A student-led initiative to make Burbank High School easier to navigate and safer during emergencies culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday for a new campus-wide wayfinding system.
Members of the student club Global Unity designed and championed the project, earning praise from school administrators, district officials, and local lawmakers.
Principal Steven Hubble commended the project’s student leaders, Vladimir Hovhannisyan and David Djinbachian, for their persistence.
“Vladimir didn’t take no for an answer, which is good, and he was always polite and respectful throughout the whole process,” Hubble said of Hovhannisyan. “To me, that’s the true representation of a leader.”
From Club Idea to Campus-Wide System
The project originated from Global Unity, a club structured more like a project team than a typical after-school group.
“We weren’t trying to start another club that just starts and ends there,” said Djinbachian, the club’s co-president. “We wanted to identify real issues within our school and actually fix them.”
Community Backing
Hovhannisyan, who also serves as the Associated Student Body Secretary, said the wayfinding project grew from a simple, everyday frustration: getting lost. He noticed freshmen, new students, and visitors struggling to find their way around the sprawling campus.
“Over time, we realized this wasn’t only a logistical issue. It also connects to student safety,” Hovhannisyan said. “In urgent situations, not knowing exact locations can slow down response and make it harder to reach the right place quickly.”
Global Unity members surveyed students to pinpoint confusing areas. Hovhannisyan and Djinbachian then walked the grounds, mapping out strategic locations for the new signs.
The result is a clear, consistent signage system designed to improve daily navigation and emergency preparedness.
Hovhannisyan emphasized that the project was a community effort, giving special thanks to the Burbank Arts and Education Foundation, which provided the majority of the funding.
“We’re very grateful that they believed in the student-led project, and most importantly, that they believed in us,” he said.
State Assemblyman Nick Schultz, D-Burbank, attended the ceremony to present a certificate from the California State Assembly.
“It’s also important that we celebrate all the positive that’s happening in our community,” Schultz said, commending the students for their resilience in making their school “a more welcoming, a better place.”
Representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Laura Friedman and state Sen. Caroline Menjivar also presented certificates, highlighting how the signs will help new students build confidence.
A Message to Students
Hovhannisyan, who moved to the U.S. three years ago, spoke directly to his fellow students about the importance of belonging.
“That’s why I care about building schools that are clearer, safer and more welcoming for new students and new families regardless of their backgrounds,” he said.
He encouraged his peers not to wait for adulthood to make a difference.
“If something is confusing, unsafe or just wrong, don’t accept it as normal,” Hovhannisyan urged. “Start small, but start real. Ask questions, find someone who cares. Build teams, raise your voices, and most importantly, please stay consistent.”
