One of the most inspiring partnerships that JAA has developed over the years is with the Rotary Club of Altadena, Rotary District 5300, and The Rotary Foundation. Thanks to The Rotary Foundation's Matching Grant program, more than 40 schools in the Etchmiadzin, Ararat, Guimri, and Lori regions of Armenia have introduced our economics program. That translates to nearly 1,300 high school students who, on an annual basis, can enroll JAA courses and learn about free enterprise and the democratic process.
JAA participates with Rotarians in Armenia by welcoming their participation as volunteer consultants. They enter the Rotary-sponsored classrooms and help students organize their businesses. Rotarians from the Yerevan and Guimri Clubs also have spoken to students, sharing their real-life experiences from the world of business.
There are many special success stories to share from the Rotary-sponsored classrooms. In Vanadzor secondary school #22, students established a company named, “Aragast,” and produced and sold cleaning instruments for their desks, study notebooks, and decorative towels. Their teacher was Sirush Ghukasyan. In school #28, the student company was named, “Parvana,” and the young entrepreneurs produced and sold small toys, baskets, and colorful candle sets. Their teacher was Haykuhi Avagyan.
Outside Armenia, JAA works closely with the Rotary Club of Altadena. Annually, the Altadena club invites JAA's study abroad and teacher training participants to meetings where the JAA representatives have a unique opportunity to express their gratitude for the club's ongoing support.
In the coming months, we will set our sights on the Lori region, where we will introduce JAA's economics program in ten schools with Rotary Foundation support. We also are excited about the prospects for new ventures, which might include Youth IT programs aimed at placing more young people into IT companies in Armenia, as well as Rotary-sponsored micro-enterprise loans for JAA graduates interested in starting their own businesses.
Our special thanks goes to C. Ray Carlson whose vision of eradicating poverty by teaching young people about business and entrepreneurship continues to drive this extraordinary partnership.
