HMADS Holds Annual Science Fair

OAKLAND GARDENS, N.Y.—From March 12-16, the Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School (HMADS) held its 24^thannual Science Fair, which aims to probe students’ minds and inspire them to become the researchers of tomorrow. It was a week filled with excitement and a joyride through the major scientific disciplines of zoology, biology, chemistry, geology, and the Plant Kingdom. With the right guidance, children—who are naturally inquisitive and perceptive—can be taught the mysteries of life and how the world works. Principal Zarminé Boghosian, who founded the Science Fair at the school, has succeeded in brining science to life.

During Science Week, the auditorium was transformed into a Science Museum where innovative ideas and young inventors met. The teachers at HMADS present science as a state of mind, and instill the idea of critical thinking, how to assess, and which ideas are reasonable and which are not. Students perceive their projects as part of a dynamic process of discovery. All this was apparent through their class presentations, Science Trivia questions, Armenian and English scientific vocabulary, and the Invention Center.

Highlights of the week were presentations by special speakers about various topics. The first was Ted Guekjian, a pharmacist by profession, who shared his hobby, “The Science or the Chemistry of Soap Making.” The second speaker, Deborah Lutz, was from the Cooper-Hewitt (Smithsonian-based) National Design Museum and spoke about “Design in the Classroom.” The third guest speaker was Dr. Edmond Demirdjian, an alumnus of HMADS (Class of 1983), who spoke about oral hygiene.

On the second day of the Science Fair, HMADS classrooms and hallways were transformed into meeting places for scientists and inventors, as students were on parade dressed as Hovannes Adamian, Victor Hampartsoomian, Raymond Vahan Damadian, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Einstein, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. The nursery students presented a delightful song about the four seasons as the parade of scientists came to an end.

Members of the Armenian Engineers & Scientists of America (AESA) also paid a special visit to the school. At the conclusion of the week, the students and guest scientists gathered around a cake dedicated to the inventor of the MRI, Raymond V. Damadian, singing him “Happy Birthday.”

The knowledge the students acquired by the end of the week was tremendous, but what was more obvious was the fun and delight they felt when expressing their thoughts and explaining their projects, experiments, and inventions.

Below are some reflections by the guests following Science Week.

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Dear Zarminé,

Thank you for your kind hospitality during my visit to your wonderful school yesterday! Your students are so respectful and creative and it was my pleasure to introduce them to design.

I must say, however, from the super inventions the children were presenting for the Science Fair, they are already thinking like designers!

Kind regards,

Deborah Lutz, DITC Cooper Hewitt

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Dear Friends and Members,
On Thurs., March 15, the New York-New Jersey section of the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America Board members attended the Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School Science Olympics. We were proud to show our support for the young Armenian students that have shown interest in science. We were greatly impressed by the selected project topics and demonstrations, indicating great talent and potential. We congratulate the participants and wish them great future and success. You can always count on the support of AESA NY-NJ. Looking forward to see you soon,
Aram Setian, president, AESA NY-NJ Section
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Dear Mrs. Boghosian,

It was great to see young inventors exercise their brain in science and technology. I wish them success and congratulate Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School doing fantastic job for promoting science at an early stage of student life.

Sincerely,

Hovhannes Mardisorssian, member, AESA NY-NJ Section