82 schools from all marzes of Armenia, as well as the capital of Yerevan, submitted applications for participation. Not everyone made it to the final stage. By the appointed day - October 1, the selection committee had 33 final competition packages from schools that had fulfilled all the conditions of the competition.
The jury of representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, Sports of the Republic of Armenia, local and international organizations (WFP, SIFI, UN Development Programme, UN FAO, Fund for Armenian Relief, as well as “School Feeding and Child Welfare” Agency) assessed strictly, but fair. The members of the selection committee worked without consulting each other. Therefore, there is no doubt about the transparency of the winners selection.
The works that the schools sent were checked according to special criteria: educational relevance (how children are taught to work in the garden), the quality of the garden (its design, care for it, the rationale for the choice of crops for planting), the level of involvement of high school students, parents, as well as local businesses, registration of work (photos, videos, essays, a properly executed competition package). The maximum mark a school could get was 350 points.
In early November, the jury announced the winner - School No. 3 named after Hovhannes Tumanyan in Vanadzor city of Lori marz. The school received a maximum of 334 points. The second place went to school No.16 named after Daniel Varuzhan in the same Vanadzor (330 points), and the third place was taken by school No. 2 named after St. Gregory the Illuminator in Stepanavan of the same marz Lori (327 points).
The winner receives a grant of US $ 3,000 to improve the school garden. The second place school receives a dehydrator for the production of dried fruits from its own harvest, the school in Stepanavan - a freezer for freezing and storing products grown in their garden.
Good jobs weren't limited to three schools. Therefore, the organizers added two more nominations: "Best Garden Design '' - Bjni Secondary School named after Hovhannes Tumanyan (Kotayk) and "Best Harvest" - Gegharkunik Secondary School (Gegharkunik). They also will reccieve their prizes.
At the end of November we are planning to hold a solemn ceremony of awarding the winners. More details will come later. Follow our news.