August 10, 2016

Generation Next

“Paying It Forward”

An Article by Saro Ayvazians, AGBU Generation Next Mentorship Program Director

In 2008, a bright-eyed and rambunctious little 13 year-old walked through the doors of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena, unsure of himself and what he might find. Clearly masking his insecurities behind a loud and fearless persona , Arthur was socially awkward and rough around the edges, to say the least. Disagreements with teachers and several fights with peers at his middle school had landed him in the principal’s office, which was how he originally caught my attention.

Arthur was bigger than most of his peers and commanded attention wherever he went, if not as a result of his size, then by the fact that he was unapologetically outspoken. Many issues arose because he ignored social cues and defied the rules; he had a lot room to grow and improve his social and interpersonal skills. What surprised me most about Arthur was actually the size of his heart – his compassion and empathy for others. Regardless of his demeanor, he was not a bully by any stretch of the imagination. He was headstrong and an advocate for those of his peers who otherwise did not have a friend or support system. Throughout his time in middle and high school, Arthur would find himself in many situations where he was defending another student who was being bullied. He regularly stood with those who needed him the most, even if doing so would be to his detriment. When I think back, I realize that Arthur, at the tender age of 13, represented all of the best things about the organization that he would one day come to love.

It was the love of his parents and the principles and values with which he was raised that informed his “Robin Hood-like” character. Hailing from Aleppo and Armenia, his parents had made sure to transfer old-world values of respect and honor to Arthur and his younger brothers. To a bright-eyed and rambunctious 25-year old youth worker, who was just getting his feet wet at GenNext, I was excited to have come across this quintessential mentee – the perfect candidate for which our program was set up to support.