Do your best! Helping people

Last session for Kherson and Mariupol Youth was all about kindness, generosity, and using our gifts to make the world a little brighter — and our students did an amazing job! We explored the theme through fun and meaningful speaking activities: warm-up conversations about acts of kindness and moments when someone made our day. “This or That” debates where students chose between helping strangers vs. friends, giving time vs. giving money, and other thought-provoking options. Useful phrases practice to express empathy, offer help, and share opinions. Our youth showed so much heart, creativity, and openness. It was inspiring to hear their stories and see how willing they are to “give minds and give hearts” in their everyday lives.

Let’s keep spreading kindness — one word, one action, one English lesson at a time. 

Power Outages

During our last inspiring English-speaking session with our adult learners we discussed an essential topic “Power Outages” and it turned out to be a true lesson in flexibility and resilience. We started our class on Zoom, practicing vocabulary and real-life situations connected to electricity, power outages, and unstable connection — something everyone in Ukraine deals with almost daily. We discussed how to explain technical problems in English, learned new expressions, and shared personal experiences of recent blackouts.

But right in the middle of the lesson…the power went out. For many groups, that would be the end — but not for us.

Within a few minutes, we smoothly moved our discussion to Telegram and continued practicing in the chat. It became a perfect real-life exercise.

Despite the challenges around us, the atmosphere stayed warm, supportive, and full of humor. We proved once again that learning never stops — not even when the electricity does.

Thank you to everyone who stayed connected (in every possible way!), adapted quickly, and kept the conversation alive. Your motivation is truly inspiring.

The importance of keeping in touch

Do you think it’s essential to keep in touch with people you were connected ti? During our last English-speaking session for Kherson and Mariupol youth, we explored the topic of “Relationships and Communication.” The meeting was full of lively discussions, new vocabulary, and meaningful reflections on what helps us build strong connections with others.

We kicked off with a fun warm-up activity called “Hot Takes,” where participants shared their opinions on thought-provoking statements — for example, “It’s OK to have many possessions.” Everyone had to agree or disagree and explain their choice, which set the tone for spontaneous and confident speaking.

Next, we moved on to learning and practicing phrasal verbs related to communication — such as keep in touch, speak up, make up, and count on etc. Using interactive slides, we discussed real-life examples and shared personal stories:

What’s the best way to keep in touch with friends who live far away?

How do you usually make up after an argument?

What qualities do you look for in someone you can count on?

With engaging visuals and friendly atmosphere, participants practiced not only their English but also valuable communication skills — listening, expressing opinions, and supporting one another.

Great thanks to our friend, a VSPP, Alana Underwood for being a part of our group

This week at our English Speaking Club, we dived into the world of funny fails — and it was absolutely hilarious! Together with our active members of advanced group, we watched some classic Fail Army moments, described them in English, and practiced phrases like mess up, screw up, epic fail, and learn the hard way.

We also played Fail Bingo, shared our own “epic fail” stories, and ended with a Fail Fortune Wheel to see how we’d react to everyday mishaps. “Failing doesn’t mean you’re a failure — it just means you tried something new.”

From screen to dream!

 

Our latest English Speaking Practice for Kherson and Mariupol Youth was all about movies — and it truly felt like being on set!

Together with our American guest, Alana Underwood, we explored the world of cinema through fun vocabulary games, quizzes, and inspiring movie quotes.

From guessing famous lines like “May the Force be with you” to discussing what makes movies meaningful, everyone had a chance to share, laugh, and think deeply.

We even played an interactive “Movie Quiz” where participants tested their knowledge of film vocabulary — from trailers to directors!

The highlight of the session? Each participant created their own “movie quote of life” — a phrase that reflects their personality and values.

Thank you to everyone for bringing your energy and creativity — you made this session truly cinematic!