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Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]
www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE
April 30, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Cell: 818.523.8389 Office: 818.500.1919
Email: [email protected]
ANCA-WR DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT CAMPBELL HALL HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND THE ROLE OF THE NEAR EAST RELIEF
Los Angeles, CA - In continuing the Armenian National Committee of
America Western Region's (ANCA WR) various initiatives to commemorate
the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, on April 28, 2014, upon
the invitation of the faculty and staff at Campbell Hall high school,
ANCA WR activist Vanna Kitsinian, Esq., returned to her alma mater to
present a history and account of the Armenian Genocide to the student
body.
Campbell Hall, a private college-prepatory school in Studio City has a
long tradition of academic excellence and a deep commitment to the
development of responsible human beings. The school embraces a
philosophy of celebrating individual strengths and provides a climate
where all students are encouraged to create their own rich,
challenging, academic and co-curricular programs and to celebrate
their unique and varied contributions that they make to their
communities and to the world. In line with this approach to education
and development, Campbell Hall requested from the ANCA WR that a
presentation be made to its high school student body of 550 students
regarding the importance of spreading awareness about the Armenian
Genocide.
Stephanie Wilson, Chaplain for Campbell Hall remarked, `It continues
to be so important to educate our students about historical atrocities
like the Armenian Genocide so that we do not allow such violations
against human rights to ever occur again. Vanna was a powerful speaker
and we were lucky to have her speak to our community.'
Having graduated from Campbell Hall, Kitsinian attended the school's
bi-weekly chapel and delivered the keynote address to share the story
and history of the Armenian Genocide with its students, who proved to
be very responsive. The presentation coincided with Holocaust
Remembrance Day, further making the day more meaningful and
educational for the students. Despite the fact that the Armenian
student population makes up a very small percentage of the school's
student body, the few Armenian students have established an `Armenian
Club,' headed by the only Armenian teacher in the school, Mrs. Lucine
Ohanessian. Derrick Adomian, a tenth grade student and a member of
the Armenian Club introduced Kitsinian and noted that the day prior,
he had walked with the ANCA-WR's `America We Thank You' walkathon team
in the Jewish World Watch `Walk to End Genocide,' alongside Kitsinian.
The presentation was concluded with the reading of the Lord's Prayer
in Armenian by Charlotte Etmekjian, the President of the school's
Armenian Club.
As part of her presentation, Kitsinian discussed the role of the Near
East Relief (NER), the U.S.'s oldest Congressionally-sanctioned
non-governmental organization that led the relief efforts during and
after the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Each student was provided with a
written fact sheet regarding the NER's significant role in Armenian
and American history, as well as California's contributions to the
relief efforts. Kitsinian is the co-chair of the ANCA-WR's =80=9CAmerica
We Thank You: An Armenian Tribute to the Near East Relief' committee,
which is honoring the humanitarian and philanthropic work of the NER
and its crucial role in helping save the Armenian nation from
annihilation as the Centennial approaches.
`It is vitally important that we continue to educate young minds about
the first genocide of the 20th century because the genocide of the
Armenians forms part of the universal conscience and the collective
memory. It was a privilege for me to return to my school and share
with the students the experience and history of my ancestors so that
we may continue to raise awareness and never forget this crime against
humanity,' stated Kitsinian.
The ANCA-WR has been at the forefront of legislations related to the
Armenian Genocide in California. Several weeks ago, over 350
activists from around California traveled to Sacramento for ANCA WR's
`Advocacy Day' and urged for the passage of Assembly member Adrin
Nazarian's two Genocide curriculum bills; Assembly Bill 659, which
encourages the incorporation of an oral history component specifically
related to genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, Holocaust,
Rwandan, Cambodian and Darfur genocides, and Assembly Bill 1915, which
would require the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in California's
curriculum for the adopted course of study in grades 7-12 when World
History is taught.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###
Photo Captions
ANCA Western Region's Vanna Kitsinian Delivering Keynote Address at
Campbell Hall High School
DSC_1063: Campbell Hall Students and Teachers Learn About America's
Humanitarian Efforts through NER during the Armenian Genocide.
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]
www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE
April 30, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Cell: 818.523.8389 Office: 818.500.1919
Email: [email protected]
ANCA-WR DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT CAMPBELL HALL HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND THE ROLE OF THE NEAR EAST RELIEF
Los Angeles, CA - In continuing the Armenian National Committee of
America Western Region's (ANCA WR) various initiatives to commemorate
the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, on April 28, 2014, upon
the invitation of the faculty and staff at Campbell Hall high school,
ANCA WR activist Vanna Kitsinian, Esq., returned to her alma mater to
present a history and account of the Armenian Genocide to the student
body.
Campbell Hall, a private college-prepatory school in Studio City has a
long tradition of academic excellence and a deep commitment to the
development of responsible human beings. The school embraces a
philosophy of celebrating individual strengths and provides a climate
where all students are encouraged to create their own rich,
challenging, academic and co-curricular programs and to celebrate
their unique and varied contributions that they make to their
communities and to the world. In line with this approach to education
and development, Campbell Hall requested from the ANCA WR that a
presentation be made to its high school student body of 550 students
regarding the importance of spreading awareness about the Armenian
Genocide.
Stephanie Wilson, Chaplain for Campbell Hall remarked, `It continues
to be so important to educate our students about historical atrocities
like the Armenian Genocide so that we do not allow such violations
against human rights to ever occur again. Vanna was a powerful speaker
and we were lucky to have her speak to our community.'
Having graduated from Campbell Hall, Kitsinian attended the school's
bi-weekly chapel and delivered the keynote address to share the story
and history of the Armenian Genocide with its students, who proved to
be very responsive. The presentation coincided with Holocaust
Remembrance Day, further making the day more meaningful and
educational for the students. Despite the fact that the Armenian
student population makes up a very small percentage of the school's
student body, the few Armenian students have established an `Armenian
Club,' headed by the only Armenian teacher in the school, Mrs. Lucine
Ohanessian. Derrick Adomian, a tenth grade student and a member of
the Armenian Club introduced Kitsinian and noted that the day prior,
he had walked with the ANCA-WR's `America We Thank You' walkathon team
in the Jewish World Watch `Walk to End Genocide,' alongside Kitsinian.
The presentation was concluded with the reading of the Lord's Prayer
in Armenian by Charlotte Etmekjian, the President of the school's
Armenian Club.
As part of her presentation, Kitsinian discussed the role of the Near
East Relief (NER), the U.S.'s oldest Congressionally-sanctioned
non-governmental organization that led the relief efforts during and
after the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Each student was provided with a
written fact sheet regarding the NER's significant role in Armenian
and American history, as well as California's contributions to the
relief efforts. Kitsinian is the co-chair of the ANCA-WR's =80=9CAmerica
We Thank You: An Armenian Tribute to the Near East Relief' committee,
which is honoring the humanitarian and philanthropic work of the NER
and its crucial role in helping save the Armenian nation from
annihilation as the Centennial approaches.
`It is vitally important that we continue to educate young minds about
the first genocide of the 20th century because the genocide of the
Armenians forms part of the universal conscience and the collective
memory. It was a privilege for me to return to my school and share
with the students the experience and history of my ancestors so that
we may continue to raise awareness and never forget this crime against
humanity,' stated Kitsinian.
The ANCA-WR has been at the forefront of legislations related to the
Armenian Genocide in California. Several weeks ago, over 350
activists from around California traveled to Sacramento for ANCA WR's
`Advocacy Day' and urged for the passage of Assembly member Adrin
Nazarian's two Genocide curriculum bills; Assembly Bill 659, which
encourages the incorporation of an oral history component specifically
related to genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, Holocaust,
Rwandan, Cambodian and Darfur genocides, and Assembly Bill 1915, which
would require the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in California's
curriculum for the adopted course of study in grades 7-12 when World
History is taught.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###
Photo Captions
ANCA Western Region's Vanna Kitsinian Delivering Keynote Address at
Campbell Hall High School
DSC_1063: Campbell Hall Students and Teachers Learn About America's
Humanitarian Efforts through NER during the Armenian Genocide.