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Chicago school to hold a student-led vigil today to send prayers, support to Ukraine
Students at St. Nicholas Cathedral School in Ukrainian Village will hold a vigil Monday to pray for Ukraine amid Russian invasion.
CHICAGO - Chicago’s St. Nicholas Cathedral School students will lead a vigil to support Ukraine at 1:30 p.m. in the school gym.
The school has served as a donation drop-off point and is now a welcoming community for students coming from Ukraine.
Students who speak the language are doing what they can to make re-settled families feel at home in Ukrainian Village.
Parents are bringing boxes and bags of supplies to school. They are providing school uniforms, backpacks, supplies and toys for children from Ukraine. The school is making space for up to 50 new students.
Alina May is a parent at St. Nicholas and said the war is difficult to think about each day.
"It really, really is. And it’s really helpful to have the kids pray and call family in Ukraine and let them know how it’s going. Believe it or not, they (in Ukraine) are feeling the support from Chicago. It means so much," she said.
May says the children are keeping up with current events.
"It’s a time where the truth is important. They are resilient, they see this and they are the future. What better time to have them understand everything," she said.
Roughly 80 percent of the current student body has direct ties to Ukraine. They endure constant worry about family there and those who have been forced to flee to stay alive.
The school has about 150 children enrolled, meaning adding 50 more students is substantial.
They are raising money to cover tuition, tutoring and other support services through the Chicago Archdiocese’s Big Shoulders Fund.
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Ukrainian cities under constant bombardment from Russian forces
Global affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw from the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center talks about the current state of affairs in Ukraine and what to expect as Russia continues advances on the nation's capitol.