From Music to Science: When learning knows no bounds

How project-based learning at Ayb opens up new horizons

What if schooling went beyond textbooks and turned into a creative adventure? This has long been a reality in the Ayb educational program. Being an essential part of the curriculum, project-based learning has been helping students acquire new skills, discover their interests, and even decide on their future profession since 2015.

Currently, there are ten PBL clubs operating at the school: Immersive Theater, New Identity, Webmaster, Green Chemistry, Engineering, Kakavagir, Multimedia, Rockestra, Storytelling, Kaghakakhagh (City Game). They not only provide new knowledge but also become an environment in which 101 students learn, experiment, create, and innovate at the same time.

To get a better idea of how project-based learning transforms the students’ experience, we spoke with two club leaders and their students to understand their journey and achievements.

Love for science begins at school

The world is full of endless questions, and the search for answers begins at school. When a child is given the opportunity to explore, experiment and discover, science becomes more than just a textbook subject and turns into an exciting journey. And by falling in love with science from that very age, children not only develop analytical thinking but also become innovators who will shape the future. Like the greatest scientists, they too can start with a single question and find themselves on the path to great discoveries.

Love for Science as a Foundation of the Future

Lilit Hambardzumyan, a chemistry teacher at Ayb High School and the head of the Green Chemistry Club, imagines science as an endless creative process. In the club she leads students not only to study scientific problems but also to try to find new and environmentally safe solutions.

“Science is a field that requires endless creative work. Why endless? Because in science every idea, every hypothesis must either be proven or disproved. And on this path, you need to be creative and direct your work correctly so that it turns into a valuable result and contributes to the realization of your goals,” Lilit says.

She assures that success depends not only on knowledge but also on the ability to direct it correctly. A vivid example of this are the subgroups of the Green Chemistry Club: Metallic Combat, TerraFix, and Bioplastics. Students learn how scientific discoveries can be turned into real, useful solutions that will serve society and the environment, and create a better future.

The projects of the Green Chemistry Club are not only innovative but also aimed at solving real-world problems. For example, materials are developed to help preserve food, thereby reducing the need for plastic packaging and minimizing its harmful effects.

Each of the club's subgroups deals with important scientific areas:

innovative forms of plastic – developing of biodegradable films for food preservation;

water treatment and plastic waste recycling – exploring the possibility of using carbon-based sorbents to absorb heavy metals for further use in water treatment plants;

soil restoration – developing solutions to combat soil degradation in order to improve soil fertility and quality.

Lilit, who has been teaching students at Ayb High School for over 13 years, believes that science is more than theory: it is an applicable skill that shapes thinking and offers solutions to real-world problems.

In the Green Chemistry Club it all starts with ideas: first, students identify their interests, then they form teams and begin to develop innovative projects. “We create practical solutions that contribute to a better environment,” Lilit says.

This principle forms the basis of the club projects, one of which—an innovative approach to plastic production—has already received a patent. After two years of experiments, the students created a special device that turns liquid raw materials into films. Today they are developing the project by adding new properties such as antibacterial effects, thanks to which this plastic could find wide application.

“Our projects have tangible results at various stages. We have already created our films, we can touch and test them. We pack the fruits in these films and then check their expiration dates, comparing them with polyethylene plastic packaging. So here is a real, practical result, and we can see the concrete impact of our work,” the club leader says and concludes, “We not only develop new materials but also create solutions with real impact that can change the future.”

Being at the heart of a changing world

Ayb graduate Marianna is a future doctor, but she doesn't want to be away from this environment. She is still involved in the activities of the club already as an assistant project manager and  supports the team with great responsibility

“Her enthusiasm and aspiration allowed her to continue her scientific career and make the best use of her knowledge and potential,” Lilit Hambardzumyan notes.

“It's great to be at the heart of the changes happening in the world and be a part of them. It would be too bland to say that science will save the world, but it will definitely make people's lives better,” graduate Mariana adds.

Path to the discovery of chemistry

Sofia Seyranyan is an 11-grade student at Ayb High School who studies on a partial scholarship. She is a member of the Green Chemistry Club's Metallic Combat team and is responsible for managing the team's processes, experiments, and research.

“All my life, everyone around me has been talking about Ayb,” Sofia recalls. “My friends and their older sisters and brothers talked so enthusiastically about the school that I also wanted to be a part of this environment. When I was accepted, I realized that I had really landed in my dream place: a warm atmosphere, caring teachers, unity.”

For Sofia, choosing Ayb was the only option. “I thought: either Ayb or I don’t know what else to do; I didn’t even consider other options.”

Before entering Ayb, she was never interested in chemistry and had no idea what it meant to work in a laboratory. “At first I didn’t understand anything at all, but after the first experiment in the lab, I realized how much of a world this subject opens up to me. There are many new possibilities that I hadn't even thought about before. Now the lab comes first to me.”

Sofia has already decided that her future profession will definitely be related to chemistry.

For Sofia, the club is not only a scientific platform but also a big family. “We are all very friendly here, we work together, we support each other. This is the best form of education because the emotions and experiences you get here cannot be obtained in any other environment.”

And if she were to describe the Green Chemistry Club in three words, they would be: unity, determination, and care.

Rockestra—music to be seen

Music is more than just a melody. It is a picture made of sounds, a story experienced not only with the ears but also with the eyes, soul and emotions. For nearly a decade, the PBL Rockestra Club has been uniting music enthusiasts eager to explore quality music, decode its language, uncover history and feel its connection with different aspects of life.

This year, the club's theme offers a journey into the interaction of visual art and rock—ArtRock. Album covers are more than just images. They tell a story, capture the spirit of music, and shape its perception.

The club participants not only explore these connections but also turn their studies into real musical experiences through the traditional end-of-year school concert and other events.

This club offers a chance to learn through experience, explore by living the music, share through understanding, and, above all, transform rock into a full cultural experience.

Rock as a living culture

“Music stays alive as long as it is performed live,” affirms Vahagn Papayan, leader of the Rockestra Club.

The club upholds this very idea, preserving and reviving quality music that is sometimes forgotten. With 12 years of teaching experience at Ayb School, Vahagn created the Band course, which eventually transformed into a PBL club. The club leader admits that from the first days of its founding, he had no idea how it would unfold. However, over time, it has become clear that it is not simply a group course, but a cultural movement where music is deeply studied, listened to with analysis, and performed with understanding.

"When creating the band,” I truly had no idea what it would become, but it has evolved into a one-of-a-kind course for all children who love music," tells Vahagn.

The band started as an elective course for those with experience in playing or singing, but soon transformed into a separate project-based learning club with a unique approach. That's how the name Rockestra was born, with Papayan "stealing" it from Paul McCartney, combining rock and orchestra to create an atmosphere where the depth of classical music fuses with the freedom and energy of rock.

For ten years, the club has been running various projects, each delving into different aspects of music and art. Last year, the theme focused on literature. Students explored works inspired by literature. This year, the spotlight is on visual art and rock, with a particular emphasis on music pieces influenced by the paintings of Rembrandt, Bosch and other masters.

The explorations also cover the design of rock album covers, which is especially developed within the progressive rock genre. The Rockestra members share how the album covers transform into independent works of art, conveying the depth and mood of the music.

Vahagn explains that the most important aspect of all of this is the children's enthusiasm and discoveries: "Many who join the club, don't even have an idea of ​​what rock is, how it is heard and perceived.  As time passes, they start to understand, as well as to perform, analyze, and share their own perceptions."

Vahagn Papayan's primary goal is not just to impart playing techniques but also to cultivate a deep understanding of music’s history, language and structure, enabling to absorb music and transform it into a complete experience.

In this club, everything is alive: the music, the sounds, the emotions and the ideas. It is this vibrant energy that keeps rock alive as a cultural heritage, ensuring it is not lost to time.

The music that transformed everything

Erik Aloyan, Ayb’s sixth-generation alumnus of 2018, tells his story of how an educational environment can entirely transform a person's life path.

"Two key figures at Ayb, Vahagn Papayan, the leader of the band, and Anahit Papayan, Ayb’s choir leader, motivated me to pursue music as a career. After engaging with them and taking their classes, I chose to become a musician and study it further. Ayb became a crucial platform for me, offering the chance to explore various fields, from natural to social sciences. In the end, I found my way to music."

When Eric enrolled in Ayb, the band  was just starting to become a project-based learning club. Eric was one of the first-generation participants. He looks back with a smile: "The first year's project was about musical texture, with our playlist featuring songs from the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Renaissance. However, The Beatles was always a must. If our project didn't include the Beatles, we considered it a failure."

Today, Eric is already the co-leader of the Rockestra Club, studying musicology at the Yerevan Conservatory and planning to delve deeper into symphonic conducting in the future.

Music has become the core of his life, and the connection with Ayb has never been lost: "Since 2015, Ayb has been an integral part of my life. Even when I was in the army, I stayed in touch with Rockestra."

When Nare Movsisyan started her studies at Ayb School, she never expected that music would play such a big role in her life. “Before coming to Ayb, I never imagined that I would develop a love for rock music, let alone select the band as an art subject,” recalls Nare, reflecting on her first encounter with rock.

Currently, as part of the Rockestra Club, she not only enhances her musical skills but also uncovers the profound intellectual and cultural layers hidden in the world of music. Although she does not see her future in music, Rockestra has become a platform where the skills and knowledge she has gained will benefit her in life, no matter what path she chooses. “The skills and knowledge I get will undoubtedly be useful in the future," says Nare, highlighting that rock is not just music, but a philosophy, a way of thinking and freedom.

Music has always played an important role in Erik Petrosyan's life. However, his musical world changed in a completely new way after joining the Rockestra Club. "I've been part of the band for two years, and this year is my first time joining Rockestra," he mentions. He has always loved music and enjoyed different genres, but this project pushed him to immerse himself in rock more deeply and understand it as a complete mindset.

"If music used to be something in the background for me, now I find myself thinking when I listen to songs," Eric notes. However, Rockestra is more than just a musical journey. It is a development opportunity. Eric noticed the changes in himself during his time at Ayb. "Looking back, I can see how much I've changed since I first came to Ayb. I've become more sociable, proactive and open to various challenges."

The freedom of education and art at Ayb is of great importance to him. "At Ayb, everything is designed to motivate you," notes Eric, highlighting that art subjects are selected based on personal preferences, allowing you to learn and develop in a field you are truly passionate about.

While Eric is still undecided between music and chemistry as a future profession, one thing is clear: playing and singing are an integral part of his life. "I play three instruments and sing. If I had to pick one of the instruments, it would probably be the violin."