Personal Narrative: My Armenian Club

I am an Armenian-American, and for the majority of my life I identified more with the American side. But for the past few years, a principle aspect of my life has become finding a way to incorporate my Armenian culture into my American life. Without any guidelines, it has been a challenge to do this; one that has prompted me to create an Armenian Club at my high school. Creating and orchestrating the Armenian Club has undoubtedly been my proudest achievement and has helped me develop as a person. Initially, I looked elsewhere in an effort to stay in touch with my culture. I spent time in the nearby city of Glendale, a haven for Armenians immigrants, participating in basketball programs and social groups. There, people didn’t view me as a “true” Armenian because I went to Verdugo Hills High School, a school located outside the main Armenian community. Although my school had a relatively large Armenian population, there was no bond between us, no sense of community, nothing that linked us together. I felt compelled to do something, so, with the support of my brothers, I created an Armenian Club in my junior year. It was a success, bringing together the Armenian students, along with other ethnic groups. We

Having so many people interested in Armenians and our culture is what motivates me to spend an extra hour every day making future plans. An elected a board of 16 motivated students now meets both during and outside of school. With this board, I delegate duties to board members, which has made the club operate more smoothly. I have also reached out to local Armenian community leaders seeking help and advice. Finally, I have helped my high school become closer to the Armenian community by linking the Armenian Club with AYF, an organization that unites Armenian