GYUMRI, Armenia (Arka)—On Oct. 7, to mark the 20th anniversary of Shant Television, a global telethon took place for the launch of Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Gyumri. The telethon reached its initial $300,000 goal but is still accepting contributions in order to further increase the scope and capacity of Tumo Gyumri.

 

Thousands of teenagers residing in and around Gyumri will have the opportunity to learn 21st century skills to utilise in promising fields such as animation, game development, web development, filmmaking, 3D modelling, graphic design, robotics, photography, and digital music making, Tumo said in a press release. Students will be equipped with a broader outlook, advanced experience and an extensive portfolio.

Donations were made not only by individuals and companies, but also the Armenian government, which provided the Tumo Centre in Gyumri with one year free accommodation at the Gyumri Technology Center. In the future, Tumo will have a separate, permanent building.

The Tumo Center in Gyumri is expected to start operating in the spring of 2015.

Tumo is a new kind of after-school learning environment where thousands of students aged 12 to 18 are in charge of their own learning. Guided by skilled educators and mentored by media professionals, students navigate through their personal learning plans via the Tumo World, a special learning interface that prepares them for hands-on practice.

Specialized workshops, guest lectures, an  community events give students a chance to apply their knowledge and skills to the world around them. Tumo is a non-profit venture and participation in the Tumo program is free of charge and open to all local teenagers. Since its opening in September 2011, Tumo has been educating thousands of teenagers who attend on a regular basis.