TUMO Box has opened in Gavar

ArmInfo. Today, on December 18th, thanks to the cooperation between the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies and dot818, the first TUMO Box has opened in Gavar, a program aimed at the educational development of small towns and  villages. The official website of the Center reports.  

The event was attended by TUMO and dot818, the sponsor of Gavar TUMO  Box, the Minister of Education and Science, Vahram Dumanyan, Deputy  Minister Zhanna Andreasyan, the Deputy Minister of Transport and  Communication, Victoria Poghosyan, the Governor of Gegharkunik  region, Gnel Sanosyan, the Mayor of Gavar, Gurgen Martirosyan, as  well as representatives of local self-government bodies, TUMO alumni  and prospective Gavar TUMOians.

Welcoming those present, TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian stated, "TUMO's  regional expansion is gaining momentum with the opening of the Gavar  TUMO Box. In a few days, a TUMO box will be opened in the border town  of Berd, located in Tavush province. This process is ongoing, and we  reaffirm our mission to make the TUMO curriculum accessible to young  people in even the smallest communities in Armenia and Artsakh."

Gnel Sanosyan, the governor of Gegharkunik Province, stressed the  importance of the initiative. "I'm thankful to our partners for  making the project happen during such difficult times. The regional  government and our communities are willing to support TUMO in opening  new Boxes in the region. Another one is slated to open in Sevan soon.  It is very important to decentralize our educational and development  efforts, and to fully realize the potential of even our smallest  communities. With an initiative like this, students are free to get  the most innovative education right in their hometown."

David Tonoyan, the founder of dot818, sent his thoughts about the  cooperation and potential of the project from the US, noting, "dot818  is very excited and proud of the implementation of the Gavar TUMO Box  project. Cultivating Armenian youth is a guarantee to our success in  the fields of handicrafts, art, construction, culture and science. I  wish the best to the children of Gavar and the TUMO team. Until our  next project in Armenia!" At the event, the first registered students  of the Gavar Box learned more about the program and met with  experienced TUMO alumni. Gavar TUMOians Yegor, Hayk and Larisa were  the first ones to try out robotics, drawing and programming.  

The goal of the TUMO Box project is to make the TUMO curriculum  accessible to young people in small communities.  It is a small but  technically equipped mini TUMO. Students will begin in the self-study  phase of the TUMO curriculum in the Box, and will then move onto TUMO  Dilijan for workshops and labs. Each TUMO box will provide the  opportunity to educate over 300 young people a year in the fields of  technology and design. In addition to TUMO's main program, the Box  can be used in the morning for other educational programs.  

Dot818 is an American marketing solutions company based in Glendale,  California, founded in 2011. It specializes in publisher solutions,  advertising solutions and lead distribution. In addition to its  headquarters in California, dot818 also operates an office in  Charlotte, North Carolina and the United Kingdom.