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May 10, 2010
Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Fathers' Club Hosts Successful First Seminar
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Fathers’ Club members and guest speakers Sergeant Vasgen Gurdikian, Los Angeles deputy city attorney Raffi Asdvasadorian, and defense attorney Garo Ghazarian gather following the first successful Fathers' Club seminar by parents from the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School. -
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Sergeant Vasgen Gurdikian of the Pasadena Police Department briefs parents of AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School students about the signs of teenage involvement with alcohol, drugs, bullying, gang violence, or risky Internet use.
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.
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