PHILADELPHIA – On Saturday, February 4, students of the Ukrainian Heritage School in Philadelphia participated in the poetry recitation contest called “Nova Radist Stala” (The New Joy Has Come) that was organized and sponsored by the Josyf Slipyj Research Center of the St. Sophia Religious Association in Philadelphia.
The purpose of the event was to conclude celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord with artistic performance by Ukrainian children and youth. Twenty students from Grades 6 through 12, grouped in two age categories, recited various poems by Ukrainian poets.
The judges’ panel, chaired by Dr. Leonid Rudnytzky, professor of La Salle University, and also including Oksana Kryliuk, teacher of Ukrainian literature, and Father Ihor Bloshchynskyy, pastor of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Melrose Park, Pa., graded each performance on the fluency of the recitation, clarity of pronunciation, intonation, artistic performance and expression.
Eight runners-up were selected during the contest: Danylo Bohdan Graves and Sofia Behey in the younger group, and Justina Biletska, Vitaliy Bilyk, Anhelina Sokivka, Daryna Shnitzer, Sofia Pitula, Natalia Panchak in the older group. The winners of the contest were: first prizes – Anastasiya Bloshchynska (younger group) and Christine Zaishly (older group); second prizes – Dianna Savchyn (younger group) and Natalia Babiychuk (older group).
Presenting awards to the contestants, Dr. Rudnytzky congratulated them on their participation characterized by “a hot heart and cool head.” All contestants were awarded commemorative certificates and gifts. The main sponsor of the event, the Josyf Slipyj Research Center, presented the runners-up and the winners with prizes. This is the sixth poetry recitation contest organized by the center for the students of the Ukrainian Heritage School in Philadelphia.