THE WORLD SPORTS CONSUL NEWS
Armstrong Class Talks To Ukrainian Students
Mom's charity helped facilitate intercontinental teleconference
Courtesy Photo
Armstrong mom Patricia Riatti looks on as third-grade teacher Stephanie Noack’s class teleconferences with Ukranian students. Patricia Riatti not pictured.
By Sarah Scott
Staff Writer
Armstrong Elementary third-graders tuned in live to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, for a teleconferencing cultural exchange with students halfway around the world. The teleconference ran from 8-8:45 a.m. Dec.18 (5 p.m. Kyiv time).
The students shared moments of laughter, exchanged questions and answers about favorite sports, foods, hockey players, and even sang “Jingle Bells” together using teleconferencing technology. The Ukrainian students had not only learned “Jingle Bells” in English in preparation for the teleconference, but they also performed several short skits in their native language, including “Pinocchio.”
The students in Stephanie Noack's class have been studying other cultures, and they will be able to learn what day-to-day life is like for their new Ukrainian friends. The digital exchange was made possible by Patricia Riatti, whose son, Peer, is in Noack's class.
At 8 in the morning, students in Stephanie Noack’s third-grade class at Armstrong Elementary stared intently at a projector in the front of the room.
Staring back at them was a group of exuberant kids about the same age, singing and talking happily in costumes.
The difference? The second group was enjoying a balmy 20-degree day in Kiev, Ukraine.
It was all part of a teleconferencing exchange between Noack’s class and the Ukrainian students, who used equipment at the U.S. Embassy for the 45-minute talk on Dec. 18.
The exchange was inspired by the third-grade curriculum.
“Part of the third-grade requirements is learning about various cultures around the world,” Noack said. “We had a presentation on Ukraine and learned about the flag, country, the language — it’s a perfect opportunity for the kids.”
The link to Ukraine was stronger than the curriculum, though. Third-grader Peer Riatti’s mother, Patricia, founded the World Sports Consul, a nonprofit agency that donates sports equipment to Ukrainian children.
Peer’s friend, Nikolai Tsirkounov, is the son of his old hockey coach and one of the students halfway around the world.
But hockey seemed to be the last thing on the third-graders’ minds as they watched their Ukrainian counterparts enact folk tales and sing Christmas carols. Even Noack misted up at the sight.
“They wanted to communicate so much they leaned ‘We Wish you a Merry Christmas,’” she said. “It’s so touching.”
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Reprinted from www.peoplenewspapers.com
Issue Date: December 26, 2008, Posted On: 12/26/2008