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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((TITLE: TV UKRAINE DENVER REFUGEES – Prystynska
HEAD: Ukrainian Children, Parents Get Help Navigating US School System
TEASER:
PUBLISHED:12/11/2023, 9:33A
BYLINE: Svitlana Prystynska
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Denver, Colorado
VIDEOGRAPHER: Volodymur Petruniv
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, Agency footage TBD
PLATFORMS: TV only
COPY EDITOR: KEnochs; Reifenrath
TRT: 3:07
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR’S NOTE:
UPDATE:
PLEASE RETURN TO ANNA RICE AND COPY TO HFR WHEN DONE))
((INTRO))
[[After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many Ukrainian refugees found themselves in the American state of Colorado, thanks to the Uniting for Ukraine government program. For some families, educating their children in the U.S. proved to be a challenge, but they’re getting some extra help from a local nonprofit. Svitlana Prystynska has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.]]
((NARRATION))
Zoryana Herman and her 12-year-old daughter, Evelina, came to Denver, Colorado, from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, in late 2022. Herman had friends here — in fact, about 15-thousand people of Ukrainian descent live in Colorado.
((Zoryana Herman, Ukrainian Refugee (female, UKR)))
“The first challenge we faced was the language barrier. When we came here, I couldn’t understand half of what people were saying. I thought I knew English, but it turned out I didn’t know it at all!”
((NARRATION))
Registering Evelina at a local school was a challenge as well.
((Zoryana Herman, Ukrainian Refugee (female, UKR)))
“How to register a kid at school, how to get started, how will my kid learn and socialize if she can’t speak English at all? On top of that, we didn’t understand how they fed kids at U.S. schools – things are different here than in Ukraine!”
((NARRATION))
But when Evelina finally started 6th grade, her teachers and the school's staff helped her adapt fast.
((Evelina Herman, Ukrainian Refugee (UKR, female)))
“One of the teachers gave me English lessons every day so I could get better. The school is so big, and at first, I didn’t have friends, but that changed with time.”
((NARRATION))
An event called ‘Welcome to the American School’ has helped kids like Evelina and their families. It is organized by the nonprofit Ukrainians of Colorado, together with Littleton Public Schools staff and the Colorado Department of Education.
((Ryan Olson, Littleton Public Schools)) ((ENG))
“We talked about different types of schools in the United States – public, charter, private. Basic services that public schools can provide – buses, lunch, sports and activities; English language development. Also, about how to apply for college and how to get into college, how it works, especially when you are coming from another country.”
((NARRATION))
There was a lot that Zoryana and Evelina Herman needed to figure out.
((Natalia Miller-Forrest, Heritage Heights Academy Principal)) ((ENG))
“What does it mean if your teacher emails you? What does it mean for a parent-teacher conference? They are very different. And so, when we were talking, we wanted to have a place for Ukrainian families to come and ask questions!”
((Zoryana Herman, Russian Refugee)) ((UKR))
“It was extremely helpful, and the event was in Ukrainian, so it was easier to figure out.
what a child can do in elementary, middle and high school, how they can apply and get into college here… The whole credits system is very new to us, very unfamiliar. But most importantly, these introductory events are free – you just need to come!”
((Evelina Herman, Russian Refugee)) ((UKR))
“I want to tell all the Ukrainian kids who are coming here from Ukraine – don’t be afraid to speak English! You’ll learn it, you’ll do great.”
((NARRATION))
Volunteers from Ukrainians of Colorado hope to continue organizing events, like this one, that can help refugees acclimate a little faster and feel at home.
((For Svitlana Prystynska in Denver, Colorado, Anna Rice, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateDecember 11, 2023 10:37 EST
BylineSvitlana Prystynska
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English, US Agency for Global Media
