AUTHOR SIMON PAYASLIAN RECOGNIZED FOR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION AS AUTHOR OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 1915-1923A HANDBOOK FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
GLENDALE–The Armenian National Committee of America Western Region–on Friday–March 9–launched the highly anticipated The Armenian Genocide 1915-1923A Handbook for Students and Teachers–at a reception held at the headquarters of the ANCA WR in Glendale. At the gathering–which was attended by more than 75 prominent public officials–education professionals–and ANCA WR supporters–the book’s author Dr. Simon Payaslian of the University of California–Los Angeles was honored for his invaluable contribution to the publication from its conception.
The Armenian Genocide 1915-1923 A Handbook for Students and Teachers has been published under the auspices of the Armenian Cultural Foundation’s Education Resource Committee–with a generous grant from community benefactors Richard and Tina Carolan–to be distributed in California’s public high schools as a teaching supplement to world history classes. The California State Board of Education in 1999 made a decision to include the Armenian Genocide in its history and social science content standards for 10th grade students–as well as high school exit exams–and in order to meet the need of accurate and substantial training material–the ANCA-WR–in conjunction with the ACF–began the process of publishing this unique educational supplement.
Education Resource Committee member and ANCA WR Chairman Steven J. Dadaian delivered the opening remarks for the evening and explained to the gathering the purpose of the publication–and the evolution of this important project. In his remarks–Dadaian thanked Richard and Tina Carolan for their generosity–and cited the significance of such a project to the enhancement of California’s public education system. In addition–Dadaian explained–the book would add to the overall educational experience of students and teachers alike–in that it would add a new dimension to history curriculum and textbooks–a large proportion of which do not cover the Armenian Genocide as an area of study. Citing the ANC San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter’s activities in creating lesson plans and curriculum guides for the teaching of the Armenian Genocide–Dadaian turned his attention to long-term planning with the handbook–and invited ANCA WR Education Committee Chairwoman Sevana Panosian–a teacher in the Glendale Unified School District–to make brief remarks on upcoming projects.
Panosian–who has been instrumental in planning the organization’s outreach to various school districts in California vis–vis Genocide curriculum–offered glimpses into the committee’s work in organizing teacher workshops–the first of which took place–with the cooperation of Dan Alba of the Los Angeles chapter of Facing History and Ourselves–in the spring of 2000 in the Glendale Unified School District. Panosian went on to appeal to the attending school officials and education professionals to take the necessary steps in facilitating the teaching of the Armenian Genocide in world history courses–by holding teacher workshops and by providing the newly-published handbook to instructors in appropriate departmen’s.
Following Panosian’s presentation–Dadaian presented the author–Dr. Payaslian–with a commemorative plaque–recognizing his invaluable service and ever-continuing strides in Armenian history studies. Dadaian stressed that without Payaslian’s contribution–the publication would never have materialized–and thanked him "for rising to the occasion to address the immediate need for students to learn about the Armenian Genocide.
Payaslian–in his remarks–thankedthe ACF and the ANCA WR for inviting him to author the project–and emphasized the importance of the organizations’ leadership in undertaking such a valiant program. Payaslian thanked Dadaian particularly for navigating the publication process–from inception to print–and noted that the book was not only in remembrance of the Genocide–but it was meant to remind present and future generations that the cause of the Armenian nation continues in a historical context–which necessitates the understanding of Armenia’s past–present and future–in order to forge ahead.
The Armenian Genocide 1915-1923A Handbook for Students and Teachers is dedicated to "the memory of the Armenian students and teachers who perished in the Genocide."
Attending the reception were: Assemblywoman Carol Liu; Superintendent Jim Brown of Glendale Unified School District; Assistant Superintendent Alice Petrossian of Glendale Unified School District; Glendale Unified School District Board members Jeanne Bentley–Pam Ellis–Louise Foote–and Chuck Sambar; Glendale Unified School District professionals Eric Panosian and Houri Chalian; Los Angeles Unified School District Board members–Julie Korenstein and Caprice Young; member of the Board of Regents of the Prelacy Armenian Schools Armand Keosian; Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools Executive Director Arsineh Hovannisian–and Board member Medea Kalagnomos; representatives of Mesrobian and Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian schools; representative from the office of State Senator Richard Palanco–Maria Armoudian; representative from the office of Assemblyman Dario Frommer–Armond Aghakhani; members of the Crescenta Valley High School Armenian Parents’ Club–and representatives of Burbank–Glendale–La Crescenta–Montebello–East San Fernando Valley–Hollywood–and West San Fernando Valley ANC chapters.
For more information on or to purchase The Armenian Genocide 1915-1923A Handbook for Students and Teachers–please contact the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region offices at 818.500.1918 or email to ancawr@anca.org.