Dangling by a silver chain, a forget-me-not pendant—five violet petals decorated with yellow accents—adorns Andrea Simonian’s (12) neck. At first glance, the necklace may seem like just another accessory, but to Andrea, it carries years of Armenian history and symbolism. The forget-me-not flower acts as a symbol of the “Remember and Demand” campaign that began in 2015 and memorializes the centennial of the Armenian genocide. The Turkish government has not recognized that the genocide existed in terms of calling it a genocide, and the flower serves as a reminder that the Armenian people deserve justice.

“It’s hurtful to us Armenians as a nationality that we had to go through this, and yet we don’t get closure for the pain,” Andrea said. “That’s the biggest source of pain for us, we don’t receive the recognition that such a hateful thing was committed against us.”

The forget-me-not flower necklace that Andrea wears everyday is deeply rooted in her identity.

“I wear this necklace because I want to remember, I want to keep this with me at all times,” Andrea said. “I’m very proud of my Armenian culture. People ask why I’m wearing the necklace when they see me wearing it. It’s an opportunity to explain the history of my country.”

Both of Andrea’s parents immigrated from Armenia and made an effort in forming connections with the Armenian community once they moved to America in order to raise her on the values and belief system of their culture.

“A really big part of the Armenian community is there’s no such thing as I owe you one, you owe me one,” Andrea said. “It’s more like, ‘We should be supporting each other. I’m doing this for you because I know that if I ever need help, you would do the same for me. Even though I may never need that help, I know that should I ever need it, you will be there. So I will be there for you now.’”

The Armenian philosophy of community and service translates to other parts of Andrea’s life. In her freshman year, Andrea followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Natalie Simonian (‘16) by joining the Red Cross Club at the upper school, and Andrea continued to work on individual service projects at the American Red Cross branch in San Jose.

“I personally take great pride in being an American Red Cross volunteer because of the values that we have to uphold,” Andrea said. “The one that really stands out to me is impartiality. As a Red Cross Volunteer your number one job is to serve. It’s cool to think that as youth we can do something even if it’s not going out and actually being there.”

Andrea’s turning point at school was when she began organizing the annual blood drive for the Red Cross Club at Harker.

“Anything I had to do, whether it was talking to Mr. Williamson about people leaving class, or talking to Ms. Prutton about attendance got me so fired up. For blood drive day you have to come here at seven in the morning and set up, and I don’t like waking up early, but for blood drive I will do it.”

She attributes her enthusiasm for blood drive day to the interactions she has with people who want to help out.

“There were people coming and taking their time and giving their blood,” Andrea said. “It’s literally a part of them, and it was really inspiring to me. I just really appreciated the environment and the fact that everyone was bringing something. Blood drive is my favorite day of the year—it brings me so much joy.”

Adhya Hoskote (10), a fellow officer on Red Cross Club, expresses her admiration for Andrea’s influence as club president.

“She’s a very selfless person and she will do anything to help even if it’s harder on her,” Adhya said. “I think that’s the greatest thing in a president because to have somebody that understands what you’re going through is so important. It’s really inspiring to see someone who’s dedicated so much of their lives to just help people in need.”

Even on top of contributing her efforts to humanitarian causes, Andrea still finds the time to support her peers.

“I would die for Andrea,” Christie Chen (12), her best friend since elementary school, said. “She does so much for me. She has a lot on her plate but she always finds time to help anyone. Over the years we’ve gotten so close—to be able to have that kind of trust and connection with someone else, to know I can always call her to talk if I need to or need a favor, that is something I can’t put into words.”