I am from Novovolynsk, a small town located in Western Ukraine. My family is my parents and my elder brother, Roma. They are my greatest love and support, and I can not wait until spring break to go home and spend time together as we used to. 

I first learned about Emma through Ukraine Global Scholars - a non-profit organization that helps Ukrainian students apply to boarding schools and colleges all over the world. The first thing that captured my attention about Emma was the limitless power of girls. In my previous school, I was one of the small number of girls who decided to join the Robotics club or Physics team. But here, my life changed, as now I am surrounded by inspiring young women who are unstoppable in front of their goals. For me, a supportive community is what makes Emma special.

From the time I was little, I remember imagining myself as a scientist working in a lab. I dreamed of going to school and discovering the mystery of science, but it appeared that studying chemistry in my school was not that magical, but limited to relearning the book. I tried to find different ways to learn Chemistry through experiments. For that purpose, I organized a Crystal Appreciators Club, where my friends and I had fun growing different shapes of crystals. Studying at Emma opened new opportunities for me to discover the magic of Chemistry. The classes here are focused on experiential learning and understanding the process. Also, for my Signature project, I decided to study a new branch of science - Computational Chemistry*. I can say for sure that my experience at Emma will help me to accomplish my childhood dreams of becoming a scientist. 

The whole last summer I spent playing Ping pong with my dad. I am happy that in Emma, I found many students that share this passion with me. Now, when we all play ping pong together, I feel so glad to relax after school and travel back home in my mind. 

Also, during Thanksgiving break, I went to the Killington World cup (ski) race and was so impressed by the competition that I decided to learn how to ski during the winter. I can not wait till the new semester to try my new hobby and have fun skiing with my friends. 

It is my first year at Emma, but I have already enjoyed a lot of traditions. One of my favorites so far is Emmaween. It is so exciting to meet all the students and teachers in crazy costumes. Also, the whole day is full of fun - a special dinner, a Haunted house, and a lot of trick-or-treating!