A Ukrainian exchange student who graduated this month from New Philadelphia Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School (TCC) is hoping to stay in Ohio for college as the invasion of her homeland by Russian troops continues.
Anastasia Didenko received her diploma from TCC on Sunday, June 5 and also has graduated from the equivalent of high school in her hometown of Novomoskovsk, a city of about 70,000 people in east-central Ukraine.
She wants to study economics in college, has obtained a student visa that allows her to stay in the United States and has been accepted at Ohio State University, but she says tuition there is too expensive. She is working with Malone University in Canton, which is within commuting distance of Tuscarawas County, on a plan to attend classes there.
Bombs have fallen about 15 minutes from her hometown, but the city has escaped damage so far. Her mother and a 12-year-old sister live in an apartment in Novomoskovsk, while her father is serving in the Ukrainian army at an undisclosed location.
“The three of them were together for just a short while,” she said. “They were working in different cities when the invasion began on Feb. 23. Mother was able to return the next day, but Father was called up by the army not long afterward.
“It’s not very safe, but my mother and sister chose to stay home. There is a curfew, and they hear air raid sirens almost every night, and they go to the basement when that happens. Conditions in the basement are pretty bad, so they don’t stay down there long.”
Anastasia said she talks to her mother and sister most days and to her father periodically.
“Many people have taped their windows to prevent glass from flying in the event of bombing, but we’ve been fortunate so far,” she said. “People are trying to live the best they can in an impossible situation. They’re going to work as before, but school stopped when the invasion started.
“The city has taken in many refugees and has a huge hospital that’s filled with wounded soldiers from the front lines and civilians from elsewhere in the nation. The war seems to be bringing out the best in everyone. People are doing all sorts of things for each other because they never know what might happen tomorrow, and they know they have to depend on one another.”
During the school year, students at TCC, its two feeder parochial schools and Tuscarawas County public schools had fundraisers for the people of Ukraine. Now that school is out, Anastasia is collecting donations for first-aid kits for her father’s battalion. She is purchasing items for the kits and has sent 10 to her father so far.
“It would be five times more expensive to buy those items in Ukraine, and their quality wouldn’t be as good as it is here,” she said. “The main expense is shipping costs, and that’s where I can use help from others.
“The war’s been going on for four months and could continue for some time. And right now it hurts to see people starting to forget about it because of other worries like the high cost of things here,” she said.
“Some people think the war is over, but that’s not true at all. Our capital, Kyiv, was bombed a few days ago for the first time in quite a while. People are still dying in Ukraine every day, and I want people to keep that on their minds.”
Anastasia came to Ohio through the Future Leaders Exchange program funded by the U.S. State Department. The program provides scholarships so high school students from Europe and Asia can spend an academic year in the United States.
After living with Bobby Eddy and Heather Jones of Bolivar during the school year, Anastasia is residing with Kimberly and Matthew Nadalin of New Philadelphia. The hair salon where Jones works is continuing to accept donations for shipping for the first-aid kits.
To donate, send a check made payable to Anastasia Didenko in care of Lock 7 Hair Studio, 10880 State Route 212 N.E., Bolivar OH 44612.