175 Advanced Smart Boards To Power Modernization of Armenia’s Public Schools

Winners Announced for “Smart Boards for WorldView Schools 2025” Competition

The results of the “Smart Boards for WorldView Schools 2025” (SBWS 2025) competition were announced on November 25th during a live broadcast on the Visual Armenia Foundation’s Facebook page.

Joining the Foundation to deliver the good news were program supporters Korioun Khatchadourian, Executive Director of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation; Rebeka Hakobyan, Director of Marketing and Communications at Ameriabank, Arthur Tashchyan, Principal of Abovyan School N2 and Co-Chair of the WorldView Schools Association, alongside members of the Evaluation Commission and the Program team.

A special video message was delivered to the participants by the Foundation’s strategic partner and main supporter, philanthropist Christine Simone, President of the Manoogian Simone Foundation. She announced her surprise decision to provide nearly three times the number of Smart Boards originally planned.

As a result, 175 public schools in Armenia earned a smart board within the framework of the “SBWS 2025” competition, thanks to the joint commitment and efforts of the Visual Armenia Foundation and its partners.

An Unprecedented Decision Exceeds All Expectations

“This unprecedented decision and its outcome surpassed all expectations, allowing us to triple the number of schools receiving this new technology,” noted Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Executive Director of the Foundation and author of the Brainograph EdTech. He added, “This is truly a pivotal investment in the Foundation’s mission to modernize the educational environment and elevate the quality of education. The achievement was also driven by the massive expansion of the competition’s scope, its truly nationwide reach, the tremendous work carried out by teachers and students, and the systemic impact of our programs.”

Message from Philanthropist Christine Simone

On this occasion, Christine Simone stated in her message: “The projects were so strong and interesting that instead of the 60 SmartBoards we originally intended to award thanks to the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation, Ameriabank and the Manoogian Simone Foundation, I committed to providing an additional 115 SmartBoards for the competition. As I visited schools throughout October, I saw firsthand how important the smart boards are to the classrooms, not only for WorldView subjects, but for the schools as a whole, as many use the smart boards for other reasons. We want you to have the best to work with. For the winners of the smart boards, you have done a great job, not only in winning the competition due to your hard work, but in leaving a legacy for your schools that will benefit teachers and students for many years to come. Be proud and enjoy that feeling.”

Concluding her speech, Cristine Simone expressed hope that she would be in Yerevan on December 20th to attend the awards ceremony.

Partner Congratulatory Remarks

Following her message, Program supporters addressed the schools with their congratulatory remarks.

Korioun Khatchadourian, Executive Director of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation, noted: “We selected this project from over 100 competitive applications because it addresses a fundamental problem in an innovative and comprehensive way. By deeply understanding the issue, Visual Armenia has created not just a tool, but a complete body of content that teachers genuinely embrace as their own. We are pleased that the program has achieved widespread adoption. We are confident that it will eventually be integrated into the entire public education system and scaled beyond the borders of Armenia.”

Rebeka Hakobyan, Ameriabank’s Director of Marketing and Communications, noted that it is a great honor for them to support initiatives that expand educational opportunities through innovative solutions. She emphasized: “WorldView is precisely the kind of project that brings together scientific thinking, technology, and modern teaching methods – making history and geography more visual and accessible. We believe that such interactive platforms help shape broad-minded learners, and with this conviction, we supported this program of the Visual Armenia Foundation within the framework of our ‘My Ameria, My Armenia’ campaign.”

A key factor in the Program’s success was the Evaluation Committee, which included representatives from the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the NCEDI Foundation, and other educational structures. The fact that the Program has been recognized as charitable by the Government of Armenia for three consecutive years was emphasized as a factor contributing to its expansion.

A Unifying Educational Movement

The competition, themed “Mapping the Path of an Individual Who Created National or Global Heritage,” received applications from 272 schools, 235 of which successfully passed the second phase threshold. Ultimately, the program engaged 1,907 students and 396 project leader-teachers.

The competition unified not only the project implementation teams but also the schools and communities. Participants engaged in trainings with a team spirit, conducted research, field, and folklore collection work, and established contacts with experts residing both in Armenia and abroad. Many traveled throughout Armenia, and in some cases even outside the country, to execute their work expertly and win the competition

Led by teachers, our students created final projects rich in engaging and captivating content. The process of uncovering the various layers of the individual’s journey-from family members and key figures to historical context, setbacks, and educational background-offered invaluable educational experience to our students. All this broadened the students’ worldview, introduced them to examples of successful individuals, and strengthened their national dignity.

Smart Board Program Impact in Numbers (2023–2025)

• 355,000,000 AMD invested in digital transformation of RA Public Education.
• 322 public schools in Armenia equipped with new technology.
• At least 120,000 students from 322 schools became beneficiaries of the Smart Board Program.
• 126 hours of teacher training conducted.

The list of 175 public schools that earned Smart Boards is available via the link.