EEC/CRAL Summer Camp Attracts Students from Russia

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YEREVAN, Armenia – From June 28 to July 3, 2019, the EEC Afterschool English Program of the Center for Research in Applied Linguistics (CRAL), American University of Armenia (AUA), organized a Summer Camp for 11 to 16-year-old learners. Students from different schools both from Armenia and Russia took part in the camp.

The camp involved different content-based clubs, such as English around the Kitchen, Grammar/Vocabulary Booster, Digital Storytelling, English through Songs and Music, the World around Us, and a Debate club, among others. The students had the opportunity to learn English in an interactive and engaging environment. Moreover, they were able to participate in a variety of outdoor activities, including tours in Etchmiadzin and Yerevan.

In Etchmiadzin, students visited Machanents Guest House, an Armenian bakery and tavern, where they participated in various fun learning activities, such as cooking Armenian lavash and gata, making pottery, and decorating pitchers in traditional Armenian motifs. Students also visited several Armenian churches in Etchmiadzin and were astonished by their beauty and historical significance. One of the students remarked that she had been to Etchmiadzin many times before but had never enjoyed her visit like this time being with her friends and learning so much in one day. 

The walking tour of the city center of Yerevan also was an exciting learning opportunity for the group. It included visits to the most famous sights, such as the Republic Square, the Opera House, and the Cafesjian Center for the Arts. The students were tasked to do research on some of the most popular monuments in Yerevan before the site visits to be able to role play as tour guides for their teachers and peers. One of the students remarked that this was a good experience to discover and share knowledge on the historical background of many statues and other landmarks in English.

On the last day of the Summer Camp, students and teachers made special presentations for parents illustrating their children’s journey throughout the summer camp. Students received certificates and the day was full of emotions. One of the students mentioned that she wished the summer camp had lasted longer. Another student described it as very useful and worth participating asserting it was the best of all the camps he had ever attended. All the participants were grateful to the teachers of the EEC Afterschool English Program for organizing the camp and creating such a warm learning atmosphere for ten days. “I will miss everything, my teachers and my friends. I don’t want to go back,” said one of the students from Russia in tears.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.