Four kids wave Ukrainian flags

Alisa Yeremenko, Annika Kyyashko, Daniela Tyrpak, and Walter Killey (left to right) at their school fund-raiser in March

Courtesy of Ryan Gloyer Middle School

We Stand With Ukraine

With their relatives living in a war zone, these students have found a way to help.

As You Read, Think About: How is a school in Pennsylvania helping to support kids in Ukraine?

Alisa Yeremenko looked up. In front of her, a long line of her classmates waited to buy yellow-and-blue bracelets, sunflower pins, and magnets. It was all part of a fund-raiser at Ryan Gloyer Middle School in Harmony, Pennsylvania. The goal was to raise money for the people of Ukraine. 

On February 24, Russia invaded the country in Eastern Europe. In the next month, thousands of civilians and soldiers were killed. As Scholastic News went to press, as many as 10 million people had been forced to leave their homes.

“It’s just crazy there,” Alisa says. “Everything is bombed.”

To Alisa, Ukraine isn’t just a country in the news—it’s her homeland. The seventh-grader was born there and moved to the U.S. in 2020. Many of her friends and family are still in Ukraine, living in danger. 

Alisa Yeremenko looked up. In front of her, her classmates waited in a long line. They wanted to buy yellow-and-blue bracelets, sunflower pins, and magnets. It was all part of a fund-raiser at Ryan Gloyer Middle School. It’s her school in Harmony, Pennsylvania. The goal was to raise money for the people of Ukraine. 

On February 24, Russia invaded the country in Eastern Europe. In the next month, thousands of civilians and soldiers were killed. As Scholastic News went to press, as many as 10 million people had been forced to leave their homes.

“It’s just crazy there,” Alisa says. “Everything is bombed.”

To Alisa, Ukraine isn’t just a country in the news. It’s her homeland. The seventh-grader was born there. She moved to the U.S. in 2020. Many of her friends and family are still in Ukraine. They’re living in danger. 

Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Images 

A car burns near a hospital destroyed by Russian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine.

A Different World

In December, Alisa and her mother visited Ukraine. Alisa stayed with her grandparents in Mariupol, the port city where she grew up. She ate at her favorite restaurants and hung out with friends she missed. It was just like Alisa remembered. 

Today, Mariupol is very different. It has been one of the hardest-hit cities. After weeks of bombing, apartment buildings like the one where Alisa lived are piles of rubble. The city has been without food, water, or electricity for weeks.

“I didn’t know it was going to turn into a different world,” Alisa says.

More than 100,000 people are trapped in the war-torn city. Alisa hasn’t heard from her grandparents since March 1. Almost all communication to Mariupol is cut off, so there is no way to know if they are safe. But Alisa knows what she’ll say when she talks to them again.

“I love you and can’t wait until I can hug you,” she says.

In December, Alisa and her mother visited Ukraine. Alisa stayed with her grandparents in Mariupol. That’s the port city where she grew up. She ate at her favorite restaurants and hung out with friends she missed. It was just like Alisa remembered. 

Today, Mariupol is very different. It has been one of the hardest-hit cities. After weeks of bombing, apartment buildings like the one where Alisa lived are piles of rubble. The city has been without food, water, or electricity for weeks.

“I didn’t know it was going to turn into a different world,” Alisa says.

More than 100,000 people are trapped in the war-torn city. Alisa hasn’t heard from her grandparents since March 1. Almost all communication to Mariupol is cut off. There is no way to know if they are safe. But Alisa knows what she’ll say when she talks to them again.

“I love you and can’t wait until I can hug you,” she says.

Holding Out Hope

Alisa’s classmates Annika Kyyashko, Walter Killey, and Daniela Tyrpak know how she feels. Each has at least one parent who was born in Ukraine. And they all have family and friends there. The four students wanted to help. But what could they do from thousands of miles away? 

Last month, their principal, Anthony Babusci, came up with the idea for the fund-raiser. The students hoped to raise a few hundred dollars, but they pulled in more than $5,000. 

“It went beyond our expectations,” says Annika. “It was really nice to see that.”

The money will go to UNICEF, a group sending food, medicine, and supplies to kids in Ukraine. While they are happy to help, Alisa and her classmates just want the war to end. 

“My greatest hope is that the country will be restored,” Alisa says. “And that people can go back to their normal lives, with no more war.”

Alisa’s classmates Annika Kyyashko, Walter Killey, and Daniela Tyrpak know how she feels. Each has at least one parent who was born in Ukraine. And they all have family and friends there. The four students wanted to help. But what could they do from thousands of miles away?

Last month, their principal, Anthony Babusci, came up with the idea for the fund-raiser. The students hoped to raise a few hundred dollars. But they pulled in more than $5,000.

“It went beyond our expectations,” says Annika. “It was really nice to see that.”

The money will go to UNICEF. It’s a group sending food, medicine, and supplies to kids in Ukraine. While they are happy to help, Alisa and her classmates just want the war to end. 

“My greatest hope is that the country will be restored,” Alisa says. “And that people can go back to their normal lives, with no more war.”

  1. The article says that “to Alisa, Ukraine isn’t just a country in the news.” What does this mean?
  2. How does the author support the idea that Mariupol is a city hit hard by the war?
  3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “The War in Ukraine”?
  1. The article says that “to Alisa, Ukraine isn’t just a country in the news.” What does this mean?
  2. How does the author support the idea that Mariupol is a city hit hard by the war?
  3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “The War in Ukraine”?
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