A group photo with LA City Councilman Paul Krekorian (back center), with Dr. McDonald and former PUSD board member Roy Boulghorian (Photo – PUSD)
On Friday, January 13, Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian visited Blair High and Middle School to learn more about the Armenian Academy and the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.
Through News Desk
Krekorian toured the campus and heard about the exceptional curriculum presented by the Armenian Academy and the community IB program from teachers Norayr Daduryan, Madlen Manoukian and Eve Mekerdichian.
“I was so impressed with my visit to the Armenian Academy at Blair High School,” Krekorian said. “The Academy’s founders, in partnership with Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Brian McDonald and the Pasadena Board of Education, have created an exceptional and unique educational institution. The academy promotes excellence while preserving the Armenian language and culture and is a great asset to Pasadena and our region.”
Blair’s Armenian Academy is a successful program that attracts students both regionally and internationally. The academy has students from 17 different cities and numerous countries including Poland, Lebanon and Armenia.
PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald, who spearheaded this innovative program, said, “It was a pleasure for LA City Council President Krekorian to visit the Armenian Academy. His visit confirms the fact that this historic Armenian program is providing our students with a quality learning experience and is spreading the word. We are proud of the Academy’s efforts to promote the Armenian language and culture in our community.”
In 2021, the International Baccalaureate Armenian Literature Course was approved by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The first students to take the IB course were the first in the nation to do so.
One such student, Armenian Academy senior and IB Diploma candidate Daron Yacoubian, believes the IB education prepared him well for life. “I feel like at IB, as a thinker, you’re always being tested and challenged. IB really prepares me for life because in life you never really know when the next test will come and it’s always about that attitude of how you approach the challenges.”
“The Armenian Academy is the ideal complement to Blair’s IB program,” said Blair Director Amy McGinnis. “The cultural and language components of AA directly contribute to the IB’s mission of developing globally thinking students.”
Maro Yacoubian, founder of the Armenian Academy and chair of the AA Advisory Board, was pleased but not surprised to see Mr Krekorian’s interest in Blair. “Blair is experiencing something of a renaissance. The Armenian Academy attracts students both regionally and internationally. Combined with the renowned International Baccalaureate Program that Blair offers, parents could hardly find a more challenging, enriching and rewarding environment for their children, all with free tuition.”
At PUSD, students from preschool through high school can master academics in English and one of four target languages (Spanish, French, Mandarin, or Armenian). Learn more about PUSD’s Dual Language Immersion and World Language programs at pusd.us/dlip.
Families wishing to enroll in bilingual immersion programs for the first time in 2023-2024 must submit an open enrollment application. If you live within the PUSD limits, apply via the first Open Enrollment lottery before January 27, 2023 at pusd.us/enroll. Families residing in another school district may apply for a cross-district permit beginning March 27, 2023.
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