UKELODEON: For The Next Generation (08/13/00)

UKELODEON

For The Next Generation

Ukraine is represented at L.A. school Olympics

by Ania Shalauta

LOS ANGELES - The blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag once again flew over the Olympics at a Los Angeles area grade school. Third grade students at the Valley Presbyterian School in North Hills again represented Ukraine in their own traditional Olympics, which are held every four years, coinciding with the international Olympic Games.

Through the efforts of Tina Zacharczuk, a parent, Ukraine was represented as an independent country in the school Olympics for the first time in May 1992 - just prior to the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. As Ukrainians throughout the world were inspired by witnessing Ukraine's individual athletes competing for their country for the first time in Barcelona, we in Los Angeles also had that privilege at a local school. (In team events in Barcelona Ukraine's athletes were part of the "Unified Team" of athletes from the former USSR.)

Each class represented a different country and learned about its history and culture. Besides Ukraine, other nations represented were Ireland, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Australia and the United States of America.

The students' studies and preparation culminated with an Olympic Day held on June 2, which included a parade of nations, opening ceremonies, an international program and competitive games.

Wearing yellow T-shirts adorned with a blue "tryzub" and waving Ukrainian flags, the procession was led by Zofia Zacharczuk, a third grader, carrying the traditional Ukrainian "welcoming" bread.

Earlier in the year the third grade class had learned about Ukraine's history, culture, geography, traditions, art, Olympic medalists and current events based on an illustrated brochure prepared by Ms. Zachar-czuk. The students made pysanky, tasted traditional Ukrainian food and insisted on learning Ukrainian folk dancing. During the opening ceremonies, the students welcomed the guests with a traditional "pryvit," greeting them with bread and salt and delighted the audience by performing a fast-paced finale of Ukrainian dancing that we all love and appreciate.

In the competitive portion of Olympic Day the crowds cheered as Ukraine won gold medals in relay and tug-of-war, as well as silver and bronze medals in other events.

To most of us the sight of the Ukrainian flag representing independent Ukraine is still a thrill and a "miracle," but to these third graders born after Ukraine gained its independence, it is taken for granted.

Thanks to the efforts of Ms. Zacharczuk, the students, teachers and parents at this Los Angeles area school have learned more about Ukraine and its importance among the nations of the world.

And, they will be looking for Ukraine's athletes in Sydney, Australia, in September 2000.

Three young ambassadors from Ukraine are recognized at Disney World

ORLANDO, Florida - McDonald's and Disney named 2,000 young people from around the world as "Millennium Dreamers Ambassadors" for outstanding contributions to their communities at a May 10 ceremony at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. Three "ambassadors" traveled from Ukraine to participate in the ceremony, which featured actor and activist Christopher Reeve, as well as tours of the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and the Animal Kingdom. Ukraine's ambassadors were (from left): Marianna Nemchenko, 14, who publishes her own newspaper in Cherkasy; Serhii Doroshenko, 12, of Sumy, who wants to help his fellow Ukrainians by becoming a computer programmer; and Victoria Yusupov, 14, a painter from Lviv who donated the proceeds of her artwork to a hospital for sick children.

Parma teen is budding film-maker

PARMA, Ohio - In the spring of 2000, Vsevolod Horodyskyj, 16, now a senior at Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, took part in the Drexel University Ten Page High School Screenplay Contest. His script, "Lincoln's Day Out," won third place, and Vsevolod was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Drexel.

According to Ian Abrams, Drexel University's dramatic writing program director, "We were surprised and delighted by the quality (and quantity!) of the entries we received ... Everyone who read [Vsevolod's] script was unanimous in pronouncing it an outstanding piece of work by a student writer." His script has been posted on Drexel's website at http://www.pages.drexel.edul/ina22/.

Vsevolod attributes part of his success to the many experiences he has had away from home. He has traveled with the People-to-People Student Ambassador program to Hawaii, South Africa and China. On his last trip he took along a video camera to document his adventures. His video, titled "China: A Photo-Montage," received a gold award in the 1999-2000 All American Academic Media Awards Competition.

While growing up in Rochester, N.Y., Vsevolod began taking art classes at the age of 4. After moving with his family to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he continued his education at a fine arts magnet school. There he blossomed, winning many awards for his creations, including a first place at the Broward County Fair, and one of his works was selected for the Alamo Exhibition at the Fort Lauder-dale/Hollywood International Airport. At age 10, Vsevolod collaborated with his 12-year-old brother, Lev, on a children's book, "The Adventures of Little Penguin, Little Bear and Little Flamingo." Lev wrote the stories, and Vsevolod illustrated them.

After the family moved to the Cleveland area, Vsevolod pursued his art interests at the Parma Fine Arts Council, winning various awards, including first place in the State of Ohio for his water conservation poster. Vsevolod's interests also broadened. In his sophomore year in high school he got involved with the school's theater group, became interested in cinema, and worked on his writing.

Last summer Vsevolod attended Wright State University's Television Institute in Dayton, Ohio. There he discovered his direction in life. He knew that the field of media arts was for him. That fall he got an internship at Cox Communications, a cable TV provider, where he not only works in studio productions editing video, but has assisted during numerous on-location shoots, doing everything from camera work to voice-overs.

This summer, Vsevolod is studying media arts at Northwestern University's National High School Institute, north of Chicago. Only 60 students are accepted into this prestigious program out of hundreds of applicants from all over the world. During this intense five-week course, students work with award-winning educators, professionals, graduate students and independent filmmakers from across the country to develop a portfolio of media work. The final project is a short film, for which the students write the screenplay, build the sets, then produce it, edit it and screen it in front of an audience.

Vsevolod realized at an early age that, no matter how good you may be at something, no matter how great a product you may create, unless you can market it, it is virtually useless. Therefore, besides pursuing a degree in the media arts, he will work toward a business degree. He has spent a lot of time researching various film schools on the East Coast, where he will continue his studies. His career goal is to work in the film industry and become a director/producer.

Vsevolod is the son of Ivan and Luba Horodyskyj of North Royalton, Ohio, and the grandson of Wasyl and Olha Ilczyszyn of Parma, Ohio, and Iwanna Horodyskyj of Chicago.

Mishanyna

To solve this month's Mishanyna, find the words capitalized in the following text, as well as the words on the list below.

Did you ever wonder where in the WORLD you could find Ukrainians? (Besides Ukraine, of course!) Well, many of us ended up here because our relatives EMIGRATED to countries outside of UKRAINE.

Find some of the countries below in the Mishanyna, and then sit down with an ATLAS and find them there! (Note: Czecho-Slovakia is now two separate countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia, so look for these two countries on the map of Europe.)

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czecho-Slovakia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, UK (United Kingdom), U.S.A., Venezuela, Yugoslavia

Challenge: Do you know the difference between "emigrate" and "immigrate"?

Mykola Myshka's vacation

Even though I am on vacation near the seashore in August, I take time out to wave my Ukrainian flag. Do you know why? Do you know on which day I do this?

Letter to Mykola Myshka

Mykola Myshka received the following winning response to the question he posed in the July issue of UKELODEON. Daria, who sent in the first correct answer, will receive a philatelic prize for her answer.

Dear Mykola:

The name of the flower that the father sang to his children about in the movie "The Sound of Music" is edelweiss.

Daria Lotocky, age 7, Cooper City, Fla.

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Send in your articles, letters, photos, etc. to: The Ukrainian Weekly, UKELODEON, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, N.J., 07054; telephone, (973) 292-9800; fax, (973) 644-9510; e-mail, staff@ukrweekly.com.

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