CLEVELAND — Northeast Ohio is filled with people from all over the world, including many from Ukraine moving here because of the war. A local non-profit worked on Friday afternoon to create a better connection and understanding between newcomer students and educators. 

What You Need To Know

  • The nonprofit Immigrant Connections helped educators from across northeast Ohio learn about Ukrainian newcomers to help them fit in to their school systems

  • Ivan Prodanyk is a volunteer with Immigrant Connections and was one of the tour guides

  • Teachers spoke about wanting more events like this to better connect with newcomer students

It was an experience aimed at enhancing the understanding and appreciation of the Ukrainian community.

The nonprofit Immigrant Connections brought together about 75 teachers and educators from across northeast Ohio to help Ukrainian newcomers fit in to their school systems.

Ivan Prodanyk is a volunteer with immigrant connections and is one of the tour guides taking teachers to Ukrainian sites around the city, like the Lviv International Food Store. The goal was to help them understand the needs of newcomer Ukrainian children who want a better education in America.

"For me, it’s very important if I can help with that, when the teachers, maybe after this event, will feel more comfortable with some cultural gaps," he said.

Prodanyk is from Ukraine and moved to Cleveland about two years ago to join his family in search for safer conditions and an opportunity to live the American dream. He wants the same for young Ukrainian children, so he helped teachers like Vikki Gemelas develop a better understanding of what newcomers to Cleveland need.

"And just hearing their various stories and the ideas and culture and the different, like they have Saturday school, they do dance, they do classes," she said.

Gemelas comes from an immigrant background herself and said this event is making a difference already, but there is a long way to go.

"One event I don’t think is going to bridge the gap," she said. "Teachers and educators need to continue going to events, continue hearing out the students, hearing out other people that have come from Ukraine from other war-torn countries."

Prodanyk, while teaching, is enjoying learning about his new home.

"The American teachers, they are very open for Ukrainian children, and I know about that because I’m a father of two daughters," he said.

But ultimately, he said he hopes to one day go back home to a safer Ukraine, free from war.