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PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, May 6, 2010
AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Fathers’ Club Hosts Successful First
Seminar
On April 14, 2010, the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School
Fathers’ Club presented its first parent workshop for an audience of
more than fifty parents in the AGBU Pasadena Center auditorium. The
theme, titled "Challenges Facing Teens Today," addressed risky behaviors
in the teenage milieu and the role parents can play in helping their
children protect themselves.
Harout Kozian, chairman of the Fathers’ Club, introduced the seminar’s
moderator, Judge Zaven Sinanian, who is also a school parent. The judge
had organized guest speakers for the event, including Sergeant Vasgen
Gurdikian, Los Angeles deputy city attorney Raffi Asdvasadorian, and
defense attorney Garo Ghazarian.
The speakers discussed alcohol, drugs, bullying, gang violence, risky
Internet use, and the signs that will indicate if teens are
participating in these types of behavior. All of the speakers encouraged
parents to become more involved in their children’s lives. They
suggested keeping open lines of communication, inquiring about daily
activities, and preventing teens from leading covert lives.
Drawing upon their professional orientations, the panel discussed the
legal process if teens do get involved in risky behaviors, underscoring
that a criminal record can stand in the way of being employed in fields
including but not limited to law, education and medicine. A
question-and-answer session followed the presentation. Many parents took
the opportunity to further inquire and clarify questions they had from
the material covered.
The Fathers’ Club was pleased that its first seminar could successfully
provide attendees with information about the most common challenges
faced by teens in the Los Angeles area. The results were in keeping with
a goal of AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School to inspire parents
to be proactive instead of reactive. The Fathers’ Club and school
administration are grateful to Judge Zaven Sinanian and his wife Armenia
Sinanian for their continued support. This seminar was the second event
the couple helped organize, following an assembly for the students to
teach them about drug and alcohol prevention.
The AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School Fathers’ Club will host
an upcoming seminar for students and parents on the topic of cyber
bullying and a parent’s role and responsibility in managing teen
Internet use. The date will be listed in the school calendar section.
Established in 1906, AGBU () 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