How to choose your adult path before finishing school: the Kyiv MAN on unique success stories of the capital’s young scientists

The city information series of Open Studios “Youth Intellect for Kyiv!” has launched, organised by the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences (MAN) with the support of the city’s Department of Education and Science.

The series brings together six Open Studios devoted to the opportunities that modern educational infrastructure creates for the capital’s school students, in particular the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences as an important part of it.

The aim of the project is to create an open city platform to promote the intellectual achievements of young Kyivans and to raise the prestige of research and scientific work among schoolchildren.

This was reported during the event at the Kyivinform press centre the participants of the first edition “Growth stories begin here and now” of the Kyiv MAN Open Studios series reported.

The first edition was devoted to the main achievements of the Kyiv MAN and to the experience of its graduates, who told how their first steps in science influenced their career choice, civic engagement and personal success.

The head of the out-of-school education department of the Department of Education and Science of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (KMDA), Viktoria Tkachenko, announcing the start of the project, noted that the Kyiv MAN Open Studios are meant to promote scientific activity among schoolchildren and to present the possibilities of the capital’s educational ecosystem.

“For Kyiv’s education system, developing the intellectual potential of children and young people is one of our strategic priorities. And today, despite all the challenges of the war our country is going through, Kyiv’s education continues to work systematically to support and develop the intellectual potential of our young generation. For it is children and young people who are the future of our country, its scientific, innovative and social development. And Kyiv’s education today is a symbolic place of strength. It is a place where ideas, knowledge and intellectual potential are born,” Viktoria Tkachenko stressed.

The series “Youth Intellect for Kyiv!” — is about the joint teamwork of the capital’s educators to create an environment in which every child has the chance to realise their potential and take the first step towards their own future.

According to the director of the Kyiv MAN, candidate of chemical sciences Iryna Polishchuk, the project is meant to become a kind of “calling card” of the opportunities offered by the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences and an open platform for dialogue with young people.

“It is extremely important to me that the Minor Academy of Sciences is above all a community. Our greatest advantage is a strong environment where everyone can open up, fulfil themselves, not be afraid of making mistakes and define the paths of their future development,” Iryna Polishchuk stressed.

She also stressed that the Kyiv MAN today is not only about competitions but also an environment for developing key skills: critical thinking, communication and teamwork.

“This is not only about supplementary education — it is about the ability to look for answers. It is precisely this skill that is a competitive advantage which will help you succeed in life regardless of the chosen field,” she added.

The Kyiv MAN emphasises: the main goal is to form a generation of young people able to think, to research and to succeed, representing Kyiv and Ukraine on the international level.

The MAN graduates at the event also highlighted the role of the community that the Kyiv MAN builds, as well as the practical applications of the knowledge and experience that can be gained even before finishing school.

MAN graduate, head of a section of the Kyiv MAN and lecturer at the Kyiv School Of Economics Karen Nikiforov drew attention to the opportunities that out-of-school education provides and explained how clearly one can tell apart students who have experience of science-oriented out-of-school education from those who do not.

“First of all, it is worth noting that the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences — and I am sure, like any other regional Minor Academy of Sciences — teaches the ability to work with sources. This is not only about history sections or humanities ones, but about the fact that students very often are afraid to criticise sources. And the second thing is being able to ask questions,” Karen Nikiforov said.

Graduate of the Kyiv MAN, director of Lyceum No. 123 “Romano-Germanic” and candidate of historical sciences Ivan Popchenko told about his scientific path, which began at the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences and helped him become a specialist and teacher.

“In the 11th grade I became the result of effective career-guidance cooperation between a general secondary school and the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences. They supported me, saw me and guided me,” Ivan Popchenko explained.

He also stressed that the MAN is not a competition but a window of opportunities to plan the future.

“The Kyiv MAN and the Minor Academy of Sciences as a whole are not about sport, not about a contest, not about competition. They are about experience and about your path into the future,” Ivan Popchenko said.

The head of the KNUBA Veterans Institute, doctor of philosophy in natural sciences Artem Honcharenko noted that from his own example he can prove the existence of a direct link between an idea, science and business.

“Only yesterday you were sitting at a school desk and were not thinking about having to earn a living. Then you entered university, adult life began and you have to earn money. That is how the stage comes when you can scale your research and, in effect, monetise your scientific work and fields,” Artem Honcharenko said.

He added that the Kyiv Minor Academy of Sciences helps to decide on a future field of activity while still at school, to try things out in order to understand what will work later and what will not.

In turn, graduate of the Kyiv MAN, student Anastasiia Kostenko shared that it was precisely her participation in the “Educational Ambassador” contest that became an important stage in her development.

“This contest gave me a push: I found mentors, gained experience of public speaking and began to be more active in civic work. The Kyiv MAN supported me and gave me the chance to present my ideas at the city level,” she said.

In her words, the experience gained at the MAN became the basis for her further development — from taking part in youth initiatives to studying at university.

“What I gained at the Kyiv MAN became my foundation. I came to university already understanding what I want and where to move next,” noted Anastasiia Kostenko, who now studies at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and works on research in education and innovation.

“Take this small step — and in time you will see how it turns into a great path. The Kyiv MAN helps you find yourself and your direction,” Anastasiia Kostenko concluded.

At the next meetings within the Kyiv MAN Open Studios series, one will be able to learn about resources, partnerships, educational tools and opportunities for schoolchildren starting their path in science, about the research-defence contest, the features of the olympiad movement, as well as preparation for international intellectual competitions.

Announcements of the Kyiv MAN’s upcoming events, and the full video of the first meeting within the open studios series can be seen on the Kyivinform channel on Youtube: