During the last week of March, students and staff of IHMS celebrated their unique Ukrainian culture and heritage with Ukrainian Week. This year’s theme focused on “The Family, The Home, The Homeland”.
| Monday, March 22nd was a N.U.T. Day - “No Uniform Today”. Students and staff wore blue and yellow clothing symbolizing the colours of the Ukrainian flag - a blue sky above a brilliant yellow field of wheat. |
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Grade 4 and 7 students dressed appropriately for NUT day on Monday |
In addition, students began their cultural craft activity on Monday by working on Ukrainian embroidery. Students continued to work on this craft throughout the week.
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Grade 4 girls working on their Ukrainian embroidery |
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Also on Monday, and for every day throughout the week, the students were able to participate in a daily trivia contest that helped them to learn more about “The Family, The Home, The Homeland”. The trivia questions (and answers) were in an information sheet sent home with the students. Students entered their answers for the chance to win a daily prize. |
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A student entering the trivia contest |
Monday: What is the Ukrainian word for high bush cranberry? Answer: Kalyna. |
Tuesday: What was believed to protect from illness and danger? Answer: Embroidery. |
| Wednesday: Ukrainians understand “mother” in 3 different ways: 1) Our own mother . . . Answer: 2) Mary, the mother of Jesus, and 3) Ukraine, the “Motherland”. |
| Thursday: Who were the famous defenders of the homeland . . . Ukraine? Answer: Kozaky |
| Friday: What is the Ukrainian word for “family”? Answer: Rodyna. |
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On Tuesday and Wednesday, students continued with their Ukrainian embroidery. They also spent time rehearsing for the Ukrainian concert.
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Mrs. Stanowych rehearsing for the Ukrainian concert with the grade 7 class |
Thursday was another N.U.T. day, in this case, Ukrainian Wear Day. Students were encouraged to wear articles of clothing that have a Ukrainian slogan or saying. They were not encouraged to wear their Ukrainian concert outfit until just before the dress rehearsal at 1:30 p.m. in the school gym.
The concert, entitled “The Family, The Home, The Homeland” was also performed that evening at 7:00 p.m. Like the Christmas concerts, it was performed twice that day in order to accommodate the work schedules of parents who were unable to make it to the 7:00 p.m. performance.
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Grade 5 girls performing during the Ukrainian concert |
Friday, March 26th was the last day for the trivia contest, and the last day before the beginning of the Spring break. Thanks to perogy donations from various Ukrainian Catholic parishes, students enjoyed a delicious perogy lunch served by the IHMS Parents Guild.
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Junior high students eating a perogy lunch on Friday |
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At 1:00 p.m., students attended Divine Liturgy at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral before being dismissed for their spring break.
Ukrainian Week was another great success this year. Thank you to Mrs. Wdowiak and Mrs. Stanowych (the school's Ukrainian teachers), and to Mr. Picklyk for planning the activities. Their dedication and hard work made Ukrainian Week 2010 the success that it was. |
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Sr. Georgia's painting, used during the Ukrainian concert |
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