Inspiring Educators: The Faces Shaping Our City

Every day, hundreds of talented individuals walk among us. Some grace the covers of magazines, others make headlines or trend on social media. There are also those we may not know personally but are renowned in their fields, sparking conversations over coffee. These individuals are the faces of our city. We are launching a photo project titled “Faces of the City” to showcase those who transform our city and inspire its residents daily. Our first feature focuses on educators—those who guide us through life’s stages, nurture our talents, and teach us to be better humans.

Zoya Belokhvostik

Zoya Belokhvostik is a People’s Artist of the Republic of Belarus and a leading actress at the National Academic Drama Theater named after Y. Kupala. She teaches acting and serves as the artistic director of the drama theater and cinema actors’ course at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts.

“I never planned to teach, but I have been doing it for 20 years now. The Academy of Arts is my alma mater. I once studied within its walls and was later invited by my mentor, Lidia Alekseevna Manakova, to teach here. It is crucial for me to continue and enrich the history of this place. Starting was challenging: finding my approach and teaching style. Teaching is not easy; you need to educate, help, instill skills, discover and reveal individuality, and uncover new facets of a person. My main secret as a teacher is to help students in the way I wished I had been helped during my time.”

“The face of the city is, first and foremost, an educated person. Whether a creative individual or a scientific intellectual, it is someone young who has already made a name for themselves. A face that carries the burden of significant professional activity, works hard, sets clear goals, and achieves them. And does so not only for themselves but for others as well.”

Natalia Tamelo

Natalia Tamelo is a Merited Artist of the Republic of Belarus and a soloist with the Merited Collective “National Academic Concert Orchestra of Belarus” under the direction of Mikhail Finberg. She has been in the music sphere for 27 years.

She teaches vocal mastery at the Producer Center “SPAMASH.”

“I have been teaching for a long time. Among my students are participants of the International Children’s Song Contest “Eurovision” and the Russian TV project “The Voice. Kids.” I have developed my own method for teaching pop vocals. It is interesting for me when the person I am teaching is interested. I am curious about what they will bring to the stage. And it is important for me to make a person an artist. My main secret as a teacher is to love my student. If I love them, I will give them everything!”

“The face of the city is someone who always remains human in the broadest sense of the word. Loving, kind, and well-mannered. After all, love saves everything! And may every person be like that.”

Yulia Yakovenko

Yulia Yakovenko was named the Best Young Educator of Minsk in 2018 (according to the results of the professional skills competition “Capital Teacher – Capital Education”).

She teaches physics at the Minsk State Professional Technical College of Light Industry and Consumer Services.

“I have been working as an educator for four years and come from a pedagogical dynasty (a teacher in the fourth generation). So, pedagogy is probably in my blood. My main hobby is testing the laws of physics through personal experience. For example, hydro mechanics for me is not just a section of physics but a hobby that has become a lifestyle. My main secret as a teacher is to teach students how to learn. I try to make my lessons memorable by demonstrating physical experiments (where possible) and make physics understandable, interesting, and, most importantly, useful for modern students.”

“The face of the city is a person with an active life position who genuinely loves their city. I want modern residents of Minsk to be happy people: doing what they love and loving what they do. Then, together, we can develop and improve our beloved city with acceleration, in geometric progression, and most importantly, with smiles on our faces. And everything will work out naturally for us, even without the appropriate physical and mathematical formulas, and our life itself will be a formula for success!”

Hanna Sevyarynets

Hanna Sevyarynets is a writer, blogger, and researcher of Belarusian literature.

She teaches Russian language and literature at the Smalyavichka District Gymnasium.

“I have been working as a teacher for over 15 years. I have always wanted to be a teacher, stand at the blackboard, tell interesting stories, talk about life, and visit museums with students. Of course, the example of my parents was important here: both my father and mother are teachers. They loved teaching and often shared funny and difficult stories from school life. My main secret as a teacher is that I love being in the school environment. I love washing the blackboard, sitting in the teachers’ room, and listening to general conversations. I love greeting the children at the door. I love walking down the hallway when the bell rings and taking the journal off the shelf. I love teaching lessons. The school environment is like that thorn bush for the rabbit—it is my real home.”

“The face of the city is modern, relaxed boys and girls, with stylish tattoos or without, in cool unexpected outfits or adhering to the official dress code, on bicycles or on foot. These are active, tireless volunteers who are always eager to go somewhere and do something. It is a mother with children and a grandmother in a hat. Each of us embodies one or another component of this colorful city.”

Dina Tytyuk

Dina Tytyuk is an associate professor at the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, a director, a consultant for radio and television, and an author of articles on voice and style.

She teaches stage disciplines, etiquette, speech culture, and acting.

“I have been teaching for about 40 years. I started my pedagogical career with directing and acting. Then, after graduating from the St. Petersburg Academy of Theater Arts, my focus shifted to stage speech. For many years, I was a speech consultant for radio and television: I prepared teams of hosts for radio “Yunistar,” TV channel, and radio ONT. My main secret as a teacher can be expressed as follows: ‘Students can do whatever they want. But they should want what the teacher desires.’ And, of course, the main thing is to find and reveal the student’s individuality, to awaken hidden potential, and not just teach a craft. After all, every artist is a craftsman, but not every craftsman is an artist.”

“The face of the city is a person who does something every day to make their city and its people a little better, more beautiful, and more perfect. After all, in reality, everyone in their place does something necessary and important every day, without loud words and false pathos.”

For more information on inspiring educators, visit National Education Association.