Winners of the Ukrainian language contest are chosen

First results of Petro Jacyk Second International Ukrainian Language Contest’s last stage have been summed up. On Taras Shevchenko’s birthday sixty-three schoolchildren from all oblasts of Ukraine, who occupied places from fourth to ninth, were awarded at Drahomanov National Pedagogical University in Kyiv. In addition to diplomas, books, and warm greetings the children obtained individual stipends from 300 to 2,000 hryvnias, depending on their places and age. The contest was organized by the Ministry of Education and Science, Petro Jacyk Educational Foundation (Canada), and the League of Ukrainian Philanthropists, aimed on enhancing the prestige of Ukrainian language both in Ukraine and abroad.

The contest participants brought their parents to the ceremony, which made the atmosphere in the hall remind one of a family party. Among the winners were not only ethnic Ukrainian children but a girl who was born in Chechnya to a Russian speaking family, nine year-old Maryana Tyshkovska; 11 year-old Khrystyna Kostiuk’s father is German by nationality, and third grader Mariya Aleksanian, winner of Sumy oblast contest, comes from a family of Armenian refugees.

The head of the jury, Ph.D. in philology, and head of the Ukrainian stylistics desk of Drahomanov University Liubov Matsko informed The Day’s correspondent that the contest is aimed on revealing and developing “language personalities,” that is, on developing the quality of expressing one’s personality by means of the language instruments. This is what distinguishes the contest from customary school competitions, which deal not so much with child’s self-realization in language as with the level of his/her knowledge at a certain stage of studying. Ms. Matsko also said that a contest in Ukrainian language had been also held among the students of all university departments, and they had demonstrated a good command of Ukrainian while displaying their professional knowledge. Incidentally, the schoolchildren were tested in a similar way: they were asked to name renowned Ukrainian scholars and tell about their contribution to world science.

The contest is financed by the League of Ukrainian Philanthropists and sponsors from Ukraine and other countries. The names of those donating money for every specific award are enrolled in the winner’s diploma. The executive director of the League of Ukrainian Philanthropists Mykola Slaboshpytsky told The Day that he had already raised money for conducting the Third Petro Jacyk Contest. Incidentally, Petro Jacyk bequeathed a significant part of his property to create an endowment, the dividends of which are to be used for education purposes, while the fund itself is to be untouched. An awards ceremony for the winners occupying places from first to third will be held on May 22 at Ukrayina Palace with the participation of the President of Ukraine. For university students the contest is still in full swing and will end only in late April. Students from twelve former Soviet states also take part in it under special rules.