Former Child-Soldier Shares Story With Algonquin Juniors and Seniors

Sayon Soeun recalls wandering off with some friends during his childhood in his native Cambodia.

Before long, the adventure led Soeun -- "I was about six or seven back then" -- to be trained to shoot guns for the Khmer Rouge.

"They trained me -- us -- to shoot and kill," Soeun told Algonquin Regional High School juniors and seniors in the school's JFK Auditorium on Friday.

"I learned how to shoot an AK-47. I learned how to use a 9 mm."

Soeun's talk was part of Algonquin's "One School, One Book" program.

"Never Fall Down," by Patricia McCormick, this year's selection, "is the story of Arn Chorn Pond, a survivor of the Cambodian genocide," according to the school's website.

The program committee seeks "to find a book that appeals to the majority of students/faculty that will leave a lasting impression.  We also look to keep the book short and have a message," said teacher Patricia Riley, who is leading the committee with teacher Cheryl Lewis.

Riley said juniors and seniors attended the talk by Soeun, which was preceded by music by flute player Master Pon, because the topic was difficult.

"We also felt having him speak in the gym to the whole class would not be a good setting for such a serious topic," she said.

Soeun recalled that on the day he was kidnapped, "my friends and I were hanging in the rice patties, doing normal things," such as "collecting frogs."

Soeun said he and his friends saw "a truck full of children. They were singing. They were having fun."

"I decided to jump on that truck," Soeun said.

"Had I not, I would have been forced to."

Soeun's talk was among Algonquin's One Book activities on Friday.

Freshmen and sophomores saw a documentary, and attended a global awareness fair in C Gym.

Social studies teacher Nathaniel Uttaro said the One Book program has sought to "bring the whole community together."

Uttaro said his students have been talking about the book.

"It definitely impacted them," Uttaro said.

"It's not something that a lot of people hear about, because they're used to hearing about the Holocaust of the Jews in Europe, and that's an obvious focal point. Something in Southeast Asia that happened isn't necessarily a focal point."

Uttaro said his students did the global awareness fair. Their displays sought to "highlight different issues, and bring awareness and attention to issues that don't necessarily get that attention."

Riley said that "throughout the fall various classes will give tests/quizzes, essays, and have discussions based on the book,"

"Some classes will discuss the book on and off throughout the school year," she said.

"The school in general will use this book as a starting point to help students be globally aware of what is going on in the world, but there are no other formal activities planned for this book."

The Northborough Free Library will host a viewing of "The Flute Player," the book's companion film, at 6:30 p.m. next Monday.