The 24th Annual TLC/LCP Science Fair

“Ideally, teaching the nature of science to students prepares them to think, learn, solve problems and make informed decisions, but more importantly, science teaches students the basics of how things work,” said TLC science teacher, Annette Kiureghian.

“This was my first science fair, and I have to say that I am impressed,” said David Panduro, science teacher for the fourth and fifth grades. “The quality of work done by such young students is remarkable.”

Judges for this year’s fair were Ms. Helia Akmal, Dr. Luciana Alves, Dr. Narine Arutunian, Dr. Arthur Avetisyan, Dr. Ani Azarian, Dr. Arpa Baroni, Dr. Natalie Boghosian, Dr. Diane Costandi, Dr. Tina Ghotanian, , Dr. Tina Harutunians, Dr. Sarkis Jarakian, Dr. Susanna Jarakian, Ms. Jane Jayaraj, Dr. Prash Jayaraj, Dr. Michael Keller, Dr. Sarkis Kiramijyan, Mr. Vahe Kuzoyan, Dr. Ara Mirzaians, Dr. Maria Nelson, Dr. Arman Petrosyan, Dr. Marianna Petrosyan, Ms. Revina Reyhanian, Dr. Mark Schroeder, Dr. Teo Soleymani, Dr. Noubar Varderessian, Mr.  Joseph Yacoub and Dr. Saima Zubair.

“I am so grateful for all the gifted parents we have from the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, engineering, and science,” said Terry Villanueva, Director of The Learning Castle and La Cañada Preparatory. “They are so generous with their time and talents and add so much to the overall importance of this event for our students.”

On February 12^th, an awards assembly was held to recognize the top three projects in each grade along with honorable mentions and awards for merit. 

“The scientific mind must, out of necessity, remain eternally adventurous, curious, and, above all, optimistic,” Steve Miller, the science teacher for seventh and eighth grades, told guests at the award ceremony. “As an optimist, the scientist embraces the idea that no experiment in life is a failure because even a mistake advances the evolution of understanding of our world.”

Merit Awards, for those projects not recognized by the judges but deemed worthy of recognition by the science department, were given to third graders, Olivia Ambarchyan, Nicholas Babaian. Maneh Filian, Nikki Isakhanian, Leon Khalili and Alec Mekhitarians; fifth graders, Bella Mekhitarians, Nairi Petrosyan, Emma Sarkisyan and Mila Terantonians; and seventh grader, Liam Lee. Honorable Mentions were handed out to third graders, James Bayamjyan, Michael Chammas, Iva Isayan, Maximus Khachatryan, Taryn McReynolds and Scarlet Touzjian; fifth graders, Sebastian Azarian, Sophia Jarakian, Sona Kistorian, Leonardo Matavousian, Nicholas Nalbandyan and Ethan Petrosyan; and seventh graders Ava C. Avakian and Isla Youssefian. Third-place honors went to third graders, Rita Iskenderian and Arpi Mkrtchian; fifth graders, Ava Ghazarian and Leila Oganyan; and seventh grader, Narek Arzumanian.  Second place went to third graders, Alex Agourian and Lori Arzumanian; fifth graders, Emily Amirian and Celesia Kupelian; and seventh grader, Jacqueline Grigoryants. First-place honors went to third grader, Alexandra Korn; fifth grader, Gregory Grigoryants; and seventh grader, Mathew Harutunians.