Thursday, February 26, 2009 By Anny Edinchikyan - Gustavo Endara Advertising Board member speaks to students (January 26, 2007) -- “I want you all to realize what the Turkish government is doing right now, and do something about it yourselves,” said Glendale School Board member Greg Krikorian during Armenian Club’s meeting Jan 11. Armenian Club President Hayarpi Nersisyan invited Krikorian to speak for the Armenian Club. Krikorian spoke for 65 students; both members and non-members of the club were present at the meeting. “About 10 to 15 percent of the students were non-Armenians,” said Susan Howe, Armenian Club advisor. When Krikorian, began to speak, the room grew quiet and the students began to listen. Krikorian started his presentation by asking everyone who knew anything about the Armenian Genocide to raise their hands. When most of the room did, he continued by sharing information that many did not know. Nersisyan said that Krikorian was chosen to speak at the event because of his great knowledge of Armenian history and because of his position as a board member. Krikorian showed a PowerPoint about what the people from the Turkish Federation were saying about the Armenian Genocide. Sima Topchyan explained, “Hearing the members of the Federation speak was shocking to some because the thoughts of the Federation were so different from their own.” In the PowerPoint, Krikorian also showed himself in 1984 protesting against the Turkish Federation. Krikorian also mentioned the heavy metal band System of a Down, and how they had been helping Armenians in their fight. Sophomore Lusine Manukyan, who is not a member of the Armenian Club, said that she was happy she came to the meeting, “I learned a lot more than I thought I would,” Manukyan said. “This is something we should do more often.” Many other students agreed with Manukyan, saying that everything Krikorian said was important for high school students. Near the end of his presentation, Krikorian informed students of an upcoming event for Glendale to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Hoover High, Glendale High, Crescenta Valley High and Clark are all going to be a part of the event. Each school is going to have their own part in the event; it is not yet known what Clark will be doing. He urged all students that were present to help with the upcoming event, and to try to do something of their own to acknowledge the genocide. “I want to educate and deliver a message of responsibility to our American Armenian youth,” Krikorian said. Krikorian had previously spoken at Clark in 2005. At that time he introduced the Hye Hopes fundraiser, to help schools in Ghapan, Armenia.

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