ATP presents environmental education programs at Green Cross conference in Moscow

Environmental Education Program Assistant Manya Gevorgyan (at podium) represented Armenia Tree Project at the conference on "Environmental Education for Sustainable Development" in Moscow. The event was hosted by Green Cross International on June 29-30, 2011.

Manya presented ATP's tree planting, environmental education, and sustainable development programs to an audience of 60 participants from Russia, Ukraine, Tatarstan, Kazakhstan, and Armenia. Manya's slides are available here in Russian.

Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School Visit to Karin jointly with School # 190

On 27th of June a group of 7 students from Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School of Santa Ana, Orange County visited Armenia Tree Project (ATP) Ohanian Environmental Education Center in Karin accompanied by their parents and Armenian language teacher, Ani Geloian. Here in Karin they met the students of the newly established eco-club of School #190 in Yerevan who were led by their Biology teacher Tatevik Melkumyan. Within the framework of ATP’s “Building Bridges” Project the students played “get-to-know-each-other” games, had a discussion on environment and trees and went on a wonderful tour in ATP Nursery. Together they planted seeds each of them with a large wish to grow their own tree in Armenia. At the end they all enjoyed the nice open-air lunch.

Minassian School group and the students from School # 190 in Yerevan

Ani Geloian - the head of the Minassian School Group

Children planting seeds together.

Nursery Program Manager Samvel Ghandilyan explaining the students how to plant seeds.

St. Stephen's School visit to Ohanian Environmental Education Center in Karin

On 27^th of May 12 students from St. Stephen’s Armenian School in Watertown, MA visited Armenia Tree Project (ATP) Ohanian Environmental Education Center in Karin accompanied by their teacher Ardemis Megerdchian as well as by 10 students from Anania Shirakatsi School in Yerevan along with their teacher Hasmik Petrosyan. Within the framework of ATP’s “Building Bridges” Project the children took part in several environmental activities that aimed to built closer connections between the US-Armenian children from St. Stephen’s School and the Armenian schoolchildren from Anania Shirakatsi School. The children altogether also planted seeds and toured the nursery led by ATP nursery specialists.

ATP activities depicted on the poster.

Drawing "Building Bridges" the way we see it.

The whole group together.

Taking a walk in ATP greenhouse in Karin Nursery.

Tigran Palazyan showing us around ATP Nursery in Karin.

Here we are planting seeds.

Together we are "building a bridge."

ATP Presents Building Bridges Environmental Education Program at Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School

Earlier this month, Southern California representatives of Armenia Tree Project were hosted by the Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School in Santa Ana.

Anahit Gharibyan and Hermine Mahmouzian were greeted by Principal Kohar Zaher and Armenian teacher Ani Geloian, along with students from the 5th and 6th grade classes. The school recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and the visit was part of ATP's Building Bridges education program to connect diasporan students with their environmental heritage.

Anahit Gharibyan--new to California but a long-time ATP employee in Yerevan--spoke with the students about the reasons behind the founding of ATP in 1994 and some of the early experiences of the organization, as well as some of the environmental challenges facing Armenia today. Each student was presented with a copy of ATP's colorful Building Bridges newsletter for children.

"The Minassian School students were very knowledgeable about Armenia and quite enthusiastic in their questions and answers about ATP and environmental issues," noted Gharibyan after the school assembly.

The 6th grade class will be traveling to Armenia in June and will be met by ATP staff in order to plant tree seedlings and spend time meeting peers of the same age from a local school.

Slideshow: Five Years of ATP's Environmental Education Program

By Alla Berberyan

Environmental education is one of ATP’s core programs to prepare the nation’s youth to become the next generation of environmental stewards. Every year, ATP hosts hundreds of children and youth at its Michael and Virginia Ohanian Environmental Education Center at Karin Nursery--often along with their parents and teachers--to take part in interactive environmental lessons and hands-on activities.

During their visits, guests take an educational tour accompanied by nursery specialists who give them an interesting and complete explanation of each and every tree and plant. Children often give environmental performances in Karin and present the environmental activities that they conduct in their schools.

ATP’s education program integrates environmental themes and practical activities throughout the schools in all of Armenia’s regions, thus raising the environmental consciousness and responsibility of the population. Already more than 1,000 teachers have been trained to use ATP’s Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree manual in their classroom.

Children from Ohanyan School in Yerevan organized a clean-up activity in their school neighborhood

Children from Ohanyan School cleaning their school neighborhood.

Hovnanian School in New Jersey and School #168 in Yerevan coming together to plant trees

On May 2 students from Hovnanian School in New Jersey came together with students from School #168 in Yerevan within the framework of ATP’s Building Bridges Project and planted trees around the area of School #168. At the beginning of the event the students introduced themselves, played name games, and learned about each other.

This was followed by a short training by Arthur Harutunyan (ATP head monitor) about the techniques of planting trees. At the end of the event, the students from School #168 showed the Hovnanian students around their school area and spent some time together. We hope that the communication between students will continue through this ATP blog.

Students from School #168 showing

Hovnanian students around their school area

Planting trees together

Students getting to know each other