Olya Schenky, Wayland High School foreign exchange student from Ukraine, has left her home country.
In a message to American mother Connie VanHouten, she wrote, “Well, today I will finally sleep in a place that is safe! I managed to get out of Ukraine. Many hours were spent on the border, but now I feel a relief.
“Unfortunately, at the same time I am very worried about my family who remain there and tomorrow I want to discuss possible options to get them out from there!”
Schenky, who was a student at Wayland during the 2015-16 academic year, has been sending dispatches from her home country since late last week when Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine because it is increasingly adopting democratic values and pro-West policies.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bruce Sexton, a local dentist, has reported that Alice, who stayed with his family while here from Ukraine, has successfully moved to Poland to get out of harm’s way.
COVER PHOTO: Olya Schenky (left), shown with her American mother, Connie VanHouten, just before she graduate from Wayland High School and returned to her native Ukraine.
