Ukrainian Students Visit St. Cloud Morning Optimist Club

(KNSI) – An organization trying to make political change in Ukraine by showing kids the American system of government was in St. Cloud on Wednesday.

Global Synergy Group brought 18 students between 13 and 18 years old to the St. Cloud Morning Optimist Club’s meeting on lessons in leadership. Daria Bozko was one of the students and said she had learned things to take home with her.

“I want to improve not only my city, I want to improve our social media, and our country. So when I will be back at home, I want to develop our city and I want to open my own school for children.”

She says it is crucial to build schools for the future of Ukraine.

“I want to do something for our city. I want to talk with our government. And we will be talking for our students, because we think that the students are our future.”

The Ukrainian students also met with 18 ninth graders from Cathedral High School.

Daria said the group got to visit with leaders in Maple Grove and Hopkins who discussed city governments and management. They also have been learning about Minnesota’s education system, touring museums, and visited with multiple community organizations.

Jake Judd KNSI News

Global Energy Co-Founder Irina Fursman has been bringing students from Ukraine to Minnesota since 2014 to help students learn how to live in a decentralized system. Fursman was 15 when the USSR fell in Ukraine and says she fears authoritarian rule returning to Europe. She says showing kids a different way helps keep democracy alive.

Ukraine has suffered for more than six months after the Russian army invaded the country in February. A conflict that she says stretches back to 2014.

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