Annetta fifth-grader thrives after migrating

Masha Kupchynsky plans to visit Ukraine in the future, but for now, Aledo is home.

There’s no place like home, and now Masha Kupchynsky has two. Except one is more than 6,000 miles away.

Masha’s family immigrated to the U.S. in May when safety and instability from the war became an urgent concern near her Ukrainian home. She bonded well with friends in fourth grade at Annetta Elementary School and is now a savvy fifth grader.

“She is going to stay in fifth grade forever,” joked her homeroom teacher and math instructor, Emily Emerson. “We are going to keep her forever. We’re not going to let her go.”

Masha misses her home dearly and communicates with Ukrainian friends, but has made many friends in school and at home in Aledo. For now, her family intends to stay in the U.S. and visit Ukraine regularly when it is safe.

Her family traveled through Europe with stays in Belgium and The Netherlands long enough for her to attend classes there. In the Netherlands, she picked up a tiny bit of French to go with Ukrainian, English and Russian, which she speaks fluently.

Masha Kupchynsky’s home room teacher, Emily Emerson, says Masha is so enjoyable they want to keep her forever.

The student is a joy to speak with. Masha is cheerful, witty, and spontaneous to the point one may not know if she is kidding or not. Sitting in the lobby outside her class for an interview with The Community News, she asked, “Are you going to take my picture?”

“Yes, I am.”

Masha dashed back into her classroom and announced, “Hey, everybody! We’re all going to have our  picture taken for the paper!”

Masha enjoys music, art, and dance, which she studied five years in Ukraine. When asked what message she would share with others, she admonishes, “Be happy. Enjoy life.”