Let’s read with a pencil in hand!

This school, where the chief editor of The Day Larysa Ivshyna (Zhalovaha) studied when she was a child, received the status of a gymnasium just recently. But at all times, despite the geographical remoteness from the capital, this school has been one of the best in Volyn region. Larysa Ivshyna gave the “Armor-Piercing Political Writing” series to her school as a present on her way back home from the book forum in Lviv, where The Day’s new series was a huge success. Oksana Sakharchuk, director of the educational complex Secondary School – Gymnasium told us that people in Lokachi always remember that their student became one of Ukraine’s most famous women, but at the same time she always remembers her native land and the teachers who taught her. She also helps to ensure that her young compatriots develop interest in culture and progress.

Ten years ago with the assistance of the chief editor of The Day the school in Lokachi got a computer class with the latest computers and other equipment.

“Book is always a valuable thing for any school,” said director noting that she, a philologist, was impressed with the authors chosen to be presented in the series. She has already looked through the books and noted their relevance to the present time Ukraine. “For example, the writings of Oleh Olzhych are actually about the development of the national movement, about Ukrainian intelligentsia, about how it tried to save its face despite all the pressure it experienced at different times. I like that no difference has been made between the authors in terms of their geographical origin, the whole Ukraine is represented here.

“Yevhen Malaniuk, Viacheslav Lypynsky, Ulas Samchuk, and Mykola Khvyliovy are the very topical authors today. Their writing is up to date, very sharp, and vivid. Believe me, these are the books that our students will read with great pleasure. The first lesson of the school year in our school was dedicated to the Ukrainian language. I was so sorry, that it was me and not the deputies in our Parliament who heard the thoughts expressed by our senior students,” said Sakharchuk. “Together with the students we have recently reviewed the article by Vasyl Stus called Phenomenon of Our Time: Rising to the Golgotha of Fame about Pavlo Tychyna. Students keenly discussed the moments of the story due to which the poet was, in fact, in a kind of exile in his native country and put his talent to the service of the government and because of this was lost as a poet. The teaching staff has already decided that all of the teachers and students will read the books from the ‘Armor-Piercing Political Writing’ series and we will hold a seminar on it.”