As Russian troops continued to invade their country, 18 high-school age students from Ukraine arrived in the Twin Cities this week to start a five-week leadership development program that someday may help them rebuild their war-torn nation.
At a Roseville Area Optimists Club lunch on Friday, where the group made their first public appearance in Minnesota, Oleksandra “Sasha” Masokha, 16, of Boryspil said she hopes the trip, sponsored by the St. Louis Park-based Global Synergy Group, will “advance myself in the direction of organizational skills, improve the level of my English and get many pleasant experiences.”
For Oksana “Ksyusha” Lohvineko, 16, of Kharkiv the program is a chance to get away from the constant threats to the life and safety of her family and friends.
“The war was right there,” she said of her hometown. “It affected my family a lot.”
She now lives with a brother in Lviv while her mother and father remain in Kharkiv. Some residents of that city have been killed, she said, while others have lost homes and moved to other cities and countries.
“That’s why we appreciate any help; we are so grateful for that,” Lohvineko said.
But she’s eager to learn about American government, education, organizations and businesses “so I can start new projects and share experiences with school classmates and friends. It’s going to be fun.”
Founded in 2012, the Global Synergy Group is a nonprofit organization that promotes civic and cultural exchanges between U.S. organizations and other nations. It has sponsored five exchanges for young people and adults. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, it has shifted its focus to providing humanitarian aid to that country.
The purpose of the current youth program is to train leaders who “can take Ukraine to the next level,” program co-founder Irina Fursman said at the luncheon. She hopes the students will help shape “what a new democracy will look like.”
Denys Lakyziuk, 16, of Boryspil already is a leader back home, where he’s the vice president of a student group. But he wants to develop new skills and programs “with the help of the acquired experience and knowledge” from the trip.
That’s a big change from his experience early in the war, he said, when “I helped digging trenches and building dugouts and shelters” for Ukrainian soldiers.
During their first week in Minnesota, Fursman said, the students, ages 13 to 18, will be introduced to the state’s education systems. The second week will focus on how local governments work with help from officials in Hopkins, Bloomington and Minneapolis.
Next they will study cultural institutions, including Native American history and immigrants’ experiences in the state. Then they’ll explore the state’s volunteer services. And finally they will learn about business and entrepreneurship with leaders from some of the state’s largest corporations.
In addition, the group will get a taste of Minnesota culture by attending the State Fair and Vikings and Twins games. The students stay with host families during their visit to Minnesota.
Bill Salisbury is a member of the Roseville Area Optimists Club and received an editor’s clearance to report on the Ukrainian student visit.