On Fifth Month 31st, 2026, Solebury Meeting welcomed five people to Meeting from Light the Minds.
Light the Minds was created five years ago by Gene Gateniuk and his wife Anna Iskaova to assist students to escape the war in Ukraine and continue their education in a safe environment. Four of the beneficiaries of Light the Minds visited with Gene, and the students – Stacy and Andrii from Solebury School, Klim from Lincoln Academy (in Newcastle, Maine, who participated virtually), and Rustam from Penn State (after having spent three years at Solebury) – spoke of what their time and experiences in America have meant to them. Solebury Meeting has provided some financial assistance to Light the Minds, in support of those attending our neighbor, Solebury School. Their presentation was followed by a social gathering in our Education Building, where many were able to ask the Ukranians more about their journeys, several people explored LTM more deeply with Gene, and many folks left donations to support Gene and Anna’s work.
Gene graduated from George School in 2001. He created his organization’s name as a tip of the hat to George School, whose motto is Mind the Light. Light the Mind’s mission is “to empower students with opportunities to study, lear and develop as scholars, to become faithful stewards of a peaceful world.” (Sounds like he went to George School, no?)
If you’d like to learn more about Light the Minds, please visit lighttheminds.org. And if you are so inclined this humanitarian work, which brings good people from different parts of the world, closer, there is a DONATE button on the site’s home page.
Here is a thank-you to Solebury Friends Meeting from Gene. (Note: Margaret Mead was a Buckingham Friends School graduate.)
Dear Friends and friends!
Over the last week, I have attended a few Commencements (and a number of other celebratory events) to see three of the Light The Minds students – Stacey, Andrii and Klim – whom some of you had a chance to meet (virtually or in person) on May 31st, completing their secondary education journey. As I was looking at the students receiving their diplomas and heading to the next chapter of their lives, a quote from Margaret Mead kept coming to my mind:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Thank you for the opportunity to speak about the mission of our organization and share some of the experiences our students have had thanks to the support from Solebury Meeting. While your support may not have changed the entire world, it certainly transformed the lives of these young men and women.
In friendship,
-
Gene Gatneiuk
