Pupils making friends in Russia

     By Tina Allen
     View staff writer
      A number of seventh-graders at Brinley Middle School found a way to communicate with Russian children, despite the language barrier.
      What is the universal language?
      "Art," said Anna Lugovaya, a psychologist from Russia who is touring Nevada and California for six months with Victor Kozih, to work with school children in art classes and develop a pen pal program.
      In addition to Brinley, the two have visited Johnson, Sawyer and Becker middle schools, bringing with them artwork produced by Russian children -- murals, self-portraits, pets and homes, all depicting a part of Russian culture.
      "We will try today to say `hello' to Russian children, to tell them something about ourselves," Lugovaya said to the eager class ready to paint on the canvas in front of them.
      But Lugovaya and Kozih, also a psychologist and artist, are on a much deeper mission as part of their tour. The two are founders of "Children's Dreams Around the World," developed in 1997 to support the abandoned, orphaned and disabled children in Moscow. They are hoping to raise not only funds for the children, but awareness of the growing problem facing thousands of children in Moscow.
      "The government doesn't have money for special equipment, for teachers, for doctors," Lugovaya said. "But the problem is, most of those children could be rehabilitated and could be integrated back into society to become self-sufficient members of society. But without special training and teachers and special education, they can't do that. When they grow up, most of them don't have living skills, professional skills to provide self-sufficiency, and it returns them back to the streets to drugs and alcoholism."
      The tour was made possible in part through the efforts of Lions International -- both Lugovaya and Kozih are members of the Lions Club in Moscow. Club members throughout California and Nevada are providing housing, transportation and food for the two during their stay, which will culminate in June at an International Lions Club convention in San Diego.
      Esther Louie, with the Summerlin Lions Club, arranged for Lugovaya and Kozih to visit local schools.
      "When we heard about the project and they were coming to Las Vegas, our club was very happy to have them come out here," said Louie, a past president of the Los Angeles International Lions Club. "And we want to visit and spread the news about what they do, and also develop some communication between the students here and the students there."
      In addition, Lugovaya and Kozih will be bringing some of the American students' artwork back to Moscow will show it to the disadvantaged children and put it on display in a number of Russian cities. The work of the Russian children was recently exhibited at the Meadows Mall.
      Maranda Martin, 13, painted an image of herself playing basketball -- one of her favorite things to do, she said.
      "It feels good, because I get to show my work to other kids from another country," Martin said. "I'm trying my best to make it better for the Russian people to see."
      Ulises Ugues, 13, decided to draw the Luxor.
      "First I decided to draw a limo, but I wanted the kids from Russia to look at something from Las Vegas," Ugues said.
      Michael Garcia, 13, joined him with the Las Vegas theme, drawing a slot machine, complete with three lucky sevens lined up.
      Brinley art teacher Julie Wheat said the class spent time studying Russian art before Lugovaya and Kozih visited.
      "We've been talking about Marc Chagall and what it was like for him to live in the early part of the 20th century in Russia, and how it is different now," Wheat said. "His artwork isn't realistic, he uses a lot of color and it's really dreamlike. I'm trying to get kids to understand that that's art as well. It doesn't have to look real in order to be good artwork. Those are the important things. They are curious, of course, about Russian people."
      Those interested in the project or to donate can call 453-4958.