CULTURAL FEAST FOR CHAMLIAN STUDENTS
By Max Zimbert
Glendale News Press
09/11/25/news/gnp-turkey112609.txt
Nov 26 2009
CA
LA CRESCENTA — An Armenian Thanksgiving menu hedges closely to
the American tradition, especially the generous portions of turkey,
mashed potatoes, corn and cranberry sauce.
Students at Vahan & Anoush Chamlian Armenian School went home full
after chowing down on a feast Wednesday and celebrating the American
cultural and dining wonder that is Thanksgiving.
"Giving thanks is good," said Matthew Ghazarian, a third-grader. "I
get to celebrate with my family [and] I love the food."
Students and parents had collected donations to benefit the Salvation
Army and the Armenian Relief Society.
"Thanksgiving celebration is a long-standing tradition at Chamlian,"
Vice Principal Rita Kaprielian said. "Our first- and second-graders
learn about the origin .â~@~B.â~@~B. of the special day through
various reading, writing and art activities."
The food was prepared in the school facilitates with parents arriving
at 8 a.m. Wednesday to finish organizing preparations that began
last week.
Vast pots of corn stewed on the stoves while teams of parents prepared
sides of cranberry sauce. Between 25 and 35 parents were divided into
shifts, with one group serving 200 students and the next shift about
260, and teachers, too.
The preparations resembled an assembly line — there was no other
way to deal with preparing 37 turkeys, parents said.
"We’re like Santa’s helpers," said Sossy Guekguezian, whose status
as lead organizer was denoted by a chef’s hat.
Students donned costumes for their lunch. The boys wore brown
construction paper hats with a yellow paper belt, and the girls wore
similar white paper bonnets with yellow trim.
"It’s fun to celebrate an American holiday," said Elita Nazearteian,
a first-grader.
Students celebrate mostly Armenian holidays throughout the year.
Christmas, for instance, is celebrated in January on the Armenian
calendar.
"We are trying to raise our kids to know we are part of the community
around us, but we respect our culture," said Armineh Dilanian, whose
daughter is in second grade.
Thanksgiving plays an important role to bridge an American language
and cultural education with American traditions and character.
"They get the best of both worlds," said Claudia Khodadadi, whose
daughter is a third-grader.
"Molly’s Pilgrim," a novel about a Russian Jew’s first Thanksgiving in
America, was read and discussed in class. The story coveys Thanksgiving
themes like tolerance and embracing cultural differences rather than
dividing along them.
"Students learn about Plymouth Rock, too," said Taline Porichis, a
second-grade teacher. "We teach strong Armenian and American values,
and Thanksgiving let’s us do both."
One lesson drawn from "Molly’s Pilgrim," as well as the Armenian
diaspora, is the notion of modern pilgrims. Many Chamlian parents
immigrated to the U.S. and consider themselves the latest chapter of
immigrants making a better life for themselves in America.
"We bring the good from any tradition and add a little Armenian,"
said Liliane Arejian, whose three children are in grades sixth,
fourth and second. "Being thankful is good any time in any place."
Like his peers outside Chamlian, Harout Abrahamian, a third-grader,
favors the time away from schoolwork.
"We get to have vacation and relax with family," he said. "That’s
the good part for me."