Norik, Flora, and Sofi from Alaverdi were among the very first students at the SMART Center in Lori, back when the current curriculum wasn’t even in place yet. From the four, Norik attended for the shortest time before he was drafted into the army.
“I was confident when I came to SMART that I knew enough about computers and programming, but it turned out there were many important details I didn’t know,” says Norik. He adds that SMART helps children from the community explore various fields, which is how he fell in love with drawing but decided to pursue programming.
Following a similar path to her brother, the future programmer, Flora has chosen the field of cybersecurity.
“There was a lecture at SMART with a cybersecurity specialist, and after that, I was convinced that I made the right career choice,” says Flora, who also has an artistic passion—in her case music—that she intends to continue alongside her future career.
Unlike Flora and Norik, who based their career decisions on the knowledge and skills they gained at SMART, Sofi chose her future profession through a process of elimination.
“Each program at SMART helped me understand which profession I felt most connected to. Although I ultimately chose medicine, I took away important lessons from every program, some of which I will continue as hobbies,” says Sofi.
The evolution of the Sargsyan family’s SMARTification in a single photograph.
The music program at SMART is a paradise for a music lover like Flora.
Flora’s last summer at SMART was spent at the Georgian-Armenian camp, where she not only learned 21st-century skills but also picked up knowledge from earlier eras.
Flora says SMART is a place where you can create music with famous artists and learn how to compost through the agrotechnology program.
Sofi on stage as Bazaz Artem, and behind the scenes as the lighting technician.
Sofi’s confidence in presenting and speaking to a group today is largely thanks to SMART. As she puts it, she learned how to speak briefly and yet to the point.
Sofi loves the performing arts so much that she never misses an opportunity to be on stage.
The youngest of the Sargsyan family, Sona, is eagerly waiting to become a SMART student and learn to play bass guitar like Flora. Until then, she’s practicing on the ukulele.
The Sargsyan family’s summer is spent in their father’s village of Odzun, where they take turns riding bicycles and wandering around the village with their friends from SMART.
Norik, leaving the bikes to his sisters, is busy with “grown-up” tasks—tending the garden and preparing to distill fruit for homemade brandy.
Since all three siblings have musical education, they often organize family concerts.
Author: Knar Babayan
