It is said that big changes take years, but sometimes it only takes 14 days to turn your world upside down (in the best sense of the word).
Today, I want to do more than just write “thank you” (although you will see that word quite a few times), I want to share the warmth that I am feeling now after the completion of our incredible Svitlo Alumni Summer Programme.
I will start with those who created this: Yuliya Kosko, Daria Polischuk, Oleksandra Petrova, Ruth Darell, Weedie Sisson, Violeta Loziuk, Maya Flett, Heather Rhodes and everyone who did it for us. Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity. There is no other camp program like this—it is a unique combination of knowledge, emotions, and support. These are such valuable opportunities! (Often, I don't even know how to thank you because you do so much for us.) Every day, you put a piece of yourselves into filling our lives with light.
Just in case you haven't seen how eventful our schedule was, here's a link:
Wow!!! Over these two weeks, our horizons have broadened so much, we have learned many important things, gained a lot of new knowledge every day, and at the same time accumulated numerous thoughts and ideas that we are now diligently putting into practice. We have grown. We have grown in our thoughts, dreams, goals, and actions. Words: "You can do it! Ask questions! Yes, I will tell and show you everything now. Well done! I will help you! What else would you like to know? Wow, what interesting goals you have! Yes, I agree. Here's some advice from me. So many questions, class! I'm thrilled! You can do it!
How do you feel after reading these quotes?
I am sure that we felt and still feel the same: inspiration, support, humanity, openness, joy, help, respect, and faith. These quotes seem to bring smiles to our faces.
We immersed ourselves in the worlds of many different companies, and each one gave us this: shining eyes. We met incredible people. People who have already reached the top sincerely shared their experiences, gave valuable advice, and truly wanted to inspire us to move forward and never give up. This is knowledge that you will not find in any textbooks. This is knowledge that was given to us face to face. Do you know what impressed us the most? It was that they also thanked us for visiting — it was so touching it brought tears to our eyes!
And do you know who else we saw?
Our TEACHERS!!! Michael O’Toole, MJ Krogman, Mark Fraser, Irina Bednaya, Christine Stanley, Valya Korabelnikova and Zoe, Kate Myers, Philippa Hunt, Peter Gaskell, Cameron Nielsen, Anthony Boutall. You are teachers we could have only dreamt about. Thank you and meet at the lessons!
Thank you YMCA, Heatherwick Studio, UCL, Farrer and Co, Cannon, Accenture, Gensler, Bloomberg, House of Parliament, Coutts, Wedlake Bell, Barbican Centre, EBRD, LinkedIn, Google, Foresight, GSL, KINOcourse, Sky Garden, Shard, Cream Dream, Eli&n, London Zoo
We are deeply grateful to each and every one of you!
And now even more warm reviews from students and photos:
“It was a special experience for me because it was the first time I was able to meet offline with people I had previously only communicated with online. Seeing them in person was incredibly valuable and very heartwarming.
I also met many people from the Svitlo community whom I had not known before, as well as professionals from various fields. Their stories and experiences greatly expanded my vision of opportunities and my own path.
The program was rich and interesting: workshops, lectures, professional visits, and communication with experts. All this happened just when thoughts about my future career became particularly important.
In addition to learning, there was London, cultural events, travel, deep conversations, and a strong sense of community. Overall, this camp was not just a trip for me, but a truly inspiring and much-needed stage in my growth”.
"In August 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to visit England and study for two weeks at the International House language school in London🥹. It is hard to describe the emotions that fill me when remembering this trip💓💓. For me, Svitlo School is more than just an online school🎓 - it is a lifestyle and a family🥰. I am so happy that I was able to meet my Svitlo classmates in person💡, along with the teachers and everyone who creates incredible opportunities for us, shares their experience and knowledge, and becomes mentors and good friends to us🤗. In London, I kept thinking about how lucky I was to find and become a part of the Svitlo community.
The time spent in England broadened my horizons and gave me unforgettable moments. Watching the play 'The Great Gatsby' at the London Coliseum, visiting the Bloomberg company, the Barbican art center, a photography workshop by KINOcourse, and much more😍😍. All of this brought me inspiration, motivation, and energy before starting a new stage of life at university. I am sincerely grateful to Svitlo for making our dreams come true and for friends from all over the world!🫂🫶🏻🫶🏻"
“The Svitlo Alumni Camp became one of the best experiences of my life: it enhanced my understanding not only of my future profession through visits to various companies, but also of other career opportunities that surround us and could be combined with my chosen occupation. I must mention how the visits to the law firms turned out to be an exceptional experience. As a law student with a specialization in Ukrainian civil law, learning the British system of law was of paramount importance. Moreover, one of my most cherished expectations about the 2026 Svitlo Alumni Camp is visiting not only law firms, but other institutions such as courts!
I must mention how meaningful and unforgettable was this experience to me. The opportunity to meet one's favourite teacher in person is truly astonishing! Meeting MJ, who travelled all the way from the United States, became one of the highlights of that summer. I would also like to mention Christine, Mark, Valya, Irina, Michael, and especially Weedie and Maya whose warmth, openness, and sincerity made meeting them an absolute pleasure to me!”
"First of all, I would like to start with my feelings at the moment I first joined Svitlo School and when Daria called me with the invitation to the camp in London. They were identical: those moments were filled with anticipation, a great deal of emotion, and new information. But I knew that a lot of positivity and impressive moments awaited me, and that has absolutely been the case.
At that moment, a dream of my inner child came true: I arrived in the country I used to learn about in English lessons and read texts about as a child. I had the opportunity to see with my own eyes and visit the places I had previously only looked at on the pages of books.
However, I not only achieved that dream. Thanks to Svitlo, the work of volunteer teachers, founders, and everyone else who contributes to the development of the school, I now have the opportunity to learn and grow as a teacher, as well as improve my English in general. For this, I am incredibly grateful to Svitlo: for the opportunity to fulfill my dream, become more confident in myself, and meet many incredible people. For me, this is not just a school, it is a place of strength and inspiration, where incredibly smart and talented people gather, where everyone has their own interests, opinions, and positions. I am happy to be a part of this puzzle, which becomes more and more complete with each semester✨💕🩷"
