South San Francisco, CA April 17, 2015
El Camino High School students created posters to bring awareness to genocide
South San Francisco’s El Camino High School AP English students of Mrs. Sevana Panosian’s class have done an intensive study of Historical Fiction. They have read excerpts from NYT Best Seller Chris Bohjalian’s acclaimed novel, The Sandcastle Girls, mixed with a deep study of witness poetry. As a way to promote genocide awareness and to bring attention to the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Armenian Genocide which was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks, a school wide assembly will take place on Tuesday, April 21, 2015. There will be student performances by the ECHS Choir, ECHS spoken word poets Jose Ravalo and Desiree Orquee, a motivational speech by Marc Vasquez and of course the much awaited performance by Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities who will be performing an acoustic concert for the students.
Students recognize the genocide in Armenian as well as the Holocaust, Rwanda, Iraq, Sudan and Bosnia
El Camino High School teacher Sevana Panosian stated that the importance and magnitude of teaching the Armenian Genocide and effects of other genocides is a great way to teach about the subjects of civil rights, racism, and man’s inhumanity to man. Since El Camino High School is known to be a diverse school with incredibly talented students who are involved in the global efforts against genocide, the school is very excited for this visit from Grammy Award winner Sebu Simonian who will also be performing a free concert in San Francisco’s Union Square that evening from 5-7 pm.
More information on the Armenian Genocide can be found on ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL website which includes personal stories of the atrocities that Ottoman Turks put upon the Armenian people.
These posters have been made by ECHS students in honor of the Armenian genocide commemoration. Students are: Lucille Bonifacio, Christina Dela Rosa, Taylor Valerio, Mary Abetria, Rowby Ocampo, and Edan Tianco
This is so beautiful and very touching. My grandparents were Genocide survivors. I take off my hat to El Camino High School and the teacher who is educating these children the history of the Armenian Genocide. Thank you for writing and posting about this issue.
thank you for printing this great article