Hero small-town boys get state-level gratitude and praise from education minister himself

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Arayik Harutyunyan has invited for a meeting the three schoolchildren from Vanadzor (Lori province) who saved a crashed motorist when passing by a bridge.

The boys were hailed heroes after they provided first aid to the victims, prevented a fire risk of the crashed vehicle and called 911. They were also rewarded by the Governor of Lori.

The young heroes are 8th graders Edik Gharakeshishyan, Edmon Kocharyan and 7th grader Tigran Markosyan, all from Vanadzor.

“I really wanted to meet you and talk to you,” the minister told the children during the meeting. “It is important for us that children in schools acquire the kind of skills and knowledge that will also find practicalsignificance in daily life. The ministry considers this a priority issue in terms of education efficiency,” Harutyunyan said.

Military education teacher of the Vanadzor school Arkady Martirosyan got a special thanks from the minister for effective professional work.

The minister awarded the Vanadzor #1 Public School with the Golden Commemoration Medal of the Ministry of Education and Science, and the children and their teacher got certificates of appreciation.

The boys were also gifted with Armtab computers made by the Armenian Technology and Science Dynamics, which the manufacturer provided for the special occasion.

Two of the boys, Edmon and Edik, are members of the firefighting-rescue squad of the Vanadzor #1 School, a squad that was formed in 2008 in collaboration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The children learned rescue and first aid skills in school during the Preliminary Military Training classes. Their teacher, Arkady Martirosyan, is an Artsakh War veteran.

During the meeting the minister also went live on Facebook to introduce the young heroes to the nation.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan