The girls’ varsity volleyball team at Syracuse’s Henninger High School is finding creative ways to raise relief funds for war-torn Ukraine. They started with a bake sale, which raised $400. Now, Coach Michelle Polsin said they’re selling t-shirts.
“The shirts say ‘Slava Ukraini.’ In Ukrainian, it means ‘glory to Ukraine.’ I was told by a Ukrainian in the district that the phrase came about in the early 1900s during one of their first revolutions to break away, and it has stuck.”
Polsin told WAER News that the team has an obvious connection to Ukraine.
“The photographer who donates his time to my team and does a professional photo shoot every year is Ukrainian. He and I have become friends. My girls wanted to do this to give back something to him for everything he does for us.”
The photographer will send the money to the Ukrainian American Youth Association. Polsin said she makes it part of her mission to make sure her athletes are more culturally aware, which isn’t too difficult in a school that has students from more than 160 countries. Junior and volleyball team member Rebecca Cowles what’s happening in Ukraine can happen almost anywhere.
“They didn’t ask for this. If we can do this, we can show any support that we can. It’s really what we’re trying to do.”
Cowles said they already sold a several shirts in just their first few hours. Anyone who wants a shirt can email coach Polsin at MPolsin@scsd.us.