Trevor Ostfeld and Iryna Chernyak
Filed under: Authors
Trevor Ostfeld is an 18-year-old high school senior in New York City. In March of 2022, three weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, Trevor and his dad traveled to Poland and Ukraine to deliver humanitarian supplies and to offer support for people displaced by the war. Their group from Temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey met Iryna and Alexandra Chernyak in Warsaw. Trevor hopes that sharing Iryna's story will help people understand the impact of war on families and young children.
Trevor lives in Bergen County, New Jersey with his parents, his two younger sisters, and his dog, Rocket.
Iryna Chernyak is a 14-year-old eighth-class student in Warsaw, Poland. Until late February 2022, Iryna lived with her mom, Alexandra, in Kyiv, Ukraine. She enjoys contemporary dance and playing the guitar. Iryna hopes that her story gives people hope that even when times are tough, you should never give up.
Iryna lives in Warsaw with her mom, stepdad, her younger sister, and her cat, Messi.
Website: https://www.findingmessi.com/
Winning Entry: Finding Messi: The Miracle Cat from Kyiv
Contest Won: North Street Book Prize 2024, First Prize
