This summer, 86 Ukrainian refugee children and children who arrived in the United States over the past three years under the Humanitarian Password Program participated in a unique cultural exchange camp in Cleveland, Ohio. The project was implemented by USCRI Cleveland in partnership with the Ukrainian-American Educational and Cultural League.
Over the course of four weeks, the children were not only provided with meaningful leisure activities, but also created a favorable environment for learning about American culture while preserving their Ukrainian identity.
The camp team was joined by 10 professional educators, 12 volunteers, and a group of Ukrainian artists. Among the organizers and teachers were both Ukrainians and Americans, which ensured a true intercultural exchange.
The program was funded by a federal Refugee School Impact grant with the support of the Northeast Ohio Educational Center. The main goal is to support children, their families, and teachers in integrating into the American educational system.
“The summer camp participants did not just relax, they explored, discovered new places, learned fascinating facts about Cleveland and Ohio, and participated in practical activities that combined Ukrainian and American cultures. Each day was dedicated to a specific topic: sports, music, and Ukrainian crafts,” said camp organizer Anna Messerly.
The children took field trips to the Cleveland Public Theater and the Cleveland Museum of Art, played soccer, baseball, and cornhole, and participated in athletic competitions. They planted flowers, made dumplings, baked fruit pies, created Andy Warhol-style pop art, and explored nature during an Eco Explorers Mobile Outreach visit.
Particularly popular were book readings with volunteer Vira Bey and music and Ukrainian folklore classes with Lesya Shuflyada, a teacher at the T. Shevchenko Ukrainian Studies School in Parma. Vesnyanka and gaivka rang out loudly and sincerely.
Together with Ulyana Voznyak, the head of the “Honcharyk” group, which operates at the Volodymyr Cathedral in Parma, the children immersed themselves in the unique world of pottery and sculpted original products with their own hands. And florist Olga Kulbanska taught the girls how to weave wreaths and create flower arrangements.
A bright event was the master classes from the musicians of the “U4Uband” group: pianist Olena Alekseeva from Mariupol and violinist Yaryna Tsarynska from Lviv.
“Every time I saw the children rejoice in a new day, join in with enthusiasm, I understood that this camp became more than just a summer pastime. It turned into a space of hope, support, joy and growth. The true value of this camp cannot be measured in hours of classes or the number of activities. It is in the shining eyes of a child who tried himself on stage for the first time. In the laughter while making pies with cherries and peaches. In the touching gratitude of parents. In the friendship that began with a game of football and will last, perhaps, a lifetime,” says Anna Messerli.
The organizers expressed the hope that the camp will become an annual tradition – not only for Ukrainian children, but also for all refugee children. After all, only through mutual knowledge and respect for cultural diversity can a harmonious society be built.
Author: Maria Ilyk-Bezkorovaina