6/23/98

Contacts:
David Acker, ISU International Ag Programs, 515/294-8454
Susan Thompson, Agriculture Information, 515/294-0705
Dianne Blackmer, Jefferson-Scranton Community School, 515/386-2188
Gary Schnellert, Northeast Hamilton Community School, 515/325-6202
John Dotson, Wall Lake View Auburn Community School, 712/657-2488

IOWA AND UKRAINE COOPERATE ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT EXCHANGE

AMES, Iowa -- Twenty-eight students from three Iowa high schools returned June 23 after spending three weeks in Ukraine. The students, accompanied by ten teachers, were from Northeast Hamilton at Blairsburg, Wall Lake View Auburn at Lake View and Jefferson-Scranton at Jefferson. The visit was the second half of an exchange program that brought 30 students and nine teachers to Iowa from Ukraine for two months this spring.

The exchange was coordinated by Iowa State University under the management of Victor Udin in ISU's International Agriculture Programs office, with assistance from Alfred Blackmer, agronomy, and Wade Miller, agricultural education and studies. School leadership came from Dianne Blackmer of Jefferson-Scranton, John Dotson of Wall Lake View Auburn and Gary Schnellert of Northeast Hamilton.

"The idea originated with the schools," says David Acker, director of ISU's International Agriculture Programs office. "They wanted to develop an exchange and asked ISU to help them learn the ropes during the first year. ISU was interested in encouraging global experiences for Iowa's future leaders."

Acker says another reason his office got involved was because of its history of close cooperation with Ukraine and a network of reliable cooperators.

The theme of the exchange was agriculture and the environment. Activities in both countries were geared to increasing the understanding of how agricultural production and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand. For instance, Alfred Blackmer, an ISU professor of agronomy, guided students as they learned about soil testing.

The Ukrainian students and teachers lived with Iowa host families during their stay, and the Iowans visited those same students and teachers while in Ukraine. "This exchange helped the Ukrainians gain a better understanding of our free market system," Acker says. "It also helped build friendships between Iowans and Ukrainians. The hospitality extended to the exchange students in both countries was outstanding."

The exchange program was supported by members of the Ukrainian American community, coordinated by Mr. and Mrs. Stefan Dwojak. The U.S. Information Agency also provided a $190,000 grant. In addition, many Iowa companies contributed to the exchange.

Ukrainian counterparts to the Iowa institutions taking part in the exchange were the National Agricultural University of Ukraine and the secondary schools of Korsun-Shevchenkivsky, Zhashkiv and Nizhyn.

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