Increased debate engagement continues on during our third tournament of the season

On February 11th and 12th, 2023, The BEST Foundation held its 50th tournament in 97th School “Bratya Miladinovi” in Sofia. Competitors took part in five events: World Schools Style debate, poetry and prose interpretation, duo interpretation, and original oratory. Around 200 high school students participated in our third 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 a record number of students have competed in the debate category, with 37 debate teams taking part in Spring West, with 17 novice and 20 varsity teams. We own this increased engagement to all the various activities the Foundation has been running, including our Debate Summer Camp, seminars and others. We have also offered an increased support for our students to participate in international competitions. 

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”. 

Our next tournament Balkan Voices, will be held in March. It’s an international oratory competition that brings together youth from all over the Balkan Peninsula. After it you can also expect our biggest event of the year, the National Tournament. 

SPRING WEST TOURNAMENT AWARDS

Below are the names of participating teams and winners from the Spring West 2023 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

Dupnitsa 

PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

Petar Beron FLHS, Kyustendil

Ekzarh Yossif I FLS, Lovech

Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

Team Plovdiv, Plovdiv

Aleko Konstantinov, Pravets

Ivan Vazov FLHS, Smolyan 

33rd School, Sofia 

51st School Elisaveta Bagryana, Sofia 

97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

119th Secondary School Acad. Mihail Arnaudov, Sofia 

British School of Sofia, Sofia 

Second English Language School, Sofia 

Tsar Simeon Veliki, Sofia

FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

AWARDS

DUO INTERPRETATION- NOVICE 

Finalists

  1. Veronica Toneva and Katerina Mateeva - Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  2. Dagrun Anna Kamenova and Teodora Gaydarova - Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Ana Trichkova and Vanessa Todorova - Second Language School, Sofia 

  4. Kamelia Evtimova and Nadia Mateeva - Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

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

  6. Ivanina Gospodinova and Marieta Karashka - Second Language School, Sofia

DUO INTERPRETATION- VARSITY 

Semifinalists

  • Sevdalina Stoyanova and Viktoria Tsenova - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets 

  • Radina Peovska and Anna-Maria Vladimirova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia

  • Alexandra Dimova and Desislava Taseva - Mathematics and Science HS. Akad Korolyov, Blagoevgrad

  • Ana Limonova and Izel Hatirnaz - Team Plovdiv

  • Maria Slavcheva and Aglika Kapelova - Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  • Anna Krusteva and Daniel Staev - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia

Finalists

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

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

  3. David Papich and Eva Surtmadjieva - Second Language School, Sofia 

  4. Viktoria Daskalova and Lilian Djoneva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

ORIGINAL ORATORY- MERGED 

Semifinalists

  • Denis Korchev - 97th School, Bratya Miladinovi 

  • Katerina Krastilova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev 

  • George Karchev - Second English Language School, Sofia 

  • Tsvetomira Staneva - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi 

  • Dimitar Georgiev - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  • Anna Krasteva - 97th School, Bratya Miladinovi 

Finalists

  1. Virginia Petkova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech 

  2. Ana Limonova - Team Plovdiv 

  3. Amelia Nikova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Mihaela Marinova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech 

  5. Beloslava Ilieva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Svetlozara Zlatanova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin 

Novice 

  1. Mara Teodora Mazilu - British School, Sofia 

  2. Nikol Mihaylska - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Vidin 

  3. Konstantina Yfantidou - British School, Sofia

  4. Sofia Bogdanska - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  5. Filipa Karadzhova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  6. Lili Angelova - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil 

POETRY INTERPRETATION – MERGED 

Semifinalists

  • Ivayla Dimcheva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Mihaela Mihaylova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  • Radina Peovska - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  • Darina Chakalova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  • Denis Kiradzhiiski - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev 

  • Lilian Djoneva- Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

  1. Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Aleksandra Boyanova - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  3. Laora Rumenova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  4. Maya Bateva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  5. Vera Todorova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

  6. Gergana Georgieva - 51st School Elisaveta Bagryana, Sofia 

Novice 

  1. Nadezhda Kancheva

  2. Sofia Bogdanska

  3. Tsvetoslava Garvanska

PROSE INTERPRETATION- NOVICE 

Semifinalists

  • Stela Sofronova - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets 

  • Alexandra Bakardzhieva - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech 

  • Viktoria Parvanova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  • Ognemira Georgieva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  • Katerina Mateeva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  • Sofia Markova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Polia Vasieva - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  • Tsvetoslava Garvanska - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

Finalists

  1. Yana Martinova - 51st School Elisaveta Bagryana, Sofia 

  2. Kaloyan Georgiev - 51st School Elisaveta Bagryana, Sofia 

  3. Veronica Toneva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  4. Stefani Strezova - 51st School Elisaveta Bagryana, Sofia 

  5. Irena Stefanova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  6. Kamelia Evtimova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

PROSE INTERPRETATION- VARSITY 

Semifinalists

  • Sofia Gosheva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad 

  • Kristiyan Yotov - 33rd School, Sofia 

  • Teya Tosheva - Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin 

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

  • Katrin Sergilova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  • Ivayla Dimcheva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Ivelina Andreeva - Yordan Radichkov FLS, Vidin

  • Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

  1. Zornitsa Dimitrova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana 

  2. Anita Ivanova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Maya Bateva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Ana-Maria Chobanova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev 

  5. Simona Pencheva - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  6. Katalina Yordanova - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE 

Finalists

  1. Yoana Chaeva, Anna-Maria Vladimirova, Iskren Azmanov, Boris Ignatov - 97th School Bratya Miladinovi, Sofia 

  2. Madlen Vidova, Amelie Deroo, Mara Mazilu - British School, Sofia 

Top Speaker Awards

  1. Ognemira Georgieva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  2. Dagrun Anna Kamenova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Amelie Deroo - British School of Sofia 

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY 

Finalists

  1. Ana Limonova, Izel Hatirnaz, Rosen Razpopov - Team Plovdiv 

  2. Raya Boycheva, Kristyan Stefanov, Alexander Paskalev - SELS 

Top Speaker Award

  1. Polyxenie Yakhni - British School of Sofia 

  2. Marnus Vos Oberholzer - British School of Sofia 

  3. Virginia Petkova - Ekzarh Yosif I, Lovech AND Martin Draginov - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev 

LARGE TEAM AWARD

Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

SMALL TEAM AWARD

Team Plovdiv 




BEST Foundation