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May-June 1999
Modern Teen Mag
Many Countries - Many Traditions Summer is coming!
Period Six, History 10B, SDAIE
Presents
May in L. A.
and our homelands
It gets warm in Los Angeles, California, around this time of year. Students nod off in class as "Spring Fever" takes control--the soft warmth, the droning instructors, the coming of summer play.
Of, course, May this year has been anything but normal. News of students committing horrible violence, the weather varying from hot one day to cold and rainy on another, and the constant news of the confusing conflict in Kosovo make for a strange, ambivalent feeling here.
Still, Grant High's period six world history class has prepared some things for you to learn about our day-to-day thoughts:
Our May Staff--
currently studying World War II
From Lilit Papazian:
Grant High
Grant High School is located at Oxnard Street, Van Nuys CA 91605. Grant High is very big high school. There is lot of good teachers and good activities. At Grant High we have a lot of different kinds of sports, games, clubs, etc. It is very good high school and I am very happy that I am a student there.
For my education I do a lot of things. First, I go to school every day. Second, I listen to my teachers and do my homework every day. Also, I study very hard for my test and quiz Finally, I do everything to get a good education for my future. And I hope I will get in a good university after I graduate from high school.
What I Do For FunFor fun I do a lot of things. Like I play with my little brother. When it’s hot I swim in the pool. For fun I like to play basketball and volleyball. I also, like to go out with my friends. Finally, I dance with my friend.
Acrostic Poem
Life
Is about
Love
Indignity and
Trust.
Putting things
Away, when it is half
Past two, waiting
All the day for the channel
Zoo, and siting
In the car
Among the movie star
Near the loudly bar.
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE Armenia… Most people in the world may not even know that there is a such country because it is so small and quiet. However this wasn’t this way. Armenia was big one day until every single country around it wanted part of it. This is how Armenia became a apple between these warms, countries who wanted her.
You may think how a country so small could suffered so much but it did. The biggest tragedy in Armenia was the Armenia Genocide in 1915. That year in one night thousands of Armenians, including famous writers, thinkers and many more, were deported and brutally murdered. That day, April 24, became known as the Armenian Memorial Day.
It just took one night to destroy one nation. It is just unbelievable to hear what Turks did. With lies and promises, they put hundreds of Armenians into one church and then burn it. When they saw a pregnant women they would try to guess the gender of the body, then with a sword they would rip mothers belly and put the lifeless body of the newborn on to a stick, to see who was right. On the deportation way, they would rape, assault and kill young women in front of their mothers and then laugh. Many don’t knew this but the Armenian Genocide was an inspiration to Hitler. When his advisers asked him how can he get away with murdering all those people, he said that Turks did it to Armenians and who remembers them. He was right, no one remembered the Armenians, no one remembered or heard their cries, struggle and
pain. People who remember it, are the people who lived through it. Interesting thing is that Armenia is just one country and there is no where else in the world can you find Armenians. It is smaller than California and taking away, killing 2 million people leaves nothing and no one behind.
No one can explain why such tragedy occurred, no one has the explanation. I believe that this happened because the jealousy of Turks towards Armenians had closed their eyes and minds. It destroyed one nation’s language, history and religion and the succeeded. What they could not destroy, which would erase Armenia from the face of the world, was its pride and their belief in freedom. This is want kept and keeping them alive and standing.
Rozita Benzakarya writes:
‘MEMORIAL DAY’
MEMORIAL DAY or DECORATION DAY is a sad holiday on May 31. Memorial Day began during the American Civil War to honor the soldiers who died during the war. In France it called "DAY OF THE ASHES"; from the memory of Napoleon Bonaparte’s return to St. Helena.
In this day people place flowers, artificial puppies, and flags on the graves of soldiers. There are ceremonies at Gettysburg National Military Park and at the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers in the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The ships are filled with flowers are placed on the River.
I think this Memorial Day is going to be special because of the war between NATO and Serbia. And U.S.A. got three boys as P.O.W. in Serbia.
So, try to pray for all the soldiers in the whole world weather dead, killed or alive but fighting for RIGHT & JUSTICE. Know how hard it would be if somebody had to be leaving their families and might get hurt or killed. Try to make the world a better place to live by PEACE, FORGIVENESS, AND BEING NIECE.
About California there is a lot of entertainment places to go for fun for example some of the famous Six Flag Magic Mountain, Disneyland, Knots Berry Farm, and Universal Studios in Hollywood so, I think if you could come one time you will enjoy it, so please I will like to write me back as soon as you can so that way you tell me about your country and school.
Survey: 1998,1999, and BeyondEdwin Carranza's perspective on the
old and new year.
1998What is your strongest global memory of 1998?
The storm "El Nino" made a lot of inundation in part of Chicago and Texas.
What is your strongest American memory of 1998?
My strongest memory of 1998 was Bill Clinton problem with Monica.
What is your strongest Los Angeles memory of 1998?
My strongest memory from Los Angeles of 1998 was when my Dad's friend died in a restaurant in the down town of Los Angeles.
What is your favorite movie of 1998?
My favorite movie was "Armageddon".
What is your favorite song/album of 1998?
My favorite son was " My heart will go on" from the movie Titanic.
What is your favorite possession of 1998?
My favorite possession was a certificate from my music class competency
Who is your favorite person of 1998? and why?
My favorite person is Joanna Juarez because she help me a lot to study.
What was your biggest worry of 1998? and why?
My biggest worry was when my grandmam was very sick close to death.
1999What is your hope for 1999?
My hope for 1999 is work in this summer and go to my country.
What is your concern for 1999?
End this semester with better grades than the last year.
Beyond
What do you think your biggest concern will be in the five years?
My biggest concern in five years will be go to college to study more.
What do you think your biggest concern will be in the ten years?
My biggest concern in ten years will be graduate of Architecture and work and help my family.
Gloria Casillas writes:
Hi my name is Gloria Casillas,I was born in Mexico but raised in the U. S. I enjoy going to school to learn new things and meet different people. My school Grant High is very interesting because there is many ethnic groups. One of the best things in America is in the summer because you go to the beach to have fun and their other places to enjoy. This is just a little bit of me and America but I invite you to know more. That way you can tell me more about your culture and things you do in your country.Liliya Petrosyan writes:
Hi, my name is Liliya Petrosyan. I came from Armenia. I am 15 years old and a 10th grader at Grant High School. Grant High is a very good school. It has wonderful teachers. Every day our school is doing better and better. America is a rich country. It has very beautiful places that we can go during vacation in summer with our friends and have a lot of fun. That is why I like summer. Please write me back an answer.Jhoana Arita writes:
In Honduras we celebrate two special days and we do a lot of activities to celebrate them. On May first we celebrate "El dia del Trabajador" in English means the Labor’s day, it’s a holiday for everyone; no one works, some school have parades about it. The other special day is on the second Sunday of May we celebrate Mother’s day, to make special we bought them some gifts like flowers, and we make some meeting on that day at school on which the mothers attend , and all the students together sing the mother’s hymn; that is a song the we have been singing for many years on mother’s day, also some people recite them some. This is a really special month for the Hondurans.Other May Moments:
Mother's Day: By tradition, the family honors the mother. In my family, we took our Mother out to a special restaurant for Sunday brunch. Flowers, cards, and phone calls are also part of my Mother's Day memories.
Cinco de Mayo: Mexican-Americans celebrate the victory or Mexican forces under President Benito Juarez over the invading French Army in the 1860s. This is considered Mexico's second Independence Day. Here are some pictures of the Folklorico students at my former school--Gardena High.....
--my compliments to Ms. Ritchie-Daza who has accomplished so much without much support from the school. This course has raised the dignity and leadership of these wonderful young people. Viva los ninos!
Other thoughts; from the Instructor--
This is my first year at Grant High School. I have taught for LAUSD (the Los Angeles Unified School District) since 1981. Grant is like any school in the district. There are, however, some very special folks I teach with, a playful "intelligentsia", if I may say so, who make my experience very rewarding and set a standard for teaching that keeps me from burning out--because of the passion they still have considering the social and professional barriers they are up against daily.
Here we are breaking away for our semester break between Easter and Passover at the beginning of April.....
from cold mountain forests to barren desert our repast--Ave Bacchus!
amazing, how hot the afternoon, and how freezing the evening! Song, fire, and good jokes warm us up.
We spent our four days at Anza-Borrego, a California State park in the desert east of San Diego. We saw everything from ancient native "morteros" (mortars used to grind nuts and berries) to military jets and helicopters training in the rough terrain. I lost the pictures of the wonderful boulders and folks we met as batteries get eaten alive by my digital camera. Nonetheless, we made good cheer, explored the natural flora and fauna, and shared our friendship.
--Victor Ortiz, Instructor, world history 10B, SDAIE