Fifteen new members joined the Fresno chapter of the AYF Juniors on March 26, 2017.
FRESNO, Calif.—The ranks of the Armenian Youth Federation Juniors grew by fifteen new members who joined the organization’s Fresno chapter by giving their AYF Juniors promise at the local ARF Day Celebration held on March 26.
“We are excited to welcome our newest members and look forward to working with them, their parents, the AYF Seniors and the local ARF chapter in providing them a safe, educational and fun environment where we can plant the seeds of future Armenian American leaders,” said Sarin Karamanlian, the chapter’s co-director. “We appreciate and value the trust our members’ parents place in us and look forward to returning their investments with dividends.”
Officiated by unger Manas Saghdejian, the newest members joined some one hundred of their Southern California peers who gave their own AYF Juniors promise at the ARF Day Celebration held this January in Glendale.
“We have witnessed the steady and consistent growth of the AYF Juniors for the last several years and welcome that same excitement to Fresno,” said AYF Juniors parent Lorig Jawharjian. “By enriching our children with knowledge as well as important life and team building skills; by educating them about our past, present and future; by encouraging and motivating them to excel academically and by teaching them to give back to our communities, the AYF empowers us and our kids with an edge we can’t get anywhere else.”
The ARF Day Celebration and the AYF Juniors promise coincided with the annual AYF Juniors Winter Getaway, which will be reported on in the near future.
“I would have loved to be at Winter Getaway this weekend with the members from all the other chapters, but giving my AYF Juniors promise in front of a packed hall during an ARF Day Celebration is something I will never forget,” said Tatiana Jawharjian.
“The AYF Juniors promise is the very first lesson our members learn about the importance of making commitments and following through on them through their activism within the AYF,” said AYF Juniors Central Council chairman Saro Shirinian. “We dedicate a significant amount of resources to provide our members with experiences that will shape them and their futures. Our sense of accomplishment comes many years after each of them have transferred to the AYF Seniors, graduated college, and begun their careers – all while continuing their service to our communities and nation.”
The AYF Juniors is a community organization for youth specifically for the ages of 8 to 16 years old. As an extension of the AYF and its core values, the AYF Juniors connect youth with their Armenian heritage, and politically and socially engages them with critical issues facing Armenians. For more information or to join, follow AYF Juniors Western Region on Facebook, e-mail ayfjuniors@ayfwest.org or call (818) 500-8883.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Fifteen New Members Join AYF Juniors Fresno Chapter