Between classes, homework, learning a new language, debate, drama and other activities, how does a busy high school senior find the time to clock over 100 hours of community service in a school year?
Between classes, homework, learning a new language, debate, drama and other activities, how does a busy high school senior find the time to clock over 100 hours of community service in a school year?
Somehow, Parker School senior Anastasiya Polishchuk, a visiting student from Ukraine this school year, did just that.
Polishchuk came to Parker through the Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI), “a nonprofit international educational exchange organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding, academic development, environmental consciousness and world peace.” CCI requires its students to complete at least 30 hours of community service, and students in the program who reach 100 hours receive a National Service Award conferred by the U.S. president.
To achieve her community service goal, Polishchuk said, “… mostly on Saturdays and days off I went to volunteer. Sometimes I just did that several hours after school when I did not have any activities.”
Parker Headmaster Carl Sturges, who doubles as Polishchuk’s debate coach, said, “When a brilliant mind is coupled with such determination, the results are truly awesome. We’ve really appreciated having Anastasiya this year.”
Polishchuk’s history and English teacher, Ruth Sturges, said, “Anastasiya represents the best the foreign exchange program has to offer in bringing dedicated and gifted students into Parker School. She helped to raise the bar of excellence in every class she attended. Anastasiya continually pushed herself to be the very best student she could be and to learn everything she could learn. She would not allow herself to waste a moment of her time. She threw herself into her courses with a whole heart, and her level of preparedness challenged her classmates to greater academic commitment.”
Polishchuk said of her award, “I am here as exchange student who never used to volunteer before. For me, the best award for my volunteering is ‘thank you’ and smiles of people around. To be honest, of course, it’s pleasant to get an award, which symbolizes strong cooperation between government and people even on international level.”
Once back in Ukraine, Polishchuk will finish high school and take several tests to earn her diploma, then plans to attend university.
Of her year at Parker School, she said, “Parker School is amazing and friendly. Parker students are really nice and welcoming as well as teachers who help to adjust and succeed. Thank you, Parker School, for such a wonderful and unforgettable year! … I (also) really want to thank my host family, which welcomed me in Hawaii. To host an exchange student is a great responsibility and risk. I love Zivalic family so much! And a person who managed my year here and helped in difficult situations is Yvette Gonzalez. Thank you so much for your help. Well, and I want to say ‘Thank you’ to everyone who I met here. Waimea has this unbelievable ohana spirit, which is so great. Thank you!”