Gymnasia Assembly

Cherkasy First City Gymnasia takes an active part in the British Council program “Connecting Classrooms”. The other day we received the information about BBC World Class from Alice Castle who had interviewed the teachers of English and pupils of our school on Annual News Day on March 15, 2012. This time the BBC has planned something really exciting. It wants to find out if the schools want to get involved. The idea is to get as many schools as possible to take part in a huge school assembly. The students will talk about what matters to children in the world today.

The gymnasia organized a twenty minute assembly on May 8, 2012. We talked about the topics the pupils of the ages from 12 through 15 were really interested in. They were asked the question “What matters to me?” Here are some students’ replies which will be sent to the BBC World Class. There is the program called World Have You Say which will be broadcasting from schools around the globe. Hopefully, this information will be also included.

Anastasia Zhykina, 9A

When I was a child, my parents taught me to be always polite, friendly, responsible, generous and some other qualities that have positively shaped my life. A very important tray that I have learnt from my parents is always give 100% efforts to everything that is important for success. I believe that education is the key to success and I am happy that my school can help me to obtain my goals. I understand to be successful I should work very hard and I do study hard every day. All things consider I’d like to say that it’s most important for children how their parents raise them.

Daria Havrikova, 8A

The most important thing to me is friends and family. Other things that I view as scary and problematic are drugs and alcohol. The Internet movies and literature are everywhere and very often they are giving us, children, the wrong messages. Anorexia, suicide, drugs, alcohol are sometimes being positively portrayed in the mass media. I want to say, “People, be vigilant! It’s so harmful for young generation!”

Violet Golinko, 8A

Leading an active life is a way of providing myself with energy and fitness. It really matters to me. Remaining true to what I believe in is to find something I really care about and live a decent life. To be accountable for my time and the way I spend it, this will allow me to know and experience everything possible and positive. I believe that if you want to be happy, you must have freedom. Never live other people’s lives. Try to live by what you say. I think that relations with other people are very important, only through them I can love and be loved.

Karyna Liashenko, 9A

There are many things that can be important for each person. They are happy family life, good education, success, true friends, good health and even sometimes money. Grown-ups often make some of them their great value and a goal in life. But they forget that nothing in the world happens on its own. If you want to reach something or succeed, you should do something. You should always work hard for your success or achievement. As many girls of my age I would like to meet a nice guy, maybe marry him soon, start a family, give birth to children and live a happy family life. I am not a princess so I won’t meet a prince. I will have my own way in life, work hard for my dreams to come true and it matters much to me to be the human I can become.

Myroslava Savisko, 9A

Whatever country we come from, whatever color our skin is, we are all the people of the world. In my opinion, the most important thing in our life is a family. If you want to survive and not to be alone in this global world, have a good family. It will give you support, love, respect, help. You may be happy with your children. I am sure that the natural environment is continuing to deteriorate. More and more people are dying of diseases, more and more children are being born with birth defects. We should not be indifferent and must protect the environment now if we want to live happily.

Valeria Sluchinska, 8A

Education is a big drive for me because it will help decide my fate. However, I still have some doubts about if education can really provide me with what I need to be successful. I am afraid that I won’t find a good and well-paid job even if I get good education. I know that many young people with good education are unemployed and have no opportunities to find a job not only in Ukraine but even in some European countries. The declining world economy is one of my biggest fears.

Sincerely,

Nadiya Ananieva,

coordinator of the British Council program “Connecting Classrooms”,

Deputy Head teacher,

First City Gymnasia,

Cherkasy, Ukraine