FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, March 4, 2013

Peace Corps Volunteer Installs English Resource Room for Ukrainian Students

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 4, 2013 — Peace Corps volunteer Joseph Miller of Cottage Grove, Minn., is working with his Ukrainian community to create a resource room with textbooks, dictionaries and a projector system to help secondary students learn English.

Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, English has become the country’s international language of business and academics. Despite the numerous qualified teachers within the Ukrainian school system, English education can be challenging in some communities due to lack of resources. “A good understanding of English is important to ensure the success of Ukraine’s youth and to provide opportunities for the future,” said Miller, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout who has been living and working in Ukraine since 2011.

The school is providing a newly renovated space for the resource room and all of the new electronics. In addition to stocking the resource room with textbooks, Miller and his fellow teachers will install projectors and train the other teachers to use the new technology. Miller and the teachers are also working closely to conduct teacher workshops on PowerPoint usage.

“This project will have a direct impact on the teachers and students because every student will have access to textbooks, computers and other resources necessary to learn English,” said Miller.

A portion of the funds for the project will be raised through the Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP), a program that helps support Peace Corps volunteer community projects worldwide.

In order to receive funding through the PCPP, a community must make at least a 25 percent contribution to the total project cost and outline success indicators for the individual projects. This helps ensure community ownership and a greater chance of long-term sustainability.

One hundred percent of each tax-deductible PCPP donation goes toward a development project. Those interested in supporting Miller’s project in Ukraine can visit: www.peacecorps.gov/donate. Miller’s project number is 13-343-013. 

About Peace Corps/Ukraine: More than 2,630 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Ukraine since the program was established in 1992. Currently, about 463 volunteers serve in Ukraine. Volunteers work in the areas of education, economic development and youth development. Volunteers are trained and work in Russian and Ukrainian.

About the Peace Corps: Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps by executive order on March 1, 1961, more than 210,000 Americans have served in 139 host countries. Today, 8,073 volunteers are working with local communities in 76 host countries in agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth in development. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment and the agency’s mission is to promote world peace and friendship and a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.

 

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