It's hard for Howard County teens to imagine schools that go without heat, running water and indoor bathrooms. And how could teachers get by on a salary of $50 to $60 a week, even if they did sell goods at a market after school?

Yet those are the conditions that Linda Storey witnessed on an educator exchange to Ukraine last month. "It was quite an eye-opener to come back to America ... when they have so little and do so much," she said.

Since her return, Storey has been sharing her experience abroad with students and fellow teachers at River Hill High School.

"When she came back, she had a lot of stories to tell," said Jiang Wei Zhu, 16, a River Hill junior. "It makes us see how lucky we are to be living in America with all of the material things that we have. People there have so little yet make so much more out of it."

Storey began planning her trip two years ago. After she was named Maryland Teacher of the Year for 2000, American Councils for International Education invited Storey to be an "educational ambassador." The instructional leader for River Hill High's English department was intrigued.

"My students are fascinated about a country that's just blossoming into democracy. So were the social studies teachers. ... It's almost looking at history in the making and trying to recall what we were like 200 years ago and all the problems that we had in establishing a constitution, finding stability and a voice," Storey said.

After two years of forms, essays and interviews, Storey won a U.S.-Eurasia Award for Excellence in Teaching and was approved for the program. Last month, she was one of seven American teachers who spent two weeks in Ukraine. In all, 30 U.S. teachers traveled to 10 former Soviet states.

A nonprofit group, American Councils organizes educational exchange programs. "For this particular program, some of the aims are to improve the teaching of English and American studies in that part of the world," program manager Catharine Cashner said, because those subjects were neglected during the Communist era.

"We're trying to get a more realistic view of American society - leveling some of the stereotypes and giving people a chance to form friendships and make contacts in that part of the world," she said.

Jiang agreed. "Once we have a teacher that goes into the country and starts to live with the people, it brings the two countries a little bit closer together," she said.

Fierce competition existed abroad to act as host for an American educator. Teachers had to submit an agenda for the visit. The town of Kherson, near the Black Sea, won the honor of being Storey's host with a packed schedule of daily school visits, lectures to professional teaching groups and sightseeing in such places as Odessa.

Storey boxed up as many books as the weight limit would allow, along with funds and gifts from River Hill's Parent Teacher Association and Boosters. For the children Storey would be meeting, her students made bookmarks decorated with original poetry.

Social studies teachers, who were hoping for information to use in their classes, were not disappointed when Storey returned.

During the exchange, a large political rally was held in Ukraine to denounce government corruption. "This is the first time in many, many years that people have rallied around a cause like this," Storey said. "Part of the mission [of educational ambassadors] was communicating that Americans feel comfortable voicing our opinions, unionizing."

Follow-up projects for River Hill students include an ecological study of the Black Sea, exchanging videotapes with a debate team in Kherson and competing in a Computer Olympiad over the Internet.

River Hill Principal Scott Pfeifer said he was supportive of Storey's trip - which meant paying for a substitute teacher during her absence - because of the opportunity for professional development. "I just think it's enriching," Pfeifer said. "You broaden your horizons when you learn about other professionals."

He said he hopes a long-term exchange program among students will result from the trip. Storey would like to take 10 students to Ukraine and have 10 Ukrainian students visit the United States.