Andriy Y. has always been interested in the intersection of history, culture, and music. Growing up in a family of professional musicians, ethnomusicology caught his eye early on. As such, he started learning how folklore and oral tradition shape cultures. He became especially interested in the bandura, a Ukrainian folk instrument, and its significant role in Ukrainian culture. An innate scholar and devoted learner, Andriy began to dive deeper into the plucked-string instrument and its cultural influences, eventually initiating a cultural preservation project of a Ukrainian diaspora periodical called the Bandura Magazine, which was published in New York from 1981 to 2002.
“Believing that this magazine was unjustly forgotten, I started digitizing its 78 issues and created a Facebook group to make them publicly accessible,” explains Andriy. “I began by writing some papers on different topics related to the magazine’s impact on the development of the Ukrainian diaspora worldwide. I was delighted that the global Ukrainian and bandurist community enthusiastically responded to my project.”
Andriy’s project was met with more than enthusiasm – it even caught the attention of the head of the Journalism Department at Lviv Polytechnic National University in Lviv, Ukraine.
“Prof. Haladzhun asked me to do a collaborative project to emphasize the magazine’s role in the diaspora press. So, I created a 93-page catalog, describing all 78 issues of the magazine and listing their typological features. Additionally, in collaboration with the Sacramento Academy of Music Arts and Lviv Polytechnic National University, I wrote a research paper, which was published in the Lviv Polytechnic National University journal.”
*Zoryana Haladzhun of Lviv Polytechnic National University and Alina Ilchuk of Sacramento Academy of Musical Arts were co-authors of the research paper.
Andriy’s academic appetite has only grown since enrolling in the University Prep Early College program at Visions, a decision he made two years ago based on a desire to find an accredited distance learning option and a school that would allow him to get ahead in his education. Andriy now has a 4.39 GPA, has completed 46 units through concurrent enrollment at Santa Monica College, and is well on his way to his college education and future career path.
“I want to give Visions, and particularly Mrs. Wetzel and Mrs. Winalski, a huge thank you. Throughout my high school experience, they have truly been blessings, and I could always contact them for support,” Andriy shares. “Consulting Mrs. Winalski, in particular, was always a fantastic experience. She would give me the time I needed, regardless of whether our planned time was up, and guided me throughout the past two years. I simply would not have been where I am now without these educators’ support. They have made my past two years as productive as possible and have been the best guides I could have ever asked for.”
Andriy is proud to say that he’s headed to Los Angeles in the fall to study political science at the University of Southern California. Before setting off from home, Andriy will be enjoying his hobbies of photography (specifically aviation photography), biking, taekwondo, and reading, and of course setting his sights on his next major milestone – graduation.
“Visions allowed me to explore my interests by giving me a flexible schedule,” says Andriy. “At a traditional high school, I was doing the same amount of work, yet I had nearly no time for my personal interests. If you want to use your time usefully during high school, switch to Visions!”
