School
Mr. & Mrs. Zaven and Sonia Akian Second Place Award Katia Khanlian
St. Gregory A & M Hovsepian School
Abrahamian and Gregor Families Third Place Award Shant Suakhtchyan
Vahan & Anoush Chamlian School
Atoian & Minaskanian Families Third Place Award Hagop Chinchinian AGBU
Manoogian-Demirdjian School
SENIOR LIFE SCIENCES
Award Name and Place Student Name School
Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Grigorian and Mr. Godoshian Second Place Award
Ani Boyadjian AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School
==========================================================®SA Science
Olympiad Committee Members and 14^th SO Judges
14th AESA Science Olympiad Award Recipients
14^th AESA Science Olympiad Award Recipients (not all pictured)
Established in 1983 in Glendale, California, AESA is a non-partisan
and non-sectarian philanthropic organization focused primarily on
addressing the professional, technical and scientific needs of fellow
Armenian engineers, scientists, industrialists and architects
throughout the world. For more information, check AESA’s website at **
Copyright © 2015 Armenian Engineers & Scientists of America (AESA),
All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Armenian Engineers & Scientists of America (AESA)
117 S. Louise St #306
Glendale, CA 91205
USA