Breck student, Jack Schurtz Ford (‘23), has been partnering with the ENGin Program for a bit more than a month now. The ENGin program is a non-profit organization that pairs students ages 10-35 years old with a fluent English speaker for free. Every volunteer is placed one on one with a Ukrainian student over zoom, each with different language comprehension levels. These students  usually still live in Ukraine or Europe with hopes of seeking refuge in the United States. The main focus of these sessions is to hone English conversational skills. For Jack, these conversations can range from correcting a few minor errors to teaching basic level English. Lesson plans focus on travel, health and fitness, and many other vital topics discussed in everyday life. But these lesson plans are loosely followed in order to keep the conversation flowing naturally.   

Jack’s motivation behind his passion stemmed from his past Breck Economics course. In the midst of working on a project about Russia’s place in the economy, the war on Ukraine erupted. Jack’s interest in the Russian-Ukraine conflict grew and he wanted to help. Referred by a friend’s parents, he found the ENGin Program. 

One of his most memorable experiences was working with an eighteen-year-old Ukrainian who was top of his class, owned a clothing line, and was studying cyber security. While some avoided the topic of the war, individuals like the eighteen year old opened up. Although he was there to teach, Jack ended up learning new perspectives on Ukrainian culture and language. The ENGin Program is invaluable because it gives everyday Americans a glimpse into the lives of individuals in Ukraine. 

If you want to learn more about the ENGin Program and/or get involved, feel free to reach out to Jack.