Participant of the Regional Competition "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the Nomination "Youth Worker of the Year"
Anastasiia Zholner
"To teach and raise a child –
you must start by changing yourself."
My name is Anastasiia Zholner, and I believe that a teacher is not just a profession. It is a heart that beats to the rhythm of children's dreams. It is a voice that supports when others are silent. It is a person who helps children find themselves in a constantly changing world. I am 21 years old. I am from the small, but incredibly warm and cozy city of Pokrovsk.
Currently, I work at General Education School I–III grades No. 2 of the Pokrovsk City Council as an English teacher and pedagogue-organizer. Concurrently, I am pursuing higher education at Berdiansk State Pedagogical University, specializing in "Philology (Germanic Languages and Literatures)."
My professional development began at Pokrovsk Pedagogical Professional College. Even then, I realized that I aspired to become the kind of adult I myself needed at that time.
During my studies, I actively engaged in volunteer activities: I helped animal shelters, and was a member of the Euroclub "Fortuna." I created articles, presentations, and other informational materials to popularize the volunteer movement, organized fundraising, and coordinated the work of the volunteer team. I was also part of the college's administrative group – responsible for preparing student documentation and maintaining attendance records. I graduated from college with honors in 2023.
I believe that school is not just about knowledge, but also about who a child will become in the future – a citizen, a person, a friend, a dreamer, a leader. As a pedagogue-organizer, I lead the school's student self-government "Thirst for Life", where my students and I don't just organize events – we learn to be a team, to listen to each other, to unleash everyone's potential. Through participation in self-government, children realize themselves in various areas – as hosts, scriptwriters, costume designers, and organizers of school events.
Despite the difficulties of wartime, my students show activity, independently making costumes and preparing performances for all students of the school, demonstrating their talent, responsibility, and creativity. During two years of working at the school, we organized and conducted national-patriotic, festive, entertaining, and creative events.
My students are already active participants in public life today. Under my leadership, they have taken part in a number of important national initiatives, including the All-Ukrainian game-modeling of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "M18: We are Young Lawmakers," the All-Ukrainian competition "Ukrainian Song Day: #always_in_trend," the drawing competition "The Magic of Reliable Passwords in the Style of Harry Potter," organized by the NBU, USAID, and the "TALAN" organization, and took 1st place in the video presentation competition on national education (nomination "Best General Secondary Education Institution Presentation," Pokrovsk community). As a result of their participation in these projects, I received commendations for the quality preparation of my students.
I completed a pedagogical internship and participated in the project "Young Beginning Specialists 2023-2024" from the Center for Professional Development of Pedagogical Workers of the Pokrovsk City Council.
Throughout my professional career, I constantly improve my knowledge and skills, focusing on psychosocial support, emotional development, and inclusive education. I actively participate in numerous training programs and courses covering mental health in wartime, child protection in humanitarian actions, and the development of socio-emotional skills. I also published my own original materials on the urok-ua.com website.
For me, teaching is not just about transmitting knowledge. It is daily work with the heart, empathy, support, and motivation. Children don't remember all the rules, but they never forget how you made them feel. And if at least one student believed in themselves after meeting me – then I am already changing the world and the future of the whole country.