"Vasile Lucaciu"National College Astronomy Club
It is the first club of this kind in Maramures, Romania and it was founded in 2008 by my Physics teacher, Lucian Stoian and me. Now, there are over 20 members and classes are held regularly at two levels (acording to the age): junior and senior, every Friday from 5 pm. The aims of the project are to provide youngsters a chance to learn a subject that is not taught in schools, to organise events to increase the scientific awareness and to present the excitement of Astronomy to general public. If the weather is good, observing sessions are held on Friday night using the Meade ETX-125 and the Sky-Watcher Dobsonian 12" telescopes.
Most of the studens participate in the National Astronomy Olympiad every year. In 2011, 4 students from the club represented Romania to two different International Olympiads: two junior students were awarded a Bronze Medal and a Silver Medal, respectively, in the XVIth International Astronomy Olympiad, Almaty, Kazahstan and two senior students won the Gold Medal with the Romanian team in the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Chorzow, Poland.
In April 2011, the National Astronomy Olympiad was organised by the Astronomy Club in Baia Mare. There were over 150 participants competing in three different rounds: theoretical, practical and observational. The best 10 students were selected to represent Romania in international competitions, 4 being members of the club. Some photos with the Astronomy Club and the National Astronomy Olympiad organised in my home town this year can be seen below (I designed the logo:D):