Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Ukrainian School of Austin provides a variety of programming to help children maintain their Ukrainian language and culture.
PHOTOS COURTESY UKRAINIAN SCHOOL OF AUSTIN
Ukrainian School of Austin serves refugee community area saw an in ux of Ukrainian families following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Gavryshko said. A majority of the families served by the school reside in the Leander and Cedar Park area, she said.
The school serves students as young as two years old with art, singing and theater classes.
Most Sundays, around 100 children gather in Westlake to attend the Ukrainian School of Aus- tin—a free program dedicated to helping Ukrainian children preserve their language and culture. Ukrainian School of Austin has served as a safe haven for many children to celebrate their heritage as more families ee Ukraine amidst an ongoing war with Russia, said Natalya Gavryshko, the school’s co-founder and director. The overview Ukrainian School of Austin provides classes and programming for children and teenagers at the Trinity Episcopal School of Austin on three Sundays each month. Students ages 2-16 rotate between classes on Ukrainian language, history, art, singing and theater, while older students attend computer programming classes and will begin learning about robotics this summer, Gavryshko said. The school holds tradi- tional holiday celebrations and provides students with a library of Ukrainian books. All classes are taught in the Ukrainian language by a handful of local volunteers who share their skill sets or professions, she said. The backstory Gavryshko began teaching the Ukrainian language to children at the Cedar Park Library after moving to the area in 2018. Unlike her experience in New York, Gavryshko said she could not nd any Ukrainian schools for her children in Austin. In 2022, Gavryshko and co-founder Kate Voinova opened Ukrainian School of Austin in its current location to serve more refugee children. The Austin
“I always felt that it’s a safe place for kids where they can feel at home,” Gavryshko said. “Right now, this is the only school that exists for Ukrainian kids
in Austin.” The impact
Ukrainian School of Austin serves as an important space for children who may struggle to adjust to life in a new country without friends or understanding of the English language, Gavryshko said. The classes allow children to communicate with their families and connect with their heritage, and provide a level of support that is often not available through local school districts, she said. Despite being occupied by foreign forces, Ukraine is carried on through its culture and language, making it crucial for Ukrainian children to continue their language and learning, Gavryshko said. “Ukrainian language and culture—the Soviet Union was trying to erase it for decades, and if there is no culture and there is no language, I think that [the] country will not exist,” she said. Get involved Ukrainian School of Austin accepts donations, including school supplies and monetary contribu- tions. The school also accepts volunteers who can speak the Ukrainian language to teach classes. ATX Ukrainians, Gavryshko’s nonpro t over- seeing the school, connects Ukrainian families to resources through the Assistance League of Austin.
Classes are taught in the Ukrainian language by a handful of local volunteers.
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3901 Bee Caves Road, Austin www.atxukrainians.com
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