English 
Українська 
The Initial Spark: Starting Point of the School
As with all great things, Tidewater Ukrainian School (TUS) started with an idea.
The idea was brought to Hampton Roads and introduced to the Ukrainian community at the annual Christmas gathering of TUCA (Tidewater Ukrainian Cultural Association). It was December 2017 when Svitlana Ivasyuk brought and shared her idea, vision, and passion about having a Ukrainian School established in the Hampton Roads area. It was warmly received by the community, and support was found from TUCA as well. So happened that there were a few people at the gathering who felt deeply for it, whose hearts were touched, and who felt committed to bringing it all to life.
After the initial warm reception, it was settled to hold the first meeting of all interested in founding a Ukrainian school. The day of February 25, 2018, was the day when a lot of Ukrainians gathered together to hear about the school, to share their hopes, and to offer their support. This date was the day of the official “birthday” of Tidewater Ukrainian School.
This was the day when Svitlana Ivasyuk was elected the first director of Tidewater Ukrainian School. Olga Kramarenko and Galyna Mazur offered to teach the Ukrainian language to students, and Ihor Sytnik stepped up as a history teacher. They were the core of the future school. However, without the wholehearted support of Anna Makhorkina, Volodymyr Melnychuk, Iryna Shkremetko, and all the other parents who brought their kids to school, this idea would not have come to life.
Community at Heart
Early Days and Foundations
The vision of the school was not limited to having kids learn Ukrainian language only. It was a vital combination of language, history, culture, and traditions that would be taught in school. The school was to become a place where adults, together with kids, would form a supportive community united by the Ukrainian spirit.
There was a lot of work lying ahead, but what can stop people who are driven by passion?
Evolving with Time: Curriculum and Community Activities
The first day of classes was held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Ukrainian Church. As much as we would love to continue with the Ukrainian church, the body of students required a larger building with multiple small rooms available. The church that kindly and generously welcomed Tidewater Ukrainian School under its wing was Our Savior Lutheran Church, Virginia Beach. We cannot express our gratitude enough to the Rev. Harry Griffith and David Reese for their trust, continuous support, and generosity.
The first few months of teaching in school were challenging. Lessons had to be adjusted to different levels of proficiency for students of different ages, and a lot of work on creating different curriculums had to be completed simultaneously. However, they were filled with so much enthusiasm, so much drive, and so much love, that there were no doubts left that Tidewater Ukrainian School would grow.
The second school year brought new teachers Valentyna Sonmezler, Tetiana Panko, and Iryna Kutsevol-Conwell to Tidewater Ukrainian School. Thanks to them, Ukrainian language classes for adults, music, and dance classes were added to the curriculum. Their talents brought a few plays to life, enabling students, their parents, and guests to have a few holiday celebrations, and an enormous amount of fun during the school year.
TUS had a few workshops throughout the first year. The class of making varenyky (Ukrainian dumplings), traditional Ukrainian beadwork weaving, and creating angels, to name a few. All of them added new strings to the canvas of uniting the community and welcoming everyone interested in connecting with Ukrainian traditions.
Supporting Roles: Contributors Behind the Scenes
Last but not least, there were a few people behind the scenes, without whom developing TUS would be burdensome. Special gratitude goes to Bohdan Smaha, who created the school’s website, and Vlad Chernov, whose help with printing educational materials was invaluable.
TUS’s mission is not limited to educating kids and adults in language arts, history, and culture, it is to bring a sense of community and introduce them to the traditions, cuisine, and folklore, it is to enrich the knowledge and understanding of Ukraine.
