Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo
California Department of Education
Official Letter
California Department of Education
Official Letter
March 11, 2026

Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals:

Essay and Visual Arts Scholarships to Raise Awareness of the Armenian Genocide

The California Armenian Legislative Caucus Foundation (Foundation) is holding two scholarship contests to commemorate the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. California high school students in ninth through twelfth grades are invited to participate in an essay contest and/or a visual arts contest to increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide. The submission deadline for both contests is Friday, March 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

All winners will be awarded scholarships and acknowledged at the Foundation’s Annual Armenian Advocacy Day. Scholarship awards are $1,000 for first place; $750 for second place; and $500 for third place in each contest. Winners will be announced on Friday, April 24, 2026, through mainstream and Armenian media outlets.

Instructions and criteria for the contests are available on the Armenian Mirror-Spectator Newspaper web page at https://mirrorspectator.com/2026/02/10/california-armenian-legislative-caucus-foundation-announces-2026-armenian-genocide-remembrance-scholarship-contests/.

To apply, please view the 2026 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Scholarship Contests web form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdeGPHkJbPcMPVH1YTfX5YcpdVsLJBGrmeLzg_6-VZT0RwlwQ/viewform.

Students may enter both contests, but submissions must be entered separately.

If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Bruton-Yenovkian at 1915essay@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

TT:df
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Recently Posted in Letters

  • Tenth Annual Wellness Together Conference (added 12-Aug-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding the Tenth Annual Wellness Together Conference.
  • Universal Pre-K for Four-Year-Old Children (added 03-Aug-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding Universal PreKindergarten family choice and special education services for four-year-old children.
  • Screening for Risk of Reading Difficulties Update (added 24-Jul-2026)
    Update to screening for risk of reading difficulties requirements and implementation funding.
  • High School Voter Education Weeks, Fall (added 15-Jul-2026)
    Joint letter with the California Secretary of State to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals regarding High School Voter Education Weeks.
  • Schools as Voting Locations & Student Poll Workers (added 30-Jun-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals regarding schools as voting locations and student poll workers.