Increased Participation and Improved Debate during BEST Foundation’s First Tournament of the Season 

On November 12-14, 2021, the BEST Foundation hosted its first English speech and debate tournament for this academic year. Nearly 180 high school students participated in the competition, representing schools from across Bulgaria. The tournament was held online in the interest of community health, but students still gave live performances in five events: Original Oratory, Duo Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, and World Schools Debate. The students, their coaches, and volunteer judges demonstrated extraordinary perseverance and flexibility under adverse circumstances, in addition to exemplary creativity, hard work, and talent.

Mr. Jeffrey Weinshenker, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy Sofia joined the tournament opening ceremony and addressed the students, congratulated them on participating in such a valuable experience and wished them luck. Ms. Angela Rodel from the Fulbright Commission was also a guest speaker at the event. She talked to the audience about the power of the “voice” and how that isn’t a coincidence with the upcoming election. BEST Foundation is especially grateful to the US Embassy in Sofia for their financial support, without which, these tournaments would not have been possible. BEST would also like to thank the Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission managed by Angela Rodel for their sponsorship of our Debate Summer Camp and this year’s extensive coach training, which led to improvements in students’ preparedness for the competition as well as noticeable improvement in the quality of the debate category. 

Volunteer judge Miko Dimov from Blagoevgrad said: “It has been 10 years since I judged or debated and it was such a pleasure to participate and feel the debating buzz again- congrats to all competitors and keep at it”. 

Our next tournament is on November 26, 2021 for students from the east region in Bulgaria.

FALL WEST TOURNAMENT AWARDS

Below are the names of participating teams and winners from the Fall West 2021 Regional tournament; you can view results on Speechwire, as well. Debate results can be viewed on Tabby Cat. 

Participating Schools/Teams

Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad
Mathematics and Science HS. Akad Korolyov, Blagoevgrad
PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev
Petar Beron FLHS, Kyustendil
Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech
Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana
Team Plovdiv, Plovdiv
Aleko Konstantinov, Pravets
119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov,Sofia
97th school Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia
Second English Language School, Sofia
Tsar Ivan Asen II 12th School, Sofia
Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin
Yoan Ekzarh Language School, Vratsa

AWARDS

DUO INTERPRETATION- MERGED (8th-12th grade)

Semifinalists

  • Nevelina Nikolova and Petya Tsvetkova - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

  • Kristian Romanov and Monika Manolova - 97th school Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  • Daniel Yordanov and Magdalina Dimitrova - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

  • Daniel Saleh and Omaya Nikolova - Second English Language School, Sofia

  • Ivana Yotova and Magdanlina Nikolaeva - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  • Adelina Nikolova and Alexandra Petrova - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

Finalists

  1. Viktoria Daskalova and Ivana Spasova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Reni Petrova and Zornitsa Dimitrova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Nikol Meteva and Tereza Todorova - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

  4. Ivana Krandzhilska and Beloslava Ilieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  5. Alexandra Emamzade and Albena Pavlova - Second English Language School, Sofia

ORIGINAL ORATORY- MERGED (8th-12th grade)

Semifinalists

  • Simona Yordanova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Alexander Nikolov - Second English Language School, Sofia

  • Victoriya Mircheva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Nikola Ivanov - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  • Martin Hristov - PMG Yane Sandansk, Gotse Delchev

  • Valentina Angelova - 97th school Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

Finalists

  1. Ani Kovacheva - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

  2. Damyana Zaharieva - 119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov, Sofia

  3. Vernon Petkov - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

  4. Ekaterina Valeva - Team Plovdiv

  5. Ralitza Parvanova - Tsar Ivan Asen II 12th School, Sofia

  6. Konstantinos Sardelis - Team Plovdiv

POETRY INTERPRETATION – NOVICE (8th-9th grade)

  1. Simona Penchev - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  2. Albena Todorova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  3. Velizara Stoeva - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

  4. Veronica Toneva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  5. Viktoria Stoyanova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  6.  Ilian Alexiev - Ioan Ekzarh FELS, Vratsa

POETRY INTERPRETATION – VARSITY (10th-12th grade)

Semifinalists

  • Teya Tosheva - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  • Zarina Andonova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Antonia Valkova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Dimitrina Belnikolovska - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Adelina Nikolova - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

  • Madlen Georgieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Sofia Kehayova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

Finalists

  1. Gergana Boycheva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Vera Todorova - PMG Yane Sandansk, Gotse Delchev

  4. Kristiyan Stoyanov - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  5. Desislava Taseva - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science HS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Iva Petrova - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

PROSE INTERPRETATION- NOVICE (8th-9th grade)

Finalists

  1. Zarina Popova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Katalina Iordanova - 97th school Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  3. Hristiyana Lakova - Second English Language School, Sofia

  4. Kami Evtimova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  5. Alexander Mitov - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Tsvetoslava Garvanska - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

PROSE INTERPRETATION- VARSITY (10th-12th grade)

Semifinalists

  • Sofia Kehayova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  • Desislava Taseva - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science HS, Blagoevgrad

  • Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Teya Tosheva - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  • Iva Petrova - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

  • Tiffany Minkova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

  1. Gergana Boycheva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Kristiyan Stoyanov - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Valeri Marinova - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  4. Aylin Ahmedova - PMG Yane Sandansk, Gotse Delchev

  5. Borislav Matsin - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Maria Vitanova - PMG Yane Sandansk, Gotse Delchev

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE (8th-9th grade)

Finalists

  1. Yoanna Vasileva, Vasilena Shekerova and Mariyana Dimitrova - 119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov, Sofia.

  2. Yoanna-Ivana Anastasiadu, Boris Ignatov and Anna-Maria Vladimirova - 97th school Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

Top Speaker Award

  • Mariyana Dimitrova - 119th Secondary School Academician Mihail Arnaudov, Sofia

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY (10th-12th grade)

Finalists

  1. Victoria Veselinova , Gabriela Stefanova and Ani Kovacheva - Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

  2. Ralitza Parvanova, Viktor Serov and Daniel Pekov - Tsar Ivan Asen II 12th School, Sofia

Top Speaker Award

  • Ani Kovacheva, Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

LARGE TEAM AWARD

Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

SMALL TEAM AWARD

PMG Yane Sandansk, Gotse Delchev


BEST Foundation