Ukrainian student who fled Noreside achieves 625 points in Leaving Cert - Kilkenny Live Highlights 2024

Taya Korenska and her mother Olena fled the war in Ukraine two years ago, eventually driving 3,000 miles from their home in Ukraine to North Kilkenny, where they settled.

Taya started Castlecomer Community School (CCS) shortly after landing in Kilkenny, and had very little English.

Incredibly, she went on to receive an unprecedented result in her Leaving Certificate, earning the maximum 625 points.

READ ALSO: Kilkenny school celebrating 'exceptional' Leaving Cert results

Over the two years Taya was in CCS, the school really helped her integrate and Taya has expressed her delight with the support she has received from the teachers and her fellow students.

Principal of CCS, Pat Murphy, has also expressed his delight about Taya’s result and praised her work ethic since she arrived in the school.

"We are extremely proud of the results that Taya got," he told Kilkenny Live.

"We knew early in her school career that if she got the right support and worked hard, she would achieve exceptional
results. It goes to show what can be done with hard work and determination."

Pat also recalled some fond memories of Taya in the school.

"She was the first Ukrainian student in CCS," he said. "Any time a new Ukrainian family arrived I would ask her to interpret. I also found her to be very generous of her time and had compassionate to her fellow students.

"I know that she will have an exceptional and professional academic career ahead of her."

Taya’s mother Olena has expressed her own profound gratitude for the 'unbelievable support from teachers and staff in Castlecomer Community School'.

Last year, Taya sat the equivalent of the Leaving Certificate in Ukraine, but she felt that with all the support and the friendly atmosphere in CCS that she wanted to stay in the Irish system for another year to complete the Leaving Certificate.

She was subsequently overjoyed with the news that she got her first choice college course in Biomedical Engineering in DCU and is grateful to be a recipient of The Abbott Scholarship: No Mind Left Behind.

Taya also has a great interest in poetry and in her own words: "Any seed needs nourishment no matter how beautiful it can potentially be. This school was water, soil, sun and oxygen necessary for me to bloom."

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