Field Notes from Vinnytsya — November 2025

Jack has returned to Ukraine, continuing the work he began earlier this year. As he travels across the country to visit the artists, educators, and students supported by Ukraine Freedom School, these new dispatches offer a firsthand look at the resilience, creativity, and compassion that persist in a nation still at war.

My first five days in Ukraine this November have been spent in the city of Vinnytsya. During this time, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the earliest phase of the new special-needs school we’re helping bring to life.

The school’s working name is “Mountain.” It doesn’t yet have an official title—Ukrainian registration is a slow, bureaucratic tangle—but its mission is clear. Its subtitle will be Ukraine Freedom School, and once registration is complete, we’ll be able to add our logo alongside theirs.

There are currently five students, and after spending time observing classes, I can say with confidence that at least two of them are exceptionally bright. One is autistic; others fall along the ADHD spectrum. Their teacher, Victoria, is talented, hard-working, endlessly patient, and remarkably compassionate. She is the anchor of this tiny, determined community.

Today I attended a conference for parents, teachers, and students with special needs. It was an inspiring gathering of people on the front lines of supporting children who have been displaced by war, who have unique learning needs, and who often have extraordinary talents. One student performed a beautiful piano piece; another read an original poem that stopped the room.

I also captured a short video of Eugenia, the director of the school we are helping to sponsor. Her emotion as she spoke moved everyone present.

Outside of school visits, I’ve spent time with local friends—mostly millennials who speak English impressively well. One of their more unexpected tools for language practice is Better Call Saul, which they say is a favorite for learning advanced conversational English.

Tomorrow I’ll visit the orphanage where our very first program began, and then travel to Lviv to meet with Ben, Marianne, and the others teaching English at the care center there. That program focuses on foster children in Ukraine’s westernmost major city.

Later in the week, I’ll pass back through Vinnytsya on my way to Kyiv and Kharkiv. Air strikes have increased in the west recently, but Vinnytsya remains one of the safer cities in the country, and many families have relocated here to maintain some sense of normal life during the war.

There is so much more to share, but this is where I will begin.I’ll continue the story soon.

Thank you, as always, for your support and encouragement.