GLENDALE—High school students filled the Krikor and Mariam Karamounkian Glendale Youth Center onDecember 10 to attend the Armenian Youth Federation Western United States Glendale “Roupen” Chapter’s Extra Credit Night.
The evening provided an opportunity for high school students from the Glendale Unified School District and Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School to earn extra credit points in their coursework while learning about the American civic process and voting system. “It was inspiring to see the room filled with young individuals who are interested in creating change through community activism,” said Suzie Burushyan, chairperson of the AYF Glendale “Roupen” Chapter’s Outreach Committee. “The overwhelming interest displayed by individuals in attendance shows the need for more opportunities that provide a platform for our young activists to speak their minds, engage their fellow students, and learn how to become future leaders of their local communities. We plan on hosting more events like this in the near future.”
The presentations were led by local activists Gev Iskajyan, Joseph Kaskanian, and Razmig Sarkissian. They conveyed the imperative roles students can take, as well as the powerful impact they can have in the democratic process. This was followed by an activity that engaged the students in an intellectual discussion on issues that concerned the youth. Students worked in groups to understand how civic engagement and grassroots activism can address these issues.
“Before this event, I never realized the youth’s position in the overarching civic and political system,” said Matilda Minassian, a student from Herbert Hoover High School. “By becoming community-oriented, the youth’s activism can bring awareness to issues that need to be raised.”
In the following months, the AYF Glendale “Roupen” Chapter plans to host another Extra Credit Night that will cover different topics highlighting the importance of youth activism.
We would like to thank the GUSD (including Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Glendale High School, and Herbert Hoover High School) and Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School for their coordination and cooperation in making the evening a success. We hope to continue to work together to provide students with the platforms and resources necessary to spark an active and civically engaged youth.
Founded in 1933 with organizational structures in over 17 regions around the world and a legacy of over eighty years of community involvement, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest
and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the world, working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian youth.
