April is recognized as Armenian Heritage and History Month, a time to celebrate Armenian culture and history while also recognizing the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide during World War I. At Clark, students of the Armenian Club, led by advisor Mrs. Nina Minasyan and co-presidents seniors Shant Gyurjyan and Emily Tsaturyan, used the opportunity to do both, sharing Armenian arts and culture with the school while also highlighting student creativity. All of this created an environment to properly convey the Armenian spirit of hope, courage, and resilience.
Members of the club began the performance with a brief historical background on the Armenian Genocide, with some reciting poems in Armenian revolving around themes of loss and hope, written by victims of the genocide. In addition, there were a number of musical performances, with singing, dancing, and piano-playing, leaving the student body and other spectators clearly enjoying the entertainment. “I sang the songs ‘Kilikia’ and ‘Msho Gorani,’ two beautiful songs that are very relevant to the topic of our assembly,” said senior Shant Gyurjyan, co-president of the Armenian club. “I think it’s really important that we host this event, because even to this day, the Armenian Genocide is not recognized on an international basis, and we hope to reach bigger heights next April,” Gyurjyan said.
This is the first year that the Armenian club has put on this performance, and it ended up being a great success. “I liked the group dance that was performed, since it showed how Armenians find joy in even the dark times when they are there for each other. Armenians are strong-willed, brave, and are able to overcome any struggle [that comes] their way,” senior Sandra Yadwart said. The show was able to bring together various members of the student body, Armenian or not. Whether they were there to support their friends who were performing, to learn, or simply to enjoy the music, there’s no doubt that it left an emotional impact on both the audience and those who participated, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the program continues in the coming years as a beloved Clark tradition.
