Kyrylo’s Journey at AAS Sofia

You might recognize Kyrylo from his recent emceeing at the CEESA Conference in Sofia, but he hasn’t always lived in Sofia. In 2022, Kyrylo’s life took an unexpected turn when his family was forced to flee Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Arriving at the Anglo-American School of Sofia (AAS) as a 9th grader, he faced the daunting challenge of integrating into a new culture with very limited English. Today, he stands as a recipient of the prestigious Margaret Sanders Award, a testament to his persistence, character, and vision for a more sustainable future in aerospace engineering. 

Upon his arrival, Kyrylo found that his limited English made it difficult to connect with his peers. Rather than being discouraged, he approached the barrier with the mindset of an engineer. 

“I created a system for myself. I did extra work outside of school, learned new words every day, and tried to translate and remember phrases my classmates used”. 

This self-driven system worked – he eventually became comfortable enough to not only succeed academically but to lead and inspire within the AAS community. 

Kyrylo recently received the Margaret Sanders Award, which honors students who demonstrate resourcefulness and an acceptance of diverse perspectives. For Kyrylo, building a community isn’t just about fitting in—it’s about embracing what makes everyone different. He believes a strong community arises when people accept differences and turn them into advantages. ‘Opportunities to be kind appear every day’, Kyrylo notes and admits that this philosophy helped him expand his circle of friends. 

As a child, Kyrylo dreamt of becoming a pilot, but as he grew, his dream evolved into a passion for Aerospace Engineering. His focus is now on designing aeroplanes and more specifically making flying more environmentally friendly. 

While Kyrylo is an academically rigorous student, he is also a passionate dancer for over 10 years, using dance as his favorite way to express emotions and maintain physical health. At AAS, he learned that he didn’t have to choose between being a “science person” and an “arts person”. 

“I’ve learned in the past few years that I can develop in many different areas at the same time and it is not necessary to just focus on one thing at a time,” Kyrylo concludes, before adding “take advantage of all the opportunities school offers you and follow what you love”.