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AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.agbu.org
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, August 20, 2012
Youth and Mentors Strengthen Their Bonds on AGBU Generation Next
Camping Trip
Every adolescent can benefit from a positive role model, and the AGBU
Generation Next (GenNext) Mentorship Program of Southern California is
ensuring that Armenian teens have not only one mentor but an extensive
support network - one that was made even stronger on a recent camping
retreat. On Friday, June 22, 2012, over 40 mentees, mentors, and
GenNext staffers packed their bags and headed to The Oaks Camp in Lake
Hughes, in Southern California, for a two-day trip that brought all
the participants closer and advanced the program's mission to
positively influence youth and introduce them to new experiences and
alternatives that will enable them to become responsible,
self-sufficient, and independent adults.
Together, mentors and mentees made their cabins their home for the
weekend and took full advantage of the Oaks' vast grounds and
facilities. Throughout the day, they played various sports, including
archery, basketball, and soccer, and cooled off in the swimming pool,
enjoying being out in the fresh air and surrounded by mountains. When
the evenings arrived, everyone gathered around the campfire, as old
friends reminisced and new friendships were initiated. Seventeen-year
old Arthur, a young man who has benefitted from GenNext for years,
gushed with excitement over the trip, declaring, "Camp was great! It
was a weekend to remember for life. The AGBU GenNext program has
helped me a lot over the past five years - it's an amazing program,
and these were an amazing two days. I'll never forget how reluctant we
were to go to sleep those two nights, the nicknames we gave each
other, and the time we spent together. I'm already looking forward to
our next camping trip!"
A range of team-building exercises, ice-breakers and open discussions
gave mentors the opportunity to do what they do best: direct the youth
toward a promising future. In particular, the mentors impressed upon
the teens the importance of maintaining healthy relationships that are
based on mutual respect. As always, mentors drew from the extensive
training they've received through GenNext, which has been key to the
program's success since its pilot year in 1998. Seminars and joint
meetings with parents and case managers give the mentors the resources
they need to help build the youths' confidence and
self-esteem. Reflecting on the trip, AGBU GenNext Program Manager
Abraham Chaparian commented, "It was nice to be able to be in a
beautiful, relaxing environment and to talk to the teens and learn
more about them... I love helping my community and hope others will
join us in touching the lives of our youth. We welcome more volunteer
mentors who will serve as role models, and I encourage anyone who is
willing to make a positive difference to contact us, so that we may
work hand in hand in order to - as our slogan states - reach new
heights together."
Though everyone was disappointed when the weekend came to an end,
GenNext has planned a number of activities to keep the students and
mentors busy through the summer and upcoming fall. In July, mentors
and mentees came together for their monthly group activity in
Huntington Beach, and in August for a trip to the Gene Autry Museum of
Western Heritage. This September, they will have another outdoor
excursion, hiking the trails of the Eaton Canyon Park in Pasadena.
To learn more about the AGBU Generation Next Program, find them on
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/gennext or email Generation Next Program
Manager Abraham Chaparian: [email protected]
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit www.agbu.org.
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.agbu.org
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, August 20, 2012
Youth and Mentors Strengthen Their Bonds on AGBU Generation Next
Camping Trip
Every adolescent can benefit from a positive role model, and the AGBU
Generation Next (GenNext) Mentorship Program of Southern California is
ensuring that Armenian teens have not only one mentor but an extensive
support network - one that was made even stronger on a recent camping
retreat. On Friday, June 22, 2012, over 40 mentees, mentors, and
GenNext staffers packed their bags and headed to The Oaks Camp in Lake
Hughes, in Southern California, for a two-day trip that brought all
the participants closer and advanced the program's mission to
positively influence youth and introduce them to new experiences and
alternatives that will enable them to become responsible,
self-sufficient, and independent adults.
Together, mentors and mentees made their cabins their home for the
weekend and took full advantage of the Oaks' vast grounds and
facilities. Throughout the day, they played various sports, including
archery, basketball, and soccer, and cooled off in the swimming pool,
enjoying being out in the fresh air and surrounded by mountains. When
the evenings arrived, everyone gathered around the campfire, as old
friends reminisced and new friendships were initiated. Seventeen-year
old Arthur, a young man who has benefitted from GenNext for years,
gushed with excitement over the trip, declaring, "Camp was great! It
was a weekend to remember for life. The AGBU GenNext program has
helped me a lot over the past five years - it's an amazing program,
and these were an amazing two days. I'll never forget how reluctant we
were to go to sleep those two nights, the nicknames we gave each
other, and the time we spent together. I'm already looking forward to
our next camping trip!"
A range of team-building exercises, ice-breakers and open discussions
gave mentors the opportunity to do what they do best: direct the youth
toward a promising future. In particular, the mentors impressed upon
the teens the importance of maintaining healthy relationships that are
based on mutual respect. As always, mentors drew from the extensive
training they've received through GenNext, which has been key to the
program's success since its pilot year in 1998. Seminars and joint
meetings with parents and case managers give the mentors the resources
they need to help build the youths' confidence and
self-esteem. Reflecting on the trip, AGBU GenNext Program Manager
Abraham Chaparian commented, "It was nice to be able to be in a
beautiful, relaxing environment and to talk to the teens and learn
more about them... I love helping my community and hope others will
join us in touching the lives of our youth. We welcome more volunteer
mentors who will serve as role models, and I encourage anyone who is
willing to make a positive difference to contact us, so that we may
work hand in hand in order to - as our slogan states - reach new
heights together."
Though everyone was disappointed when the weekend came to an end,
GenNext has planned a number of activities to keep the students and
mentors busy through the summer and upcoming fall. In July, mentors
and mentees came together for their monthly group activity in
Huntington Beach, and in August for a trip to the Gene Autry Museum of
Western Heritage. This September, they will have another outdoor
excursion, hiking the trails of the Eaton Canyon Park in Pasadena.
To learn more about the AGBU Generation Next Program, find them on
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/gennext or email Generation Next Program
Manager Abraham Chaparian: [email protected]
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit www.agbu.org.