BEST Foundation hosts its’ 4th tournament for the season

On February 25th and 26th, 2023, The BEST Foundation held its 51st tournament in the High School of Mathematics “Petar Beron” in Varna. Competitors took part in five events: World Schools Style debate, poetry and prose interpretation, duo interpretation, and original oratory. Nearly 250 high school students participated in our fourth competition of the season, representing schools from across Bulgaria. We were extremely happy to meet all of our community in person after a trying period during the last two years and were impressed with all our students’ creativity, hard work and talent. 

This year we are having a record number of participants, and we are expecting to host the largest ever Nationals competition we have ever held in April. Particularly impressive is the growth of the debate category. This time around nearly half of our 250 competitors were here to compete in debate. This is all thanks to the various events and workshops our Foundation has been hosting, amongst which one of the most notable is the Debate Summer Camp which has already been running 2 years in a row. 

BEST Foundation is especially grateful to the US Embassy in Sofia for their financial support, without which, our tournaments, seminars and workshops 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 second Debate Summer Camp and our debate activities overall. 

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”. 

In April you can expect our biggest tournament for this academic year, the Nationals, which will be held on the 22nd and 23rd in Sofia.

SPRING EAST TOURNAMENT AWARDS

Below are the names of participating teams and winners from the Spring East 2023 Regional tournament; you can view results on Speechwire, as well. Debate results can be viewed on Tabby Cat. 

Participating Schools/Teams

Varna, Dr. Petar Beron Maths School

Varna, First Language School

Varna, High School of Computer Modeling and Computer Systemс "Blagovest Sendov"

Burgas, Vocational School for Computer Programming and Innovation

Burgas, AEG Geo Milev

Dimitrovgrad, Dr. Ivan Bogorov Foreign Language High School 

Dobrich, Geo Milev Language School 

Gabrovo, Aprilov National High School 

Haskovo, Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov Foreign Language High School 

Kardzhali, Hristo Botev Language School 

Razgrad, Ekzarh Yosif Foreign Language High School

Ruse, High School of Mathematics Baba Tonka 

Ruse, Geo Milev Foreign Language High School

Shumen, Nancho Popovich Specialized High School of Mathematics

Silistra, Peyo Yavorov Foreign Language High School

Sliven, Zahariy Stoyanov High School of Western Languages

Stara Zagora, Romain Rolland Foreign Language High School

In Pursuit of Dispute (Zlatarski International School, Lucee Francis  De Sofia, Victor Hugo and St Kiril and Metodius High School) 

AWARDS

DUO INTERPRETATION- MERGED 

Novice Finalists

  1. Kristiyana Hristozova and Magdalena Ilcheva - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  2. Darina Ivanova Stoeva and Alexandra Rusenova - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  3. Gabriela Soares De Sa Alves and Yana Daskalova - Ekzarh Yosif FLS, Razgrad

Semifinalists

  • Kristiyana Hristozova and Magdalena Ilcheva - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  • Ralitsa Hristova and Dayna Georgieva - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  • Tatyana Vlaikova and Presiyana Dimova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  • Denitsa Ivanova and Denislava Petkova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  • Darina Ivanova Stoeva and Alexandra Rusenova - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  • Danaya Krasimirova and Vasil Kalchev - Ekzarh Yossif FLHS, Razgrad 

  • Ivayla Kirilova and Stefani Stoyanova - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

Finalists

  1. Alis Docheva and Gabriel Georgiev - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

  2. Gergana Filipova and Blagovesta Georgieva - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

  3. Hrisiana Radoeva and Dima Georgieva - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  4. Viliyana Ivanova and Bogolyuba Georgieva - Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo 

  5. Simona Rizova and Petya Vasileva - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  6. Jizel Kyoseva and Radina Staneva - Ekzarh Yossif FLHS, Razgrad 

ORIGINAL ORАTORY- MERGED 

Finalists

  1. Liliya Ivanova - Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo 

  2. Desiliyan Stoychev - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  3. Ivelina Kuzmanova- Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna

  4. Maria Todorova- Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna 

  5. Marina Kuzdova - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen 

  6. Bogolyuba Georgieva - Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo

Novice 

  1. Elitsa Stancheva - Dr. Petar Beron Maths High School, Varna

  2. Krasimir Milekov - GPAE Geo Milev, Burgas 

  3. Stela Mineva - First Language School, Varna 

  4. Yoana Trailova - Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo

  5. Denislav Gradev - First Language School, Varna 

  6. Teodor Andreev - Dr. Petar Beron Maths High School, Varna

POETRY INTERPRETATION – MERGED 

Finalists

  1. Tatyana Vlaikova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  2. Nikolay Dimitrov - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  3. Lachezara Milkova - Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo

  4. Elena Petrova - Ekzarh Yossif, FLHS, Razgrad 

  5. Alexandra Petkova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  6. Kalina Tsoneva - Dr. Petar Beron Maths High School, Varna  

Novice 

  1. Zornitsa Ivanova - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

  2. Adelina Tsvetkova - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  3. Beloslava Rafailov - Zaharii Stoyanov ELS, Sliven

  4. Hristian Pashkulev - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  5. Momchil Zlatev - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  6. Ivelina Marinova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

PROSE INTERPRETATION- NOVICE 

Semifinalists

  • Siyana Marinova - Zaharii Stoyanov ELS, Sliven

  • Nikoleta Museva - Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna 

  • Raya Guncheva - Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora 

  • Hristian Pashkulev - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  • Adelina Tsvetkova - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  • Melissa Mehmed - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

Finalists

  1. Raya Andreeva - Ekzarh Yossif FLHS, Razgrad 

  2. Ana-Kristina Zdravkova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  3. Hristiyana Stoycheva - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  4. Tanya Gocheva - Zaharii Stoyanov ELS, Sliven 

  5. Neliya Petrova - Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna 

  6. Darina Bosilkova - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

PROSE INTERPRETATION- VARSITY 

Semifinalists

  • Yanita Balusheva - Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna 

  • Christina Yanakieva - Ekzarh Yossif FLHS, Razgrad 

  • Yoana Dimitrova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  • Krasimira Mateeva - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  • Liliya Ivanova - Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo 

  • Alis Docheva - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

Finalists

  1. Yanislav Ivanov - Zaharii Stoyanov ELS, Sliven 

  2. Georgi Georgiev - Peyo Yavorov, Silistra 

  3. Danaya Krasimirova - Ekzarh Yossif FLHS, Razgrad 

  4. Ekaterina Dimcheva - Zaharii Stoyanov ELS, Sliven 

  5. Vyara Bagryanova - Nancho Popovich High School of Maths and Science, Shumen

  6. Havin Murad -  Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov FLHS, Haskovo 

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE 

Finalists

  1. Antonia Sirakova, Preslava Tsoneva and Mihail Indzhov - Aprilov National, Gabrovo 

  2. Stefan Stefanov, Kalina Barneva, Izabela Koleva - First Language School, Varna 

Top Speaker Awards

  1. Aleksandra Mateva - Baba Tonka High School, Ruse 

  2. Mihail Indzhov - Aprilov National, Gabrovo 

  3. Elitsa Stancheva - Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna 

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY 

Finalists (co-champions )

Yanita Balusheva, Katherina Nankova and Desislava Kyoseva AND Maria Todorova, Hristina Atanasova and Diana Zhekova - Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna

Top Speaker Award

  1. Yoana Dimitrova - Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich 

  2. Desislava Kyoseva - Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna

  3. Ekaterina Osipova - First Language School, Varna 

LARGE TEAM AWARD

Dr. Petar Beron Maths School, Varna 

SMALL TEAM AWARD

First Language School, Varna 



BEST Foundation