Excitement permeates BEST’s first tournament of the season

On November 12-13, 2022, The BEST Foundation held its 48th tournament in Language School “Academic Lyudmil Stoyanov” in Blagoevgrad. Competitors took part in five events: World Schools Style debate, poetry and prose interpretation, duo interpretation, and original oratory. Nearly 200 high school students participated in our first 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. 

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 second Debate Summer Camp 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, 2022 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- NOVICE 

Finalists

  1. Ivan Ivanov and Velislav Stefanov - Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  2. Kamelia Eftimova and Veronica Toneva - Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Maria Ilieva and Magdalena Milkova - Second Language School, Sofia 

DUO INTERPRETATION- VARSITY 

Semifinalists

  • Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS, Veronica Toneva and Kamelia Evtimova - Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  • Kristian Romanov and Darina Chakalova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia

  • Magdalena Milkova and Maria Ilieva - Second English Language School, Sofia

  • Lilian Djoneva and Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  • Martin Dzhuparov and Dimitar Mishev - Second English High School, Sofia

  • Anna Krusteva and Katalina Yordanova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia

  • Mimi Genova and Kristina Petrova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  • Maria Kostadinova and Stela Parlichkova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

Finalists

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

  2. Ivan Ivanov and Velislav Stefanov - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  3. Magdalina Koleva and Hristomir Yordanov - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin 

  4. Albena Pavlova and Aleksandra Emamzade - Second English High School, Plovdiv 

  5. Georgi Apostolov and Valentina Angelova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  6. Sevdalina Stoyanova and Viktoria Tsenova - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

ORIGINAL ORATORY- MERGED 

Semifinalists

  • Lora Angelova - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil 

  • Yoana Dimitrova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  • Elizabeth Ivanova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  • Izabel Kalaidjieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  • Nikol Mihaylska - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets 

  • Sofia Bogdanska -  Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

Finalists

  1. Alexandra Dimova - Akad. S. Korolyov Math and Science HS, Blagoevgrad 

  2. Simona Yordanova - Lyudmil Stoyanova FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  3. Ana Limonova - Team Plovdiv

  4. Izabel Spasova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  5. David Papich - Second Language High School, Sofia

  6. Rosen Razpopov - Team Plovdiv 

Novice 

  1. Sofia Bogdanksa - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  2. Izabel Kalaidzhieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  3. Filipa Karadhzova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

POETRY INTERPRETATION – MERGED 

Semifinalists

  • Amelia Nikolova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Vasilena Kazalieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Vilhelmina Sandeva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Laora Rumenova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

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

  • Zarina Popova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Maria Kostadinova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Maya Bateva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

  1. Aleksandra Boyanova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  2. Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Simona Pencheva - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets 

  4. Yanitsa Brayanova - Ivan Vasov Language School, Smolyan 

  5. Antonia Valkova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Mariya Slavcheva - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin 

Novice 

  1. Stefani Strezova - 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School, Sofia

  2. Sofia Markova - Lyudmil Stoyanova FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  3. Alexandra Dimova, Mihaela Talkova - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science HS, Blagoevgrad

PROSE INTERPRETATION- NOVICE 

Finalists

  1. Teodora Gaydarova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  2. Kamelia Evtimova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Katerina Mateeva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  4. Tsvetoslava Garvanska - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets 

  5. Stela Sofronova - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets 

  6. Aleksandra Popova - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets .

PROSE INTERPRETATION- VARSITY 

Semifinalists

  • Pamela Tsvetkova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  • Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Antonia Valkova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Nikol Meteva - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech 

  • Vili Georgieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Maya Bateva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

  1. Zarina Popova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Axendar Nikolaev - 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School, Sofia

  3. Zornitsa Dimitrova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  4. Lilian Djoneva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  5. Maria Vitanova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev 

  6. Mihaela Georgieva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE 

Finalists

  1. Madlen Volodieva Vidova, Mara Teodora Mazilu, Arina Musina - British School, Sofia 

  2. Boris Ignatov, Yoana Chaeva, Kristian Mateev, Anna-Maria Vladimirova, Lyubomir Todorov - 97th school, Sofia 

Top Speaker Award

  • Boris Ignatov - 97th School,  Sofia 

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY 

Finalists

  1. Denise-Antoinette Madzharova, Deyan Mitev, Tsvetan Todorov - In Pursuit of Dispute

  2. Marnus Vos Oberholzer, Polyxenie Yakhni, Samyak Dattatray Kamble - British School of Sofia 

Top Speaker Award

  • Katerina Krastilova, PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev 

LARGE TEAM AWARD

Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

SMALL TEAM AWARD

Sofia, British School


BEST Foundation