STUDENTS from a Teignbridge school are continuing a flourishing partnership with a school in war torn Ukraine. Teign School in Kingsteignton and Zalishchyky State Gimnasia, a school in western Ukraine, came together to commemorate World Holocaust Day and celebrate European Day of Languages. Held remotely due to the conflict, the going event highlighted the connection between the two schools. The collaboration between Teign School and Zalishchyky State Gimnasia has already proved to be a great success. Last October, both school leaders presented together at the OECD Education Committee meeting, showcasing their shared work and educational innovation. Teign School has enjoyed the reciprocal support of its Ukrainian colleagues, exploring key topics such as being a Microsoft Showcase School and Post-16 options, while also giving students the opportunity to engage in cross-cultural exchanges. Both schools are keen to continue their partnership and will be looking at ways to share future opportunities for deeper collaboration and learning. Head of School Lucie Wagner said: ‘It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience working alongside headteacher, Oleksandra Voychyshyn and her team at Zalishchyky State Gimnasia. ‘Through these exchanges, our students have gained so much insight, and we have identified many areas where we can mutually benefit. ‘The collaboration is helping to broaden our students’ horizons and we’re hopeful that one day we will be able to host them here in Devon for an in-person visit.’ Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said: ‘Last year I had the privilege of visiting Ukraine to address an education conference where I witnessed firsthand the resilience and determination of Ukraine’s education system amidst the ongoing conflict. ‘Despite the challenges, Ukrainian educators remain committed to ensuring students continue learning. ‘Our collaboration with Ukrainian schools, alongside other international partners, helps share practical insights and support their ambitious educational reforms, creating an interconnected global education community.’ Comments Tel: 01626 336600 [email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 “You feel it with your whole body,” he later recalled “Who the f–k is setting off fireworks at 4am?” he wonders On Monday, it will have been three years since Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war. In that time, the conflict has killed over 12,300 Ukrainian civilians wounded almost 30,000 and displaced 10.2 million Although Ukraine has managed to recapture 54% of occupied territory Some 1,700 Ukrainians are currently studying in the United States Prokutin is one of seven Ukrainian undergraduate students at Stanford. When he felt the first missile strikes on his hometown of Kharkiv Although there had been speculation about an invasion Prokutin heard a deep rumbling and looked outside his window to see a group of tanks on the street below looking like “the definition of death.” “You think that in the 21st century there are no wars,” he said “You don’t believe it until you see it for yourself.” Prokutin and his mother spent the next five days in an underground parking lot where the neighborhood had gathered to take shelter from air strikes “Every time a missile hits… every car in the parking lot jumps “We realized from the first day that we needed to leave at any cost.” Prokutin said he and his family were extraordinarily lucky While no man between the ages of 18 and 60 could leave the country due to martial law Prokutin was not yet 18 and his father was abroad at the time where he began applying to boarding schools in Europe Oleh Ivankiv ’28 – a student from the city of Iviv in western Ukraine – felt angry and disappointed that he was under 18 at the time of the invasion because it meant he was unable to volunteer for the Ukrainian army Seeking to support his country another way Ivankiv secured a job building drones for the war effort He plans to take military education classes at Stanford through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) so he can return to Ukraine after graduation and join the armed forces if the conflict is still ongoing Ivankiv has relatives who have died in bombings in Ukraine “[The invasion] put me in a state of misery The war has also taken an emotional toll on Sasha Luchyn ’28 Although that initial numbness has mostly subsided Luchyn said that living in a state of uncertainty for the past three years has made him more indecisive and less self-motivated “I had very clear goals and directions in life I wanted to go [before the war],” he said “But now I feel like I still haven’t found anything I’m very passionate about.” a student from a small town called Stara Lishnya in northwestern Ukraine had a different experience from Luchyn and the others because he was already a first-year at Stanford in February 2022 He learned the war had started when he received a call from his sister was running into a bomb shelter in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv “There’s this feeling of helplessness that… no matter what you do you cannot protect the lives of those who are truly important to you,” he said Aiming to combat that feeling of helplessness Torchylo and others formed the Ukraine Support Alliance at Stanford (USAS) resources and humanitarian aid for Ukraine serves as co-president for the undergraduate chapter of USAS. public interest in the war has waned at Stanford over time He said that few people attend USAS events anymore and that it has become much harder to fundraise than it was a couple of years ago Prokutin also highlighted the tension he has observed on campus between Russian and Ukrainian student populations while walking on campus with his Russian friends Prokutin passed by a couple who — after hearing him and his friends speaking Russian — told them “Not every Russian person is a Russian soldier; not every Russian person is a person who supports Putin,” Prokutin said and in particular between those two communities.” Luchyn nor Torchylo know when they will be able to return to their homes in Ukraine Ambassador to Ukraine and an affiliate of Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation said that it is difficult to predict how the war will unfold especially now that President Donald Trump has taken office He worries that Trump will make an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not accept “The settlement can’t be just between the United States and Russia,” he said American support for Ukraine is a worthwhile investment “If the Russians win in Ukraine… Russia becomes a much greater threat to Europe and to American security interests,” he said “I don’t believe President Trump understands that.” Pifer says that Russia had a better year in 2024 than Ukraine did but that it came at a huge cost — one that likely isn’t sustainable what has surprised him most over the past three years has been Ukraine’s ability to defend itself He believes this is in large part due to Ukrainian morale said he has lost his sense of patriotism since the war began “I wouldn’t care if my city was given to Russia if it would result in less human death,” he said Ukraine is Ukraine as long as there are Ukrainians and if they’re dying in the war day by day it doesn’t matter if we have 40,000 square kilometers of territory or less.” “There are casualties and sacrifices that we need to take to finish this conflict as soon as possible,” he said Prokutin will sleep soundly in his college dorm room But the fear he felt three years ago will continue to haunt him Stanford will mark the three-year anniversary of the Russian invasion on Monday with a panel of Ukrainian leaders, who will discuss the war’s impact and the country’s future. The event, titled “Three Years of War: Updates from Ukraine,” will be hosted by the Center on Democracy Development and the Rule of Law at the Bechtel Conference Center from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m The USAS will also host a rally in White Plaza at 5 p.m to demonstrate continued support for Ukraine University Academics Campus Life Graduate Students Business & Technology Equity Project Fall Sports Winter Sports Spring Sports Screen Culture Music Reads Columnists Editorials Letters from the Editor Letters to the Editor Op-Eds Video Podcasts Cartoons Graphics Tech © 2025 THE STANFORD DAILY PUBLISHING CORPORATION Privacy Policy Accessibility Advertise Donate and support The Daily when you shop on Amazon 1943 (courtesy of Halina Peabody) and as an adult Halina was about nine years old when the Nazis carried out their first mass execution against the Jewish people in her town of Zaleszczyki in German-occupied Poland (today tried hard to keep Halina and her younger sister safe She scrambled to hide with the girls and obtained false papers identifying them as Catholic Learn about their harrowing journey to the town of Jarosław and reliance on the kindness of strangers to hide in plain sight First Person: Conversations with Holocaust Survivors Watch live at youtube.com/ushmm You do not need a YouTube account to view our program After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on the Museum's YouTube page First Person is a monthly hour-long discussion with a Holocaust survivor and is made possible through generous support from the Louis Franklin Smith Foundation with additional funding from the Arlene and Daniel Fisher Foundation This guide helps educators integrate this season’s First Person conversations into a classroom setting. Nearly 60 Holocaust survivors serve as volunteers at the Museum and their contributions are vital to our mission. Echoes of Memory is a guided writing workshop that provides survivors who volunteer at the Museum with a powerful outlet through which to bear witness Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Kovtsun Ivan Romanovych – employee of the Dniester Canyon National Park He grew up in a family that could not particularly care for the boy – frail grandparents he went to the 1st grade of secondary school No he took care of his family as best he could took the boy into their home and surrounded him with love and comfort he entered the Zalishchytskyi Agrarian College named after Ye where in 2013 he graduated as an environmental technician he continued his studies in the specialty at the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas There he graduated from the military department and received the military rank of "junior lieutenant." he got a job at the Dniester Canyon National Park Then he made a conscious decision to take retraining and advanced training courses at the Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defense University of Ukraine and in 2017 he went to military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine And then he signed a 3-year contract for further military service he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade February 2022 became the point of no return for Ivan Kovtsun the award of the Commander of the Joint Forces "Cossack Cross" of the 3rd degree and the gratitude of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal for the exemplary performance of official duties demonstrated heroism and active civic position They always remain in our hearts and memories Glory to Ukraine!Eternal glory to the Heroes tel.: +38 (044) 206 31 15Email: [email protected] tel.: +38 (044) 206 31 01Email: [email protected] Hotline “Ministry of Environment in touch” tel.: +38 (044) 206 33 02fax: +38 (044) 206 31 39Email:[email protected] Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Office of the President of Ukraine Sign In Register