October 7, 2024 - This past week, East Brainerd Elementary School had a special visitor: Yuriy Bova, the Mayor of Trostyanets, Ukraine. His visit was part of a friendship program started last year by Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. The goal is to build strong connections between our schools and cultures.
When Mayor Bova arrived, he was greeted warmly by Ukrainian students at the school. To share a taste of their culture, he brought along traditional Ukrainian chocolates for everyone to enjoy. The students got to speak one-on-one with Bova and tell him about their family and friends, as well as their life since moving to the states and growing up here.
During his visit, Mayor Bova and his group toured the school with Superintendent Dr. Robertson and Principal Hudson. They visited a gym class and a reading classroom, where he saw different learning stations, and they also visited a gym class. The tour helped him understand a little about what the school is like in Hamilton County, they even spoke about the specifics of that building and it’s recovery efforts after the tornado.
Bova sat down with Dr. Robertson and they talked about the various Future Ready pathways offered throughout the district and Mayor Bova also shared what’s happening in Ukraine, explaining that many students there are learning online because of ongoing conflicts.
At the end of the visit Mayor Bova presented gifts, including his city’s flag, to the Principal Hudson and Dr. Robertson. They ended with highlighting the importance of friendship and collaboration
This visit highlights how important it is for people around the world to work together in education and community growth. We are excited Mayor Bova got to see a little about one of our school and to have a hand in building this partnership with the Trostyanets community.