In Novokyivka, a remote and impoverished village in Ukraine, a group of high school students turned their experiences under Russian occupation into a powerful reminder of lives lost during their country’s fight for freedom. The students created a memorial in the town center honoring local soldiers who died defending Ukraine. They also renovated a school museum to preserve both historical and recent wartime memories.

The students worked to translate documents from Russian to Ukrainian, collect military artifacts and insignia, and publish a memory book with first-hand accounts from the local community. A student-filmed documentary captured the emotional journey from invasion to liberation, deeply moving the community during its screening.

The memorial’s grand opening was attended by regional government officials, media, family members of the fallen soldiers, and dozens of residents who took turns sharing memories of the deceased and laying flowers at the memorials.

(Left) Community members attending the UActive project unveiling. (Right) Spirit of America’s Grant Peehler laying flowers at Memorial Alley following the unveiling.

UActive students giving a tour of the memorial space extension.

Students also organized sports events to raise funds which they donated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the day’s ceremony, demonstrating strong civic responsibility and a deep appreciation for the freedom they had taken from them.

The students’ efforts were part of the UActive program, developed and funded by Spirit of America in partnership with the Ukrainian nonprofit savED, to address the devastating impact of Russia’s war on Ukrainian students, their schools, and their communities. Over 7 million children in Ukraine are affected by Russia’s war – experiencing violence, loss of family members, displacement, and a disrupted education. One in seven schools in Ukraine is damaged or destroyed by Russia.

UActive students at the Memorial Alley unveiling event.

UActive empowers Ukrainian high schoolers to turn loss into leadership in hard-hit towns and villages behind the front lines. At the end of an eight-week instruction and planning period, teams pitch their project ideas and are awarded micro-grants to fund the projects they come up with. As a result, integral community spaces such as youth hubs, theaters, sports fields, and cultural venues are being restored.

The students in Novokyivka stand as a leading example of the UActive program’s civics focused curriculum and how youth can drive remembrance, resilience, and community action to benefit their communities and their country.

Students unveil new UActive projects in Ukraine

Last month, UActive students across Ukraine unveiled grand openings for their winning projects in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Mykolaiv oblasts. Spirit of America’s Europe Team was on the ground to attend these events and meet the young Ukrainians who are rebuilding their war-torn communities.

Other winning projects from the most recent cohort of UActive students included:

Kyiv and Chernihiv Oblasts

In Kalynyvka: The school’s inner courtyard was equipped to become an open space for active leisure with an outdoor swing set, benches, and table tennis, impacting 300 students.

In Ivankovychi: An educational space in the cultural center of Ivankovychi village that will represent the interests of teenagers and communicate with community leadership. The space will host interactive courses allowing participants to explore various fields.

In Zahaltsi: A community space for all residents in the village center based in the local park, featuring zones for sports and recreation.

In Shpyt’ky: To help the environment, a 3D printing club was established to raise awareness of how to properly sort waste. The recycled plastic will be used to create trash bins for their village.

In Stolne: A local park was enhanced to expand opportunities to spend time outdoors. This contributes to the well–being of residents, fostering socialization, and strengthening community cohesion.

Mykolaiv Oblast

In Antonivka: A space for students and village residents to engage in physical activities, rehabilitation, leisure, and extracurricular events. Currently, there is no alternative in the community.

In Lotskine: A school cinema – a center for cultural life of the school and community – and a new “Film Art” club for students to learn basic screenwriting, directing, acting, cinematography, editing, etc. The grand opening included a  . This village was previously occupied for nearly two weeks. During the occupation, the Russians had tortured a teacher from the school.

In Peresadivka: A space for physical development where youth, parents, and children can engage in sports and adopt a more active lifestyle. This will help address stress-related issues and strengthen the community.

In Chervona Dolyna: This village was on the front line for eight months and suffered numerous Russian strikes. Their UActive project was to create an informal dining space, styled after Harry Potter. The dining space is more than just somewhere to grab a bite — it’s a place for new ideas and projects to be born.

The growing UActive alumni community

As the UActive program has grown, so has its robust alumni community. This network of students who previously participated in the program engages alumni in activities such as educational lectures, additional opportunities to finance projects, trips to other cities, and conference participation. One of those trips recently included Washington, DC.

In April, Spirit of America had the privilege of hosting four incredible UActive alumni students — Nazar, Yaroslava, Olesia, Kateryna — at Ukraine House in DC for an evening of learning and inspiration. The visiting UActive alumni shared their stories, their projects, and how UActive has helped them. Featured speakers included Jim Hake, Spirit of America founder and CEO; Anna Novosad, savED co-founder and former Minister of Education of Ukraine; and Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States.

“Our young generation will be the ones who lead us into the future. Please never stop dreaming and implementing your dreams,” Ambassador Markarova told the UActive students in her uplifting remarks.

(Left) UActive alumni presenting; (Middle) Group photo in front of Ukraine House including featured speakers, Spirit of America team members, Ambassador Oksana Markarova, UActive program staff and alumni, Woodgrove High School students, and more; (Right) Ambassador Markarova presenting

After the event, the UActive students shared reflections from their trip to the US and the event itself.

“It was incredible to realize that our ideas from small towns in Ukraine were being presented in the diplomatic capital of the world in front of high-ranking representatives of the diaspora and activists. Each of our slides, each word, was not just a “project,” it was a contribution to a common cause. We showed that Ukrainian youth are not “victims of their circumstances” but a generation of leaders, solution creators, and change generators. We are not just a country that has suffered. We are a nation that creates.” – Nazar, UActive alum

Nazar, Yaroslava, Olesia, Kateryna, and Vlada visiting the US Capitol during their first trip to Washington DC in April 2025.

Ukrainian students are turning loss into leadership. These inspirational efforts demonstrate how the younger generation can be a driver of a free, democratic, and vibrant Ukraine — preparing the next generation of leaders.

To learn more about how you can help, visit our UActive project page and donate today.