Fourth grade students in David Levine’s class at Dorchester’s Neighborhood House Charter School (NHCS) created care packages and cards including phrases in Ukrainian Cyrillic to express their solidarity with the people of Ukraine in recent weeks.

Levine, who has a background in Russian and Soviet studies, teaches ELA and Social Studies and is a 2018 recipient of the Sherry M. Leventhal Award for New Teaching Excellence, an annual NHCS award for excellent educators with less than three years of teaching experience.

“I feel it is important to connect curricula with the world at large whenever possible,” said Levine. “This was a perfect opportunity to engage students in a topic they were interested in. Their questions were thoughtful and appropriately curious.”

Aylani Boykins of Dorchester shows a card she created, including phrases in Ukrainian Cyrillic.

The care packages —including pencils, crayons, markers, notebooks, and other educational materials— were sent to the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C., along with a letter from Levine to the Ukrainian Ambassador.

“I want to remind the kids in Ukraine that even though the war is happening, they have to be brave and have hope,” said Alasia Des Vignes, one of Mr. Levine’s 4th grade students.