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Welcome back to Ukrainian School in New York City

Welcome back to Ukrainian School in New York City

This past Saturday, September 19, the Self-Reliance Saturday School of Ukrainian Studies in New York City opened its’ door to a new 2015/2016 school year! 

Nearly 200 students returned to their desks. The school attracts families from NY, NJ and CT. It was a pleasure to see familiar faces, and even more pleasurable to welcome new students and families who joined the school for the first time. Children and their parents come to Ukrainian school because they want to be part of the Ukrainian community, speak the Ukrainian language, learn about its’ history, culture and literature and celebrate Ukrainian holidays.

If you happened to be in the Ukrainian village in Manhattan that day, you could not miss the school because it had big blue and yellow balloons decorating its’ entrance. Everyone was dressed in traditional embroidered shirts and blouses. The spirit around was festive. The students were happy to return to school and meet their friends after the summer break. 

It has become our custom to start the school year with Liturgy and a blessing at Saint George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. Ivan Makar, the principal of the school, welcomed everyone and officially opened the first day of school with a celebratory speech. He emphasized that Ukrainian school plays an even more important role now than ever. “We can not help build a better future for Ukraine without knowing and respecting its history, culture and traditions. We need to learn about our past in order to be able to help build our future. We are Ukraine here in New York City”, said the principal. Mrs. Natalia Duma, the president of the New York Branch of the Self-Reliance Organization, who are the sponsors of our school, expressed her admiration of the younger generation that continues to cherish and promote Ukrainian traditions here in the United States. After the official ringing of the first bell, everyone passionately sang the Ukrainian National Anthem.

It has been over 65 years since the Self-Reliance Saturday School of Ukrainian Studies was founded in New York City. It is an integral part of the Ukrainian diaspora in the USA. The school plays an invaluable role in the lives Ukrainian Americans who live so far from their native land. It educates our youth in the spirit of Christianity and patriotism, instills love to the Ukrainian language, history and culture, and teaches our children to respect one another, to be generous and caring and become model citizens of the United States.

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Classes are held: Saturdays, from 9 AM to 1 PM. At St. George Academy located at 215 E. 6th Street, New York, NY 10003

To learn more about the Self-Reliance Saturday School of Ukrainian Studies in New York City, please visit school website at www.ukrainianschoolnyc.org