Diana Shypovych has received first place

First City Gymnasia student Diana Shypovych has received first place at the national level in the Write On! creative writing competition. Diana was awarded the top prize among Ukrainian eighth graders for her story “Taste Talks,” about a pastry chef whose ingredients talk to him and help him invent delicious recipes. “It’s an amusing and clever tale, but it also goes deeper,” said Peace Corps Response Volunteer Sonia Scherr, a local coordinator for Write On! “By exploring how one gains or loses the ability to hear food talk, the story has meaning for all of us who pursue a creative passion.”

Diana will represent Ukraine at the international level, where her writing will be judged alongside other first-place entries from around the world. Including Diana, 41 students participated in last month’s Write On! competition at First City Gymnasia (link), with 14 receiving recognition at the local level and five at the oblast level. Write On! is an international creative writing competition organized by Peace Corps Volunteers. Open to sixth formers through adults, it encourages creativity and provides an opportunity for non-native speakers to practice their English outside the classroom.