Sophomore David Sharyan entered La Salle after attending Fransician Montessori Earth School for eight years. He greatly valued his experience with Montessori learning as it allowed him to expand academically in subjects he found compelling and enjoyable. Additionally, he noted that this style of education allows for each student to learn to be more independent in pursuing their goals.

“La Salle is very open, very welcoming,” Sharyan said. “We are able to explore different interests, different opportunities that La Salle gives us.”

Sharyan’s seamless transition into La Salle can be attributed to this prior education as well as the fact that a majority of his previous classmates transitioned alongside him, which made social integration into this new environment much easier. “When we came to this more traditional learning environment, because there are no Montessori high schools in Oregon, we were very adaptive and able to transition very quickly and efficiently,” Sharyan said. 

As sophomore class president, Sharyan illustrates dedication and commitment to Lasallian leadership and community. “I love the leadership opportunities that La Salle provides,” Sharyan said. In the coming years, he aims to hold additional leadership positions such as student body president.

Sharyan likes how La Salle allows a student to be pushed academically and have an opportunity to grow. “Lasallian education allows you to get the support you need but also to excel,” Sharyan said. 

He is currently enrolled in Honors Algebra 2, an advanced academic trajectory which aims to place him in AP Calculus in his junior year, which is necessary for him to be able to pursue his goals after graduating La Salle.

Sharyan has ambitious plans after graduating high school. He hopes to attend MIT to earn a degree in aerospace engineering.

Aside from Sharyan’s well-framed future in aerospace engineering, he expresses interest in learning more about our social system, specifically our government. “I love learning about all different topics in social studies, whether it be history, whether it be current studies, whether it be government studies,” Sharyan said. “I love learning about the government.”

Sharyan has participated in a handful of extracurricular activities at La Salle, the most prominent of these being tennis. He is also a member of the speech and debate team, an OSAA activity organized as a competitive argument over ethical and moral issues or situations.

An essential element to Sharyan’s personal life is his involvement in his culture, religion and community. “That’s a really big part of who I am,” Sharyan said. He is extremely proud of his Armenian heritage and feels a need to advocate for and embody his cultural heritage.

A person Sharyan looks up to and gains inspiration from is Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “His leadership through the Armenian Velvet Revolution has really inspired me and my leadership and my attitude towards others is based on him,” Sharyan said.

Within his community outside of school, Sharyan is strongly associated with his church. He devotes his faith entirely to the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has always existed as a safe haven and a place where he can connect with others within his culture and religion, as there is an absence of widespread Armenian heritage in Oregon. 

Sharyan expressed his concern for the lack of Armenian heritage within his home city, given the fact that his church is the only place where his culture can truly unite. He noted that “our meeting place is the church, so the church is much more than just a place to pray,” he said. “It is a place to gather, it is the place to see one another, have a meal with one another.”

Within his church community, Sharyan is a member of the Armenian Church Youth Organization, or ACYO. He is proud of his position as chairman of the junior division of this organization and participates in events that directly serve his community. 

Additionally, Sharyan attends Hovhannes Tumayan Armenian Language School on Sundays, which has played an important role in helping him grow closer to his culture. “That’s really helped me learn the Armenian language, reading, writing, and also history of the country,” Sharyan said. After 12 years of attendance at the school he will soon be graduating.

Sharyan loves his overall experience attending La Salle for the academic and social opportunities that the school has given him and he awaits a promising future.