Setting the Stage: BEST Foundation Holds First Tournament of the Year
From the 8th to the 10th of November 2024, BEST Foundation held its first tournament for the 2024-2025 academic year in the prestigious FLHS “Lyudmil Stoyanov” in Blagoevgrad. Students from high schools all over Western Bulgaria took part in five events - World Schools Style debate, poetry and prose interpretation, duo interpretation, and original oratory. We were delighted not only to open the academic year with such a successful tournament, but to welcome 280 students and 81 teachers and community members from 16 schools from 10 cities. Additionally, we had the pleasure to welcome a team which consisted of students from different schools.
Furthermore, BEST Foundation would like to express its immense gratitude to our sponsors, without which, these tournaments would not have been possible.
Management team members, students and community members alike had the pleasure to listen to several admirable speakers during the opening and closing ceremonies. The Fall West Tournament was opened by several short motivational speeches from the following speaker: Mrs Nicole Fox, Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Bulgaria, Valya Nadova from America for Bulgaria Foundation, Filip Lyapov, Education Advisor in Fulbright Commission, Svetoslav Dragiev, Executive Director of Lead by Example Foundation, Simeon Hinkov, lawyer at Stankov, Todorov, Hinkov & Spasov, Attorneys-at-Law.
At end of a tournament weekend filled with excitement, the following speakers gave inspirational closing remarks: Boryana Shalyavska, Deputy Mayor for Education, Business development, Health and Social issues at the Blagoevgrad Municipality and Mariya Stoyanova, coach of the team from the host school FLHS “Lyudmil Stoyanov”.
Our next tournament for students from Eastern Bulgaria is going to be held from the 29th of November till the 1st of December in the sea coast city of Burgas.
Participating Schools/Teams
Dupnitsa, St. Paisii Hilendarski Secondary School
Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski
Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov
Kyustendil. Dr. Petar Beron Language School
Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Montana, Petar Bodgan FLHS
Pernik, Simeon Radev FLHS
Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Sofia, 119th Academician Mihail Arnaudov
Sofia, 51st Elisaveta Bagryana School
Sofia, 97th Bratya Miladinovi school
British School of Sofia
Sofia, Second English Language High school
Team Sofia
Plovdiv, "Acad. Kiril Popov" High School of Mathematics
Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
AWARDS
DUO INTERPRETATION - NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Semifinalists
Yoanna Yotova and Asya Dudinska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Neda Mitreva and Mariya Krivoshieva - Sofia, Second English Language School
Aleksandar Georgiev and Kaloyan Iliev - Sofia, Second English Language School
Maria Kirilova Borisova and Alisa Vasileva Peeva - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Ralitsa Spasova and Millitsa Zhivkova - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Yavor Petrov and Karina Andonova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Alina Bakalova and Iva Hristova - Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski
Finalists
Hristo Hadziev and Svetoslav Glosov - Sofia, Second English Language School
Palmiriya Petrova and Nikol Dimitrova - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Svetlozara Georgieva and Diana Loginova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Lyubov Vasileva and Raya Hussain - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Dara Tsoncheva and Sophia Anova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Jasmina Malinova and Pamela Sivrieva - Gotse Delchev, PMG Yane Sandanski
DUO INTERPRETATION - VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Finalists
Nadia Mateeva and Denislav Aleksandrov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Sofia Bosilkova and Petya Tsvetkova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Kalina Poromanska and Stefani Strezova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Kristina Petrova and Ivan Ivanov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Liliya Zhostova and Yoanna Popkocheva - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School
Yana Zhekova and Nia Mariyanova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Emma Vasileva and Yoana Kirilova - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
ORIGINAL ORATORY
Semifinalists
Deyan Chonev - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Borislava Buchinska - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science
Daria Yankova - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Filipa Karadzhova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Kamelia Evtimova - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Stiliyan Tsolov - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Finalists
Elena Miloshova - Sofia, Second English Language School
Yoana Georgieva Stefanova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Trayan Beshkov - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Alexandra Stefanova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Nikol Mihaylska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Katerina Nikolova - Dupnitsa, Saint Paisii Hilendarski Secondary Language School
Top 3 Novice Original Oratory Speakers
Yoana Georgieva Stefanova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Trayan Beshkov - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Yana Topcheva - Sofia, Second English Language School
POETRY INTERPRETATION - NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Semifinalists
Dayana-Mariya Kirilova - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School
Raya Markova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Stefan Petrov - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School
Kristina Konstantinova - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Raya Plamenova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Bozhidara Vasilieva - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School
Finalists
Lyubov Vasileva - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Raya Dikova - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
Ralitsa Ivanova - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Asya Dudinska - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Raya Hussain - Pravets, Aleko Konstantinov FLHS
Diana Loginova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
POETRY INTERPRETATION - VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Semifinalists
Yana Zhekova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Sofia Markova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Velizara Martinova Stoeva - Kyustendil, Dr. Petar Beron Language School
Tsvetina Tsvetkova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Yova Gancheva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Izabella Borislav Hristov - Team Plovdiv
Finalists
Maya Bateva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Preslava Rusalieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Nadezhda Kancheva - 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Elena Valeva - Team Plovdiv
Vili Georgieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Gergana Georgieva - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
PROSE INTERPRETATION - NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Finalists
Milen Iliev - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
Ivana Tsvetanova - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Tsvetelina Tsvetkova - Blagoevgrad, Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science H
Lili Ivanova - Sofia, 119th School
Glory Georgieva - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Ivet Nikolova - Montana, Peter Bogdan FLHS
PROSE INTERPRETATION - VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Semifinalists
Preslava Rusalieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Aleksandra Bakardzhieva - Lovech, Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS
Vili Georgieva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Sofia Markova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Elis Imamova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Kaloyan Georgiev - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Finalists
Yoanna Netezilova - Sofia, 119th School
Tsvetina Tsvetkova - Vidin, Yordan Radichkov FLS
Maya Bateva - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Emma Miltcheva Lebron - Sofia, 51 Elisaveta Bagryana School
Zarina Popova - Blagoevgrad, Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS
Karina Peovska - Sofia, 97th school Bratya Miladinovi
WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE (8th - 9th grade)
Finalists
Magdalena Balgaranova, Stela Georgieva, Aliya Karakash - Second English Language School, Sofia
Stela Kavalova, Ivayla Temelkova, Sara Shengova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev
Top Speaker Award
Stela Georgieva - Second English Language School, Sofia
Sara Shengova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev
Melani Genova - 119th School, Sofia
WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY (10th - 12th grade)
Finalists
Mariyana Dimitrova, Yoanna Netezilova, Kristina Shadova - 119th School, Sofia
Daria Vasileva, Desislava Pencheva, Valentin Manov - Second English Language School, Sofia
Top Speaker Award
Alexander Petrov - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths & Sciences, Blagoevgrad
Daria Vasileva - Second English Language School, Sofia
Monika Dimitrova - St. Paisii Hilendarski Secondary School, Dupnitsa
TEAM AWARDS
Big Team Division
Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad
Small Team Division
Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana