Tumo
Tumo is a new kind of after-school learning environment where thousands of students aged 12-18 are in charge of their own learning. Guided by skilled educators and mentored by media professionals, students navigate through their personal learning plans via the Tumo World, a special learning interface that prepares them for hands-on practice. Specialized workshops, guest lectures and community events give students a chance to apply their knowledge and skills to the world around them.
Tumo students embark on their future careers armed with a broader world view, cutting-edge experience and competitive portfolios.
Our aim is to expand young people's horizons and give them the resources to achieve their full creative potential. We aspire to motivate Armenian youth to learn, and encourage them to create new possibilities for themselves. We want to help teenagers discover their talents and acquire the 21st century skills they need to succeed in life. By doing so, we hope to prevent the emigration of the most capable members or Armenia’s future work force.
Tumo is a non-profit venture and participation in the Tumo program is free of charge and open to all local teenagers. Since our openinig in September 2011, we have been educating thousands of teenagers who attend on a regular basis.
Tumo was born from the imaginations of Sam and Sylva Simonian. The Simonian Foundation fully funds the Tumo center, its programs, the adjoining plaza, and the Tumanyan Park. The Simonians are intimately involved at Tumo, with Sam lending his expertise on technology and its economic impact and Sylva contributing to the Center’s engagement with the environment and the program’s unique curriculum. The latter was developed in collaboration with Tumo director Marie Lou Papazian and Tumo board member Pegor Papazian.
Tumo Karabakh
Michael Aram Hosts Event To Support Tumo Center
By Contributor on December 3, 2014
Joseph Oughourlian Announces Pledge of $150,000 towards Tumo Karabakh
NEW YORK--On Tues., Nov. 18, artist Michael Aram hosted a holiday shopping event at his flagship store in New York to announce a new partnership between the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies, bringing the Tumo Centers to additional locations throughout Armenia, starting with a center in Nagorno-Karabagh. Tumo x AGBU is a state-of-the-art facility that offers Armenian youth access to learning resources, digital media, and leading professionals in the fields of media and technology. Michael Aram kicked off the fundraising efforts by contributing 30 percent of sales that day to this project.
On Nov. 18, Aram hosted a holiday shopping event at his flagship store in New York.
Initiating the large-scale effort, Joseph Oughourlian, an AGBU Central Board member and co-founder of Amber Capital Investment Management, pledged $150,000 to support the Tumo Center in Karabagh. Oughourlian has been closely involved with development in Karabagh, both personally and professionally, for many years.
"Seeing firsthand how critical it is to invest in Nagorno-Karabagh for its success and strength, I am sure that the center will have an outstanding impact on thousands of children who would not have had these opportunities otherwise," Oughourlian said.
Through its partnership with AGBU, the Tumo Center plans to expand its reach throughout Armenia and Karabagh and touch the lives of thousands more in the years to come. To date, more than 10,000 children and young adults have experienced the center's high-quality, hands-on program, which includes workshops, teamwork, and mentorship as well as training in animation, digital media, web design, and game development.
Michael Aram, Marie Lou Papazian, and Sam Simonian at the event after announcing the partnership with AGBU
The event featured a meet and greet with Michael Aram; Sam Simonian, Tumo founder and AGBU vice-president; and Marie Lou Papazian, managing director of Tumo. Aram announced his plans to design a special edition houseware item that will include a collaboration of students participating in Tumo classes in Armenia along with interns from AGBU's New York Summer Internship Program. This item will be inspired by the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, with 100 percent of proceeds from sales benefitting the Tumo x AGBU Nagorno-Karabagh Center.
"I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to Tumo's pioneering vision for Armenian education. I know the critical role education can play in transforming a society and Tumo is very much at the forefront of this effort. We're excited to collaborate with students and the Internship Program to create something very special for the public," Aram said.
Michael Aram is an American-born artist who works primarily in metal.
His pieces, ranging from tableware to furniture, are entirely handmade using age-old traditional techniques. The handmade quality of his work allows it to shift between the realms of fine and decorative art. Aram is also a member of the Tumo Center's Board of Advisors.
"We at Tumo are honored to have the backing of people like Michael Aram and Joseph Oughourlian. Their commitment to equipping Armenian youth with the skills they need to become the next generation of critical thinkers and creators is really overwhelming," said Simonian.
To learn more about the Tumo Center, visit www.tumo.org/en. For more information on Michael Aram's work, visit www.michaelaram.com. For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, visit www.agbu.org.
http://armenianweekly.com/2014/12/03/michael-aram-hosts-event-to-support-tumo-center/
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