13 Year Old’s Sculptures In Support Of Ukraine At LICM

Maimonides Park, where the Brooklyn Cyclones play, for a game between the Ukrainian national baseball team and the FDNY and NYPD.

He has created two more sculptures since. One is a nine-foot by nine-foot heart wall with blue and yellow hearts that are lit by LED lights. It includes an ultrasound motion sensor that increases the brightness of the lights as someone gets closer. The eight-inch thick wall is intentionally cracked and chipped to resemble walls of buildings that have been damaged during fighting in Ukraine.

The other sculpture, “Peace and Progress,” features white and silver hearts. White represents peace and silver is for progress. Behind the aluminum hearts is a mural with a rainbow array of hearts and a dove. Ryan noted that all of his sculptures are filled with symbolism.

Seventh-grader Ryan Hirschhorn, 13, of Massapequa was so inspired by a school Valentine’s Day art project that he has used it as the inspiration to help support people in Ukraine through a series of three sculptures he has created. With the largest of the three sculptures measuring 9 feet by 9 feet, the series, known as “Hearts for Ukraine” has helped raise more than $35,000 for medical supplies for the people of

Ukraine.

Now Ryan has been selected as the Long Island Children’s Museum’s “AdvoKid” Artist of the Month for his inspirational work lending help and support for this very important cause. The museum’s monthly series honors children who have learned to stand up against bullying or advocated for others. Ryan’s artwork will be on display at LICM through the end of January.

“I love to help people, and doing this is helping a lot of people,” Ryan said, noting that his recent charity event, combined with one last year, have collectively raised about $40,000 for Project C.U.R.E.

Ryan said that with the war in Ukraine nearing a year, he is concerned that people may have forgotten about it. He empathizes with children there who constantly leave in fear, and said it gives him perspective about the gravity of problems.

“We need to raise awareness because it’s been almost a year,” he said. “Nobody really knows what’s going on over there and we need to change that.”

Ryan’s guidance counselor, Nick Breslin, was struck by the magnitude of Ryan’s efforts, as well as his strong desire to help others.

“It’s inspiring that he wants to spread awareness for what’s going on over there,” Mr. Breslin said. “It comes from a place of wanting to help.”

As a fifth grader, Ryan and classmate Tyler Uberti teamed up with the Kids for Kids Foundation to raise more than $5,000 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. They organized a virtual polar plunge, in which participants could submit a video of themselves jumping into a body of water or doing another cold activity, then donate to St. Jude.

Park