ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST SHOWCASES PHOTOS OF ARMENIA

The Peace Corps Annual Photo Contest received some prominent visitors this year as it coincided with Peace Corps’ celebration of 15 years in Armenia. Peace Corps Director Ronald Tschetter, Regional Director Jay Katzen, US Charge d’ Affaires Joseph Pennington, RA Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyan, RA Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Armen Grigoryan, RA Minister of Nature Protection Aram Haroutyunyan, and RA Deputy Minister of Health Care Tatul Hakobyan all had a chance to look at Armenia from an outsider’s perspective in this year’s exhibition of over 82 photographs submitted by 19 photographers. The competition started in the Peace Corps Office at the end of October, just in time for the visit of Director Tschetter. From there it was moved to the lobby of the Hrazdan Hotel, site of the annual All-Volunteer Conference. Contest winners were chosen by ballot and were announced during the All-Vol Thanksgiving Dinner by PC Country Director Lee Lacy, Programming and Training Officer Jason Compy, and Administrative Officer Maureen Yates.

Peace Corps generously provided the prizes, baskets containing themed dinners and DVDs, and used an ingenious system of awards which allowed successive winners to select from remaining prizes or "steal" from previous winners. The winners were: Allyson Carr, Constance Speake, Laszlo Lieszkovszky, Kathy Murdock, Matthew Hamilton, Michael Berg, Phyllis Bickford, and Scott Demyan. A collage of the winning photographs is on display in the Peace Corps Office lobby, and selected photographs will be used in their future publications, including the welcome book for the next group of volunteers. Laszlo Lieszkovszky, A14 CBD PCV was the contest organizer.

Peace Corps Armenia Journal, fall 2007