A picnic will be held to welcome 15 Ukrainian exchange students to the White Bear Lake area on Friday, Aug. 16, at 11:30 a.m. at West Park in White Bear Lake.
The picnic is a collaboration between the White Bear Lake Rotary Club and YouLEAD, a Minnesota-based leadership, engagement and development program. YouLEAD is a program within Global Synergy Group, a nonprofit founded by Irina Fursman. Fursman, who moved to Minnesota from Ukraine in 2002, saw a need to create civic engagement between Minnesota and Ukranian residents. This passion led to her creating the Global Synergy Group, a nonprofit organization that supports Ukraine – Minnesota community to community exchange programs, in 2012. The organization currently has three Civic Leadership Engagement and Development exchange visits, and four Youth Civic Leadership Engagement and Development exchanges to and from Ukraine.
The YouLEAD program selects Ukrainian students and extends an invitation to them to come to Minnesota for one month. While here, students learn about the state’s culture, government, health care system, and other elements to help them develop learning and leadership skills.
The 2024 program also has a particular focus on developing future leaders to replace those lost in war, developing skills to help post-war Ukraine redevelop and heal and providing a mental health break to youth experiencing trauma from war.
The students will stay in different homes in White Bear Lake, Mahtomedi, Saint Paul, Maplewood and Brooklyn Park, hosted by local volunteers. Fursman is optimistic about what the students will learn from their stay. “I hope they see that ordinary people are here to invest time and resources into supporting them as future leaders,” said Fursman. “I want them to feel appreciative for the experiences they receive. I hope they keep in touch with those here to build those connections into lifetime-lasting relationships.”
The program will run for four weeks, beginning on Aug. 12. First, students will meet the families they will be staying with and learn about life and culture in Minnesota. In the second week, students will learn about government and visit the Minnesota State Capitol. Week three will focus on business and healthcare, with students visiting local businesses and health care facilities. Students will also learn about systems that support public health and technological advancements that influence healthcare overall. In week four, students will learn about the importance of nonprofit organizations. Students will return to Ukraine on Sept. 15.
The picnic will be held at the end of the first week, with Rotary Club members educating students how service clubs function. The picnic will include lunch, swimming and games like beach volleyball. While the event is not open to the public, White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi High School students are encouraged to attend to socialize and get to know the exchange students.
Erik Suchy is a staff writer at Press Publications. To reach him, please contact him at 651-407-1229 or email him at [email protected].
