01 May 2026
A new educational tradition has been established in the Cherkasy region: the “Young Teacher’s Oscar,” a regional competition for young educators (with 1–5 years of experience). The initiative brought together active, progressive teachers who are open to innovation and professional development.
The initiative was implemented with the support of the Department of Education and Science of the Cherkasy Regional State Administration. Co-organizers included the Cherkasy Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, the Foundation for Educational Initiatives, and the NGO “Professional Association of Educators.” The STEAM Train Training Center served as a partner for the event.
The competition consisted of two stages:
1. A remote stage, involving the presentation of the participants’ own work on integrating STEM approaches and AI into the educational process.
2. A final stage, which featured 15 educators from the region’s territorial communities and took place on April 27–28, 2026. During this stage, participants presented their own original, modern teaching methodologies, as well as practical case studies on the use of innovative technologies.
The winners of the competition were announced as follows:
— In the “Youth Olympus” category (1–3 years of experience): Serhii Serhiiovych Stetsiuk, a Computer Science and STEM teacher at Cherkasy Gymnasium No. 9 (named after O.M. Lutsenko).
— In the “Code of Mastery” category (4–5 years of experience): Yuliana Olehivna Krut, an English language teacher at Smila General Secondary School No. 10. — The Grand Prix was awarded to Anastasiia Olehivna Butsenko, a teacher of Ukrainian language and literature at the S.D. Skliarenko Zolotonosha Gymnasium.
The overall winner received the Oleksandr Zakharenko Prize (named after the Ukrainian educator, Academician of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, and principal of an experimental school in the village of Sakhnivka, Cherkasy region)—a recognition of her high level of professionalism and innovative thinking.
Special awards from our Foundation (laptops) were presented to educators who proposed unconventional solutions for the teaching process and creative approaches to the implementation of AI:
— Vitalina Serhiivna Postoienko, a teacher of History and Civic Education at Cherkasy General Education School No. 19;
— Vladyslav Anatoliiovych Bondarenko, a Physics and STEM teacher at the T.H. Shevchenko Cherkasy Specialized School No. 28;
— Olena Yuriivna Serdiuk, a primary school teacher at Uman Gymnasium No. 11.
All finalists received all-in-one desktop computers as a gift from the Scottish organization Reusing IT, while the category winners and the Grand Prix recipient were awarded electric bicycles.
The competition served as an important step in supporting young educators and fostering the development of innovative education in the region. The “Foundation for Educational Initiatives” Charitable Foundation continues to work on creating opportunities for the professional growth of educators, as well as implementing STEM approaches and AI in education!
