August 10, 2016

“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.

I am sharing this story because I realize that while AGBU’s Generation Next Mentorship Program (GenNext) has served hundreds of youth (mentee’s), families, and their friends since its inception, almost 20 years ago, it is both necessary and more powerful to share the impact of our wonderful organization in the real world, with real stories and real people. While qualitative analysis and metrics can provide evidence in highlighting the importance of an organization, moving beyond numbers can be much more enlightening. Delving deeper to truly comprehend the value of GenNext, to both the community and the AGBU itself, I invite you to see how our organization is changing lives, one youth at a time.

The AGBU was founded on humanitarian principles and a mission to help all those who otherwise would not have a support system. Funny enough, even though they had never met, Arthur was AGBU and AGBU was Arthur. Their goals were and are one in the same and I am proud to say that the mission of GenNext is realized through youth like Arthur. While many past mentors and mentees have returned to the program in recent years to lend a helping hand both financially and physically, Arthur stands out because of his ability to effortlessly build connections with the mentees.

Arthur represents what the founding members of GenNext envisioned as a success story. He considers AGBU as a part of his extended family and has taken advantage of the many opportunities the AGBU provides for young adults like himself. He has plans of joining AGBU’s Young Professionals of Los Angeles and looks forward to visiting other AGBU chapters throughout the world.

Arthur has become a trusted friend and advisor, someone whom I rely on time and time again. His loyalty, passion, empathy, and dependability were all key factors in my decision to accept his request to join GenNext as a mentor two years ago. In true Arthur fashion, he jumped at the opportunity to pay it forward to AGBU, an organization that according to him, “has changed [his] life forever.”

Now studying business at California State University, Northridge, Arthur is applying his newly acquired education and skills to improve the program and organization that he loves. With his own mentee, he leads the fundraising committee and is planning several events that we hope will both yield a lot of financial support for the program but also provide our youth with opportunities to develop real world skills. Arthur is instrumental in helping plan our activities and takes care of major logistical issues before, during, and after our events.

I have personally witnessed this young man make significant progress in developing his skills and becoming a well-rounded individual. I am proud of who he is and what he stands for and am honored to recognize him as a tried and true AGBU member. I am truly grateful for his friendship and for the honor of calling him a former GenNext mentee and current GenNext mentor. Arthur’s younger brother, Alen, graduated from the program this year and his youngest brother is anxiously looking forward to joining GenNext in the upcoming months. We are honored to serve such great kids in our program and watch them develop into true leaders who love giving back to the AGBU.

We look forward to seeing where Arthur ‘s path takes him next and the future endeavors he undertakes. Go Arthur!