Stanoje’s favorite memories from Summer School are first and foremost friends, games, and a surprise birthday celebration. We recently asked young Stanoje Kocić from the village of Binač near Vitina what else he remembers from the two summer schools he attended.
Memories from Summer School
“My impressions are wonderful because I met many new friends, saw new places… And now I remember little Boki—he stayed in my heart. I also really loved when a poet came to tell us stories. That was my favorite part.”
Stanoje Kocic
He says he brought back many beautiful memories and learned a lot. Stanoje still keeps in touch with some of his friends. This year, he moved to higher grades and now attends school in Vitina. In his home village, however, there are no peers his age.
The Only Child His Age in the Village
“There’s no one my age in the village. We only have third, second, and first graders. When we want to play football, I wait for my brother Stefan to come back from Niš.”
Only Three Fifth Graders in the Entire School
The Kocić family has four children. Stefan and Stefanija both graduated from the Faculty of Economics in Niš and now work there. Strahinja is in high school and is passionate about music. For Stanoje, his family and older siblings are his greatest support. Their love and unity help make up for the times when he feels alone.
“In Vitina, there are more of us, so it’s more fun. There are only three of us in my class, but we also hang out with others. We go out on breaks, buy snacks together—we have that freedom.”
Stanoje his older brother.
A Birthday with Summer School Friends
The “Mladen Marković” Primary School in Vitina, besides the church and a few Serbian homes, is one of the last remaining places for Serbs in the town. Still, children love their school, which keeps alive the traces of Serbian life in Vitina. For kids from surrounding villages, school is the only chance to socialize. After classes, everyone returns to their villages, so they can’t play together much—and birthdays are rarely celebrated with friends.
“It was amazing when I celebrated my birthday at summer school. They completely surprised me. One teacher asked me to step aside, I even noticed some balloons, but I didn’t think it was for me. I was so happy when they sang for me.”
When asked when he last celebrated his birthday with so many friends, he simply replied:
“I don’t remember.”
Stanoje’s birthday celebration
Football Brings Us Together
Our two-time Summer School participant says he would gladly invite everyone to join and make new friends. He remembers that they always played football in the yard and says it was a rare chance to actually have two full teams.
“There are always just a few of us here. We play, but it’s not the same. Sometimes Albanian kids our age join in—we don’t care who is who, we just want at least 10 players for two teams.”
This hardworking, curious fifth grader from Binač also attends music school. He’s an excellent student and dreams of graduating from university, just like his older siblings. Still, no matter where life takes him, he admits he always looks forward to coming back to his village, to the yard where he can see Šar Mountain, the Binačka Morava river, and the town of Vitina.
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