On Feb. 24 at approximately 5:49 p.m, the Russian military was given orders to invade Ukraine by President Vladimir Putin.

One of our science teachers at BHS, Natalka Nejman is Ukrainian and is very concerned about what is happening in Ukraine because of her family that resides there. 

“I very quickly decided to put my frustrations, anger, and sadness into being productive instead of just watching things unfold overseas,” Nejman said. 

This invasion has caused so many families to flee to surrounding countries that border Ukraine such as Romania, Moldova, Hungary, and Slovakia. The country that has received the most refugees since the invasion is Poland because people are wanting to stay close to their home country in hopes that one day they will be able to return. 

“The war in Ukraine has changed conversations to more concerned ones between my grandparents and myself,” BHS foods teacher Karoline Rapp said. “My grandparents live quite close to the border between Poland and Ukraine so the topic is scary. My parents have been planning on moving back to Poland this summer.”

Ukraine officials said 410 civilian bodies have been found in towns around Kyiv. The Ukrainian prosecutor general described one room discovered in Bucha as a “torture chamber.” Bodies of five men were found in the basement of a children’s sanatorium. 

“Since Mrs. Nejman has family in Ukraine this hits close to home, and we wanted to get involved to help Ukraine right away,” NHS Secretary Rebecca Kolk said. “Involving Belvidere North as well has helped us out tremendously and we have gotten so many donations that we are beyond thankful for.” 

NHS is taking donations of hygiene items, first aid items, boxed/bagged food items, and school supplies for Ukraine til the end of the school year. You can drop them off in the main office or bring items to Room 40.

There are other ways you can help out, you can donate to Razom (razomforukrain.org), Revived Soldiers Ukraine (rsukraine.org), Ukrainian Medical Association of America (umana.org), World Central Kitchen (wck.org), Hope for Ukraine (hopeforukraine.net), and Nova Ukraine (novaukraine.org)