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UWC Selection Commission: "Armenian Children Are Very Talented"

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  • UWC Selection Commission: "Armenian Children Are Very Talented"

    UWC SELECTION COMMISSION: "ARMENIAN CHILDREN ARE VERY TALENTED"

    Monday 31 March 2014 14:20
    Photo: Mediamax.

    UWC Selection Commission: "Armenian children are very talented"

    On March 29 and 30, education experts and representatives of United
    World Colleges (UWC) network conducted the final round of interviews
    with children from Armenia.

    This year, 21 children from Armenia will be able to study in UWC
    system. 10 of them will enter UWC Dilijan and 11 - UWC colleges in
    other countries (Italy, Wales, Hong Kong, Holland, Norway, Germany,
    U.S., Singapore and India).

    The main peculiarity of the selection process in UWC system is that
    it doesn't involve schools as admissions and selection processes are
    carried out by independent structures - UWC National Committees in
    each country.

    UWC Armenian National Committee received 270 applications. After
    preliminary examination of the applications, 159 young people were
    selected and UWC specialists interviewed them on Skype. 64 boys and
    girls who passed this round got an invitation to the interview in
    Yerevan on March 29 and 30.

    Heavy snowfall at the night of March 30 was like a special test for
    children from regions. Though many republican highways were closed
    on March 30, parents of children from Gyumri, Spitak and other towns
    managed to take children to the capital with all the possible and
    impossible ways.

    The selection commission comprised Armenian and foreign education
    specialists, particularly representative of Anania Shirakatsi Complex
    Satine Karakeshishyan, Director of Armenian Branch of PH International
    Mariam Martirosyan, representative of UWC Adriatic (Italy) Rimma
    Rapoporte, head of UWC Armenian National Committee Simone Sgarbossa,
    graduate of UWC USA School Samir Mastaki, representative of UWC
    Russian National Committee Darya Brodnikovskaya, UWC International
    Office Senior Officer Mia Eskelund (Denmark) and others.

    While selecting students for UWC schools, preference is given to
    talented and socially active children. This selection system allows
    bringing together interesting young people with out-of-box mindset
    who are creative and socially active.

    The members of the selection commission were pleasantly surprised by
    the level of training of Armenian children. Mia Eskelund and Rimma
    Rapoporte pointed out high level of mathematics knowledge. "I can
    honestly say comparing the knowledge of mathematics in my own country,
    Denmark, the knowledge is much better here", admitted Mia Eskelund
    talking to Mediamax.

    Mia Eskelund.

    ФоÑ~Bо: Mediamax.

    Rimma Rapoporte especially stressed the knowledge of languages among
    participants.

    "It was a big surprise to see how many people speak Russian. In some
    other former Soviet Union republics people don't speak Russian. In
    Armenia, it is fantastic - they can write in 3 completely different
    alphabets, which is not something that average kids are able to do
    worldwide", said UWC Adriatic representative.

    Another selection commission member, UWC USA alumni Samir Mastaki
    admitted talking to Mediamax that it will be difficult to select 21
    people out of 64. "Every one of them can be a UWC student", he said.

    At the same time, he advised teenagers to "remember that this is a
    very competitive process". "Don't take it personally - if you were
    not selected, it doesn't mean that we didn't like you or you wasn't
    good enough", he stressed.

    Samir Mastaki.

    ФоÑ~Bо: Mediamax.

    Samir Mastaki said that all the people were very positive in Armenia,
    "starting from the officer at passports control at the Yerevan
    airport". "Next time I would like to spend a couple of weeks in
    Armenia", said Samir.

    Simone Sgarbossa, Head of UWC Armenian National Committee, said that
    many Armenian boys and girls surprised him a lot, especially those
    from regions.

    Simone Sgarbossa.

    ФоÑ~Bо: Mediamax.

    "They are very ambitious in a very human way. They really want
    their lives to improve, they really care for their country, they
    have very strong roots with their families", Simone Sgarbossa shared
    his impressions.

    Rimma Rapoporte pointed out that UWC Dilijan College is not a college
    itself; it is going to become a part of bigger Dilijan community. "I
    believe students can also participate in the developments and projects
    related to the preservation of the National Park", she noted.

    Rimma Rapoporte.

    ФоÑ~Bо: Mediamax.

    UWC International Office Senior Officer Mia Eskelund also said that
    before Dilijan School establishment, the UWC hadn't been represented
    in the region. "We welcomed UWC Dilijan initiative on setting up
    National Committees in the countries of the region", she said.

    The results of the selection round held on March 29-30 will be
    announced in late April. Following it, colleges, including UWC Dilijan,
    should give their consent and approve the candidate students.

    http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/society/9715/

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