Information Day

Every month the visitors of the WOA Center actively participate in that activity.

The main objective of that day is to raise awareness of new arrivals to the Center. It is also aims to help people to get up to date information about the United States of America.

 On that day visitors (20-25 people) could look through the books, video and audio materials on the following themes:

• History of the United States of America;
• Dictionaries (mainly Merriam Webster’s Compact Visual Dictionary);
• Books that contain information about US Exchange Programs ;

• Audio books.

Also there were presented a game «10 Days in the USA» that make the process of language learning more interesting unusual and effective.

Welcome to WOA Center in Lutsk and you won’t regret!

Ability not Disability

«First Of All We Are People» was the name of event devoted to people with disabilities. 25-30 people were present at the meeting organized by the Window on America Center in Lutsk together with public institution «Stumyl».

Both sides one being members of the public institution «Stumyl» and the other being the people with visual impairments had very informative discussion on the topic «Ability not Disability».

The audience was specifically interested in watching the documentary film «First Of All We Are People» that was borrowed from Window on America Center. Besides the paper show ABILITY NOT DISABILITY demonstrated important facts of life of Americans who must overcome considerable challenges each day in order to participate fully in all aspects of American life. After it the present audience compared Ukraine and the United States of America in regard to what steps should be done to make the life of people with visual impairments better.

Hope that meeting and working with others with similar challenges benefit people with disabilities. We always ready to organize events to encourage everyone to live comfortably and with dignity.

Games in Language Learning

13 visitors came to the Window on America Center in Lutsk to try a new way in learning English language. The audience was proposed to master language skills while playing different games.

The aim of the meeting was to make the process of learning more interesting, unusual and effective and to have sufficient oral practice in the use of the Language.

The audience was divided into two groups. Each group had 2 native speakers – the first group worked with Melissa Krut and Terry Mettison, Peace Corps Volunteers, the second one with Donimic Huether, a Peace Corps Volunteer and Christabel Bianko, a student of Volyn National University from Africa.

The visitors showed great desire to work in groups so we chose 3 appropriate board games to organize the process of working – Super Scrabble, Apples to Apples Junior and Bananagrams.

4 hours meeting was very unusual, but informative and effective. The main aim of the event – to have practice in listening, speaking and free use of language was successfully achieved.

 The visitors showed great interest in such kind of work, so we welcome everyone to join our Club and to learn English with us!

Happy President’s Day!

On February 19, 2012 the WOA visitors (23 persons) marked «President’s Day» at the Information Resource Center in Lutsk.

The meeting was divided into 2 parts. The first part – a slide-show demonstration – was devoted to customs and traditions of that holiday. We talked about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln – two US presidents born in February. Then we explored the biographies of the US presidents to learn more about the life and politics of each of them.

The second part: the audience was proposed to watch the movie «Air Force One», a thriller about the US President who was faced with the decision: give in to terrorist demands or sacrifice not only the country’s dignity, but the lives of his family.

The audience was specifically interested in talking about US presidency, mainly about president’s vision for the future. Also of great interest was talking about interesting and funny facts about US Presidents. The book exhibition «President’s Day in the USA» enlarged by the posters «Abraham Lincoln» helped the visitors of the WOA Center to get up to date information about the United States Presidents and their policy.

Community Club "Saint Valentine's Day"

The English Community Club «Saint Valentines Day» took place on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at the Window on America Center in Lutsk.

                       

13 people attended the event 4 American Peace Corps Volunteers among them. The working language was English.

The formant of the club was 20 minutes presentation about the background of the holiday, its symbols followed by 1 hour for discussion. The audience was proposed to listen to one of the most famous songs «My Funny Valentine».

Of great interest was the part of the Club devoted to the Romantic Couples that had kept love alive throughout history (Marie and Pierre Curie, Mark Antony and Cleopatra, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Bonnie and Clyde, Bred Pitt and Angelina Jolie etc.).

Melissa Krut, the American Peace Corps Volunteer led the second part of the meeting, mainly speaking activities on the topic of Saint Valentine’s Day. The members of the Club discussed relationships, healthy\unhealthy marriages, commented on the love quotations.

                              

The Community Club was held in the atmosphere of lovely communication combined with the American traditions. At the end of the meeting everyone tasted «fortune cookies» with pieces of paper with words of wisdom about love, relationship, marriage, etc. It was a very unusual interesting and «tasty » part of the Community Club meeting.                             

                     Wish you a really happy and fulfilling Valentine’s Day!

Teleconference "Jazz Music Joined Two Continents".

People say that music joins the hearts. The connecting link of that day was jazz music.

11 students of the faculty of Art of Volyn National University and 2 representatives of the Jazz Group Double Voice had a live talk with Solomia Gorokhivska, a native of Ukraine, a laureate of Ukrainian and international competitions in classical and folk music performance. As a soloist, Solomia Gorokhivska performs with Rock Creek Jazz and Gerdan as well as participates in many classical, jazz, folk, and contemporary music projects around the world.

The audience had a great chance to have a talk with Solomia, to ask questions and get answers on them.

During the teleconference one could watch video presentation made by Solomia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epVc3TI7fVA

It was devoted to the origin of jazz music, its development and as a result assimilation in Europe.

The conference was videotaped so everyone can visit WOA Center Blog http://woalutsk5.blogspot.com/ and find it at the Video Bar. Enjoy the video!

Welcome to Movie Clubs!

On Sunday 05, 2012 the Window on America Center in Lutsk gathered 28 people to watch the film Total Recall. The Movie Club was held by Melissa Krut the American Peace Corps Volunteer in Lutsk.

 The meeting was arranged the following way:

• the visitors were proposed to get acquainted with new words, to talk over their meaning;
• watching the movie;
• putting the questions and getting answers;
• the related speaking activity held by Melissa Krut.

At the end of the meeting the audience gave high scores that film that showed us their desire to visit our clubs.