Daria Ivanenko, a participant in the regional “Young Person of the Year 2026” competition in the “Youth Initiatives” category
Daria Ivanenko is a participant in the Young Person of the Year 2026 regional competition in the "Youth Initiatives Catalyst" nomination. She is a teacher at Kryvorizka Secondary School who inspires young people to become active, responsible, and engaged citizens dedicated to the future of their community and Ukraine.
From the beginning of her teaching career, Daria has created opportunities for students to grow through interactive quests, creative events, discussion clubs, intellectual competitions, and leadership projects. She firmly believes that young people are the driving force of society and actively encourages them to participate in community, environmental, and volunteer initiatives.
After the start of the full-scale invasion, Daria and her students became actively involved in supporting Ukrainian defenders. Together they prepared food supplies, created letters of encouragement and handmade patriotic gifts for soldiers, and united the local community to raise funds for electronic warfare (EW) systems, helping protect Ukrainian service members on the front line.
Through her work, Daria demonstrates that a modern teacher is not only an educator but also a community leader who inspires young people to take responsibility and make a difference. Her dedication shows how education, volunteerism, and youth initiatives can strengthen society and inspire hope even during the most challenging times.