The second offsite “Zminotvortsi” camp took place
From January 9 to 12, our second offsite camp was held in the Carpathians, bringing together over 50 Zminotvortsi participants for several days of additional learning.
The first day began with a team quest, during which teenagers completed various challenges focused on teamwork and quick thinking.
Later, we explored the mountains and hiked to a nearby peak.
Vladyslav Sasin, teacher of the “State and Politics” course, led a session on nation-building, where participants even baked bread together.
One of the participants shared:
Analogies help me understand the topic better
Changemaker
On the second day, Vladyslav Bolsun, teacher of the “Business” course, talked about the importance of creativity, how it works, and how to develop it. Teams brainstormed project ideas aimed at promoting Ukrainian identity.
Tymur Demchuk, curator of the “State and Politics” course, discussed democratic and authoritarian regimes and their features. Participants also evaluated the level of democracy in Ukraine and compared it to other countries.
Under the guidance of Olha Hordiienko, teacher of the “Art” course, teams designed their board games like “Homeward”, “Snowmobile”, “Ukrainian Stories from Under the Snow”, “All-Seeing Eye”, and “State”. Later, everyone tested the games during a board game night.
Petro Chornomorets, Zminotvortsi’s methodologist, conducted the “Happiness Simulator.” Since there is no universal recipe for happiness, participants explored the complexity of this concept to build their lives more consciously.
We also held our traditional “Ordinary People’s Lives” session, where our team answered participants’ questions about adult life, teenage fears, challenges, and even some personal ones 😉
The third day was equally engaging, with three workshops from our course teachers.
Mykola Malukha, curator of the “Economics” course, discussed ideas for Ukraine’s economic recovery. Using candy as an interactive tool, students explored different areas of government spending.
With Mariia Didenko, teacher of the “Relationships” course, participants explored the causes of conflicts and learned healthy ways to resolve them.
Olena Solianyk, curator of the “Environment” course, talked about nuclear safety and energy in Ukraine and other countries.
We were also joined by Lesia Klymenko, co-founder of the "Aurora" retail chain, who led a workshop on starting a career during teenage years.
We hosted a dance party to celebrate the end of the camp!
On the final day, Vladyslav Hreziev, co-founder of our educational system, led a session on Ukraine’s future. We discussed what lies ahead and addressed common misconceptions about the country’s development.
We wrapped the camp in a warm circle, sharing reflections on these unforgettable four days filled with smiles, hugs, new knowledge, dancing, and even snowball fights.
Thanks to our partners, ERSTE Foundation, Ukrnafta, KABANOSY, and Humanitarian Nova Poshta, for helping us create unforgettable memories for teenagers from all over Ukraine.
