Subway School
By Evelien Vodolazhskyy, Staff Writer
December 19th, 2023
Subway School
By Evelien Vodolazhskyy, Staff Writer
December 19th, 2023
The fire drill we have every month is usually met with complaining and an annoyed attitude. However, though students are made to stand in the cold and the walk outside is so loud a headache is promised, it’s just a drill. We all come back inside, and continue with our lesson as nothing happened. The students in Ukraine however have not had a drill for quite some time. Everytime they hear the siren, they are faced with an all too real danger. The belongings they leave behind are ones they might never see again. The task they were in the middle of might not ever be completed.
Since the beginning of the full scale invasion in Ukraine, 1,300 educational institutions have been damaged and 180 completely demolished. “No school” sounds like a lot of fun until schools become one of the most dangerous places to be. Russia has been purposefully targeting large capacity civilian buildings throughout the nearly 2 years of a full out war. Schools meet the description, alongside a perk of being populated by mostly younger generations, so they are currently wanted targets on Russia's military’s radar. Due to that, in 2022 schools went remote and students continued their studies dispersed throughout various cities and countries.
Nevertheless, about ⅔ of Ukrainian students went back to school and university this past september. Kharkiv, a Ukrainian city that borders Russia (and the one this author is originally from), has adapted to the aggressive behavior of their “brotherly nation”, and made amendments to their schooling. Since the school buildings became enormous red X’s on Russia's “Demolish” Map, lessons are now held in subway stations. Where previously there were kiosks selling jewelry, snacks, bread, accessories and other trinkets you would expect to find in a subway, are now classes with desks and a board.
Throughout Ukrainian history, there have been many nations attempting to claim the country as their own. Yet Ukrainians have persevered each time, and continue to do so. They do not allow the current state of the country to break them. People are adapting, going back to their everyday lives, school, friends, and parties. Not even Russia’s aggression could stop Ukrainian youth from living their lives to the fullest.