Kochanova pays working visit to Polotsk

The name of Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Vasily Margelov, who commanded the Airborne Forces, has been given to Secondary School No. 15 in Novopolotsk. The solemn ceremony took place today, BELTA correspondent reports.

The ceremony was a long-awaited event for more than 400 students of the school, its teaching staff, and administration. Great preparatory work was done here: a thematic project was launched, during which each class, following specially assigned tasks, studied the hero's biography, visited memorial sites related to him and other memorable places. The students presented the results in the form of an oral journal, and later at the solemn event, each class reported on its work.

"From the first mention in 1812 to the present day, Borovukha (a microdistrict of Novopolotsk where the school is located. - BELTA note) has rightfully been considered the center of military glory, a place of service for generations of many Soviet soldiers. Children, heirs from military families, study at our school. Therefore, education based on the example of the legendary person, warrior, and patriot Vasily Filippovich Margelov will become an important part of the common cause of educating a person, a citizen, a patriot of our country," said the school principal Irina Vasilenko.

Today, a military-patriotic club "Sineva" operates at the educational institution, and a special interest group for young border guards has been opened on the basis of one of the classes.

Pupils and teachers of the school shared their celebration with distinguished guests. Among them was State Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Volfovich, who had previously participated in the unveiling of a memorial plaque near the school in honor of paratroopers and the crew of an Il-76 aircraft who heroically died on December 25, 1979, near Kabul. Also attending the solemn event were representatives of the city organization of the public association "Belarusian Union of War Veterans of Afghanistan," guests from Russia, pupils of the city's military-patriotic clubs, and a delegation from Secondary School No. 18 named after Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Vasily Margelov, from Pskov.

"Every generation of Borovukha residents proudly carries the memories and history of the military glory of Borovukha-1. There is practically no family here that is not somehow connected with service in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, the Republic of Belarus, or the Russian Federation. We cherish the historical heritage, which is of immense value to us, our common property. We are obliged to pass this truthful history from generation to generation," noted Dmitry Demidov, Chairman of the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee.

According to him, a great responsibility rests on the shoulders of the younger generation today: "I am confident that they (the pupils. - BELTA's note) will become worthy citizens of the country, ensure its independence, sovereign development, and, in turn, will also pass on this sacred memory to their own children and grandchildren."

During the ceremony of naming the school after the Hero of the Soviet Union, the director of the institution was presented with a miniature bust of Vasily Margelov.

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