Polonia School of Saint Stanislaus Kostka needs help!
We cordially invite you to participate in the campaign to support the Polish High School with Dormitory of the College of Saint Stanislaus Kostka in Warsaw, which implements the project “REPATRIATION through EDUCATION”.
For twenty years, the school has supported the return to Poland of over a thousand young people of Polish descent and their families from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Moldova, and the Eastern Borderlands.
Today, the facility needs its permanent headquarters to survive and continue supporting the process of repatriation of our compatriots from the East. We plan to build a new school using a modular system on the purchased real estate near Warsaw.
If you could buy a donation for this purpose – because you can! – please support us by paying the equivalent of USD 10 = PLN 40 to the account of the Foundation “For Polonia” (account number at the end of the article). The entire school community will be immensely grateful to you! We are confident that once you get to know us better you will be happy with your decision to support our school and your compatriots from Kazakhstan, Siberia, and the Borderlands.
History
The Saint Stanislaus Kostka College-High School inherits the history, memorabilia, name, and banner of the pre-war Saint Stanislaus Kostka Junior High School and Male High School in Warsaw, established in 1908, back under the partition times. It was the first school where the language of instruction could be Polish with the consent of the tsar of the Russian Empire. The school was attended by students from aristocratic and landowner families and outstanding students from bourgeois and peasant families, sponsored by wealthy parents of other students.
In 1920, after regaining independence, a boarding school was established at this location for young people from the Eastern Borderlands coming to the capital of Poland.
In the pre-war period and during the war until 1944 through clandestine classes, the school educated many outstanding Poles.
In 1994, the Alumni Association of the pre-war school, as its owner, formally and solemnly handed over the name, history, banner, and memorabilia to our High School.
Achievements
For 30 years, including over 20 years of activity for Poles in the East, the high school has educated many young people who returned to Poland from distant Kazakhstan, Moldova, Siberia, Ukraine, and Belarus. We are implementing the project of “repatriation through education” to make it easier, especially for Poles from Kazakhstan, to return to Poland with their entire families, and support their assimilation.
Our students score on the Polish language exam above the national average, even though they come with a very poor knowledge of their mother tongue. They are admitted to prestigious universities such as SGH, SGGW, UW, and UJ, making their dreams come true. Over 90% of them associate their lives with Poland. Some get scholarships abroad in the USA or Great Britain.
They are eager to look for a job right after graduation and during their studies. They are hardworking and creative. They get doctorates, set up their own businesses, and pay taxes. Many of them have already started their own families, and their children are fully Polish citizens.
Whom do we educate?
My name is Biryukova Antonina. Today, I will tell you my story: it begins with the moment when, at the age of eight, my mother took me to my first lesson at the Polish center “Polonia”, located in my hometown of Pavlodar in Kazakhstan.
I can say that, without a doubt, these were the best years of my childhood! During this time, I learned a lot about the culture and traditions of my ancestors, whose roots still echo in my life. My parents have Polish roots. My father had a great-grandmother, Olga Chabowska, born in 1900, and my mother had a grandfather, Emelyan Nikitowicz Smetanski, who was born in Vinnytsia, which previously belonged to Poland.
Unfortunately, the stories of their deportation are not known to my family, and there is no information about them in the archives. Despite these obstacles, I have always been attracted to my origin, and my historical culture, and thanks to the “Polonia Center”, Polish traditions were revived in my family!
At the beginning of my journey, I participated in the children’s creative group “Jagódki”(“Blueberries), where we gave concerts at various events in memory of the homeland of our ancestors, learned Polish together, and went to the Catholic Church for masses and holidays. I think these are my favorite childhood memories. At the age of fourteen, I joined the youth vocal and choreographic group “Narcyz” (the flower of Narcissus).
There, I began to learn Polish at a higher level and I took part in the creative life of “Polonia” in all possible ways. I performed in many cities of Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. I can proudly say that we are the best team in Kazakhstan! Many interesting things are going on in our community: for example, volunteering and sporting events, general meetings, and trips to different places.
My biggest dream was to visit the homeland of my ancestors and live my life here. Recently this dream came true. I am very happy about it and I am grateful to “Polonia” and all those who helped me in this process. With great difficulty, my sister and I managed to return to our historical homeland! Now we study at St. Stanislaus Kostka High School and live in Warsaw, in the heart of Poland!
A part of my family remained in Kazakhstan. They actively participate in the life of the “Polish diaspora” and strongly support all social movements. My brother and sister have been following in our footsteps from an early age and we hope that soon our large family will be reunited in our historic homeland – Poland.
Antonina Birukova
Development Plans for Our School
For 30 years, the school has been renting premises in various places in Warsaw. For the last 10 years, we have been at the private Medical Academy at 9 Bobrowiecka Street. The cost of rent is increasing every year. If the school is to preserve the pre-war priceless traditions and develop now, it must take a big step forward. This step will be to finally get our own place!
The “For Polonia” Foundation, which is the governing body of the High School, has leased a property in Józefów near Warsaw, which offers development prospects not only for the High School and the creation of a Polish Community Center there but also for the creation of a lively and interesting educational space for local children.
The Foundation is applying for a loan to purchase the real estate and funds for the construction of a dormitory and school in a modular system. For this purpose, we ask you to please purchase donations for the creation of the Józefów Educational Town and the Polish Diaspora Educational Center, which will serve various groups of Poles from the East and the West.
Financing mechanism
After the expansion of the acquired property and the construction of a dormitory and school in a modular system (cheaper but durable), the Polish Community Center and the school will finance:
- Tuition fees for boarding and high school for the Polish diaspora
- From the tuition fee for primary school.
- Educational activities for children: sensory therapy, preventive health classes, events for children
- Kids Club on weekends.
- Cultural events
- Summer language courses for the Polish diaspora
- Certified courses and exams for B1 and B2 organized by the Foundation
- A café for mothers run by the Foundation, promotion of healthy food.
- Kindergarten fees.
How can you support the project?
Please buy a donation for the establishment of the center, and your contribution to the loan payable to the account of the “For Polonia” Foundation.
All Donors will be honored with an entry on the Founders’ Board, which will be placed in the center.
Every week on Fridays, the Holy Mass is celebrated in the school chapel to bless our Donors.
For foreign deposits in Dollars:
Account: “For Polonia” Foundation, 9 Bobrowiecka Street, 00-728 Warsaw, Poland
IBAN PL 89 1240 6175 1787 0010 5894 0269
SWIFT (BIC) PKOPPLPW
For foreign payments in Euros:
Account: “For Polonia” Foundation, 9 Bobrowiecka Street, 00-728 Warsaw, Poland
IBAN PL 97 1240 6175 1978 0010 6849 1768
SWIFT (BIC) PKOPPLPW
