Ukrainian school in Poland recognized as the best in the world: what makes it special

The first Ukrainian school in Poland has been named the best school in the world according to the World's Best School Prizes 2024, an educational award that recognizes educational institutions for their contribution to society. The school was opened in March 2022, immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The institution received the award in the category "Overcoming Hardships." This was reported by the school's founder, President of the Unbreakable Ukraine Foundation, Viktoriia Osadcha, on her Facebook page. She also posted the award ceremony that took place online on October 24.

Vikas Pota, the founder of the World's Best School Prizes 2024, called everything this school does incredible. The organizers noted that the First Ukrainian School in Poland not only provides knowledge to students but also "offers individualized education and emotional support to develop resilience and integration into Polish society."

The first Ukrainian school in Poland was founded as a charitable institution in March 2022. It currently teaches 1500 Ukrainian displaced children in Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw.

According to the school's founder, more than 150 graduates of the class of 2024 (out of 160) have entered Polish universities. In addition, every year 30-50% of students successfully transfer to Polish schools.

The students attend cultural exchange festivals and museums, which facilitates integration into the new society and strengthens mutual understanding and cooperation between Ukrainians and Poles.

Osadcha emphasized that this award is "a dream come true."

"When we started, many things seemed unattainable. But we knew why we were doing it. For children. For the future. For Ukraine. And now I stand here, overwhelmed with pride, with tears in my eyes. Tears of happiness, joy, and pride. This is not just about the school. This is about each of us," she wrote.

The World's Best School Prizes has been attracting thousands of applications from schools in more than 100 countries since 2022. The prize selects one winner in each of the five categories.

Other winners this year:

– "Community Cooperation" category – Colegio María Guadalupee in Argentina;

– "Environmental Action" – Ryan International School in India;

– category "Innovation" – CM RISE School Vinoba in India;

– category "Supporting a healthy lifestyle" – Galilei-Costa-Scarambone Institute in Italy.

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