A book by journalist and writer Oleksandr Havrosh, titled “Heroes of Transcarpathia: Uzhhorod and the Uzhhorod District,” was recently presented in Mukachevo. At the time, the project’s initiators and government officials emphasized that this chronicle of the courage of Transcarpathians must cover every corner of the region, and that students in particular should make a significant contribution to this effort. A logical and important continuation of this initiative was the regional competition for students’ research projects titled “Heroes of Transcarpathia,” the district stage of which was successfully completed in the Mukachevo district.
From Family Memories to the Pages of a Future Book
The contest was announced with the support of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration. The active phase of research and data collection began at the start of the school year. The district jury received 18 entries that had passed preliminary selection in their respective local communities.
As Roman Tarabiy, chairman of the Mukachevo District Council, noted, the jury refrained from comparing the feats themselves, since everyone who took up arms to defend their homeland is undoubtedly a hero. The main criteria were the depth of research, the comprehensiveness of the sources gathered, the analysis of documents, the originality of the presentation, and the preservation of the true story of the fallen compatriots.
In their research, the students went far beyond dry biographical facts: they recorded interviews with the defenders’ parents, wives, brothers, teachers, and comrades-in-arms, and looked through old school photo albums and personal diaries.
Georgiy Horvat, a deputy of the Transcarpathian Regional Council, emphasized the importance of this work:
“We can see the sense of responsibility and respect with which the students approached gathering this material. Young people need to know who our boys and girls, men and women, and teachers were—those who lived among us and gave their lives for Ukraine. Our common goal is to ensure that no hero is forgotten and that every name appears in print.”
Winners from the Mukachevo District
According to the decision of the competition committee, the prize places were awarded as follows:
- 🥇 1st Place: Yulianna Dzyamko (a 9th-grade student at Mukachevo Lyceum No. 11). Her project is dedicated to Lyceum graduate Anatoliy Gorskyi, who has been defending the country since 2014 and returned to the front lines as a platoon commander after the full-scale invasion began.
- 🥈 2nd place: Mykhailo Bohdan (student at the Strabychiv Secondary School (Grades 1–3) of the Horondiv Village Council).
- 🥉Third place was shared by two participants:
- Myroslava Kalabishka (an 8th-grade student at the Suskiv Gymnasium in the Polyanska Village Council) — researched the combat history of her fellow villager Ivan Pukish (61st Mechanized Brigade), who was killed in the Kursk sector while rescuing a wounded comrade.
- Anton Shelestyuk (an 8th-grade student at Mukachevo Secondary School No. 16) described the fate of his uncle, Dmytro Savchenko, who was killed in action at the end of 2022.
The following people also shared touching stories about their fellow townspeople:
- Oleksandra Levkulych (Nyzhniy Koropets Secondary School), who researched the life of Viktor Bilak, whose words before leaving for the front became his last will and testament: “Don’t cry—we’ll return as heroes”;
- Ilya Yatsayko (Mukachevo Gymnasium No. 9), who told the story of the brave sergeant of the 63rd Mechanized Brigade, Mykhailo Nusar (call sign “Luty”), who gave his life in the battles for Bakhmut;
- Apollinaria Veresh (Horondiv Secondary School), whose project is dedicated to the village’s youngest fallen hero—Mykhailo Motychka;
- Maria Tymko (Mukachevo Lyceum No. 8), who collected testimonies about Albert Badikov, a volunteer with the “Aidar” Battalion who was killed in action back in August 2014.
Mariana Rubets, director of the Center for Professional Development of Educators, and the mentor teachers emphasize that this research will serve as a solid foundation for future volumes of the book about the Heroes of Transcarpathia. The district round has concluded, and the best student entries have already been submitted to the regional commission for review.
