NOTES ON PEOPLE (09/22/02)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Stellar academic record for 14-year-old student

LEESBURG, Va. - The graduation exercises of Loudoun Country Day School in Leesburg, Va., were the culmination of the exciting and successful elementary school career of Katya Chopivsky, 14-year-old daughter of Dr. Peter and Ann Chopivsky.

Katya attended Loudoun Country Day School (LCDS) for her entire nine-year grade school career. In a curriculum rich in basic courses (English, mathematics, history, science), as well as specialty courses (Latin, French, art, computers, music), Katya was named to the high honor roll each semester she was eligible for it.

At the end of the academic year she was named a Presidential Scholar, a nationwide program sponsored by the president of the United States that recognizes those elementary students who maintain at least a 3.75 out of 4.0 grade average.

While at LCDS, Katya was awarded the blue ribbon first prize in a community-wide art competition involving 87 entries from school children for her oil-pastel painting "Leopard." Katya was the first student ever to play three years on the varsity basketball team, a team which during her tenure amassed a phenomenal record of 36 wins and only four losses. She was named "most valuable" player of the annual basket tournament in February.

She gained similar success, both team and individual, on her field hockey, lacrosse and long-distance running teams. She was an accomplished participant during all nine years on the school's swim team, where in her final year she was thought of so highly that she was named assistant coach. She has also won many first-and second-place medals in the past two years at the annual swim meet held at Soyuzivka, the resort of the Ukrainian National Association.

A highlight of Katya's scholastic career thus far was her participation in the annual nationwide History Day competition, when students present to a panel of judges and to the public their months-long research about a particular topic in world history. Each year the competition has a theme to which the students must adhere. The theme this year was "Revolution, Reaction, Reform." Katya chose to research the topic "The Ukrainian Revolution: Independence Delayed."

Her effort in this competition was recognized by the jury, naming hers one of three best projects. Katya was invited to present this research project to her faculty and school mates at the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian School in Washington, where Katya has been a student for the past eight years.

Perhaps the crowning glory of this Ukrainian American girl's scholastic career thus far was the naming of Katya as this years winner of the Dupont Prize, awarded to the eighth-grader who in the judgment of the faculty best exemplifes the characteristics of citizenship, compassion and concern for others and for her community. Katya's involvement in her community has been manifested time and again in her role as community activities chairman in her school; she arranged various student volunteer projects in retirement homes, nursing homes, women's and children's shelters, civic clean-up and nature conservancy programs.

Katya's community involvement extends to her Ukrainian community also. For many years now she has served during liturgy every Sunday at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Washington. She has also been an active participant for six years now in Plast, both locally during the academic year program and summers at the Novyi Sokil camp near Buffalo, N.Y.

Katya will continue her education at the Foxcroft School, a private girls school in Middleburg, Va.

The Chopivskys are members of the UNA.

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