BEST National Tournament at SELS and Sofia University, Sofia – April 22-24, 2016

On 22-24 April 2016, over 400 students, coaches, judges, and volunteers gathered at Thomas Jefferson Second English Language School, Petko Todorov 126th Primary School and Sofia University for the 2016 BEST National Tournament. High school students from 27 schools in 19 cities competed in English-language World Schools Debate, prose and poetry interpretation, duo, and oratory.

“After a year of regional tournaments, having all three regions come together in Sofia for such a big tournament was so exciting,” says BEST Managing Director Anna Fuselier. “A year – for many students, years – of performing and debating in English went into this weekend. It was special.”

At the awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon at Sofia University, Vice Minister of Education and Science Diyan Stamatov spoke of the value of English-language speech and debate for raising a new generation of highly educated and engaged young leaders. American University in Bulgaria President Stratsi Kulinski expressed support for BEST participants; Teach for Bulgaria Executive Director Evgenia Peeva spoke of the transformative power of speech and debate in her own life; and along with Ms. Peeva, Tammy Paltchikov, Educational and Cultural Attaché of the United States Embassy-Sofia, presented awards to the finalists.

The awards ceremony was also a time for honoring and fundraising for the ten students who will represent BEST and Bulgaria abroad this summer. In June, four winners of the March United States-Qualifier Tournament will travel to Salt Lake City, Utah to compete in the National Speech and Debate Association 2016 National Tournament. And in July, six members of BEST’s national debate team will compete at the Heart of Europe Tournament in the Czech Republic.

Below are the names of participating teams and the list of awards; you can view results on Speechwire, as well.

119th School – Sofia
51st Elisaveta Bagryana School – Sofia
Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov Foreign Language High School – Blagoevgrad
Aleko Konstantinov Foreign Language High School – Pravets
American College of Sofia
Aprilov National High School – Gabrovo
Atanas Burov School of Economics – Silistra
Baba Tonka Maths High School – Ruse
Bertolt Brecht Foreign Language High School – Pazardzhik
Dr. Ivan Bogorov Foreign Language High School – Dimitrovgrad
Ekzarh Yosif I Foreign Language High School – Lovech
Geo Milev English Language High School – Ruse
Geo Milev English Language High School – Burgas
Geo Milev Foreign Language High School – Dobrich
Ivan Vazov Foreign Language High School – Smolyan
Nancho Popovich Maths and Science High School – Shumen
Nikola Vaptsarov Foreign Language High School – Shumen
Peter Bogdan Foreign Language High School – Montana
Peyo Yavorov Foreign Language High School – Silistra
Pleven Foreign Language High School
Romain Rolland Foreign Language High School – Stara Zagora
Simeon Radev Foreign Language High School – Pernik
St. Konstantin Cyril European Language School – Ruse
Thomas Jefferson Second English Language School – Sofia
Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School – Vidin
Yordan Radichkov Foreign Language High School – Vidin
Zaharii Stoyanov Western Language High School – Sliven

AWARDS

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

Semifinalists

  • Bogomila Veleva – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Siyana Dracheva – Geo Milev ELHS, Burgas

  • Radoslava Ivanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Eleonora Ilieva – Zaharii Stoyanov WLHS, Sliven

  • Kamelia Peykova – Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  • Velislava Georgieva – Atanas Burov School of Economics, Silistra

Finalists

  1. Hristina Tsonkova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Boryana Bogdanova – Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

  3. Margarita Zlatanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Radina Terziyska – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  5. Blagovesta Neycheva – Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  6. Mihaella Timofeeva – Peyo Yavorov FLHS, Silistra

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

Semifinalists

  • Ana-Maria Bulgarova – Aprilov National High School, Gabrovo

  • Elena Trayanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Sevastian Petkov – Nikola Vaptsarov FLHS, Shumen

  • Velina Dimitrova – Aprilov National High School, Gabrovo

  • Kiril Ivanov – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  • Hristina Georgieva Todorova – Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

Finalists

  1. Katerina Stoyanova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  2. Yoan Dimov – Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  3. Veselina Balabanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Nia Ivanova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  5. Vanina Vladova – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  6. Denislav Blagoev – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

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

Semifinalists

  • Radina Terziyska – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Dariya Dimitrova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Nikolay Petrov – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Nikol Nikolaeva – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Monika Ruseva – 119th School, Sofia

  • Miladin Peev – Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

Finalists

  1. Ana-Maria Markovska – American College of Sofia

  2. Ivan Vaskov – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Nevena Tsarevska – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Kristiya Navushtanova – American College of Sofia

  5. Iliyan Hristov – Aprilov National High School, Gabrovo

  6. Polly Yoveva – Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

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

Semifinalists

  • Tsvetelina Vaseva – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

  • Kaloyan Georgiev – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Stoyana Tomova – Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  • Karolina Kostadinova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Lina Ayubi – Geo Milev ELHS, Burgas

  • Alexandrina Naydenova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

Finalists

  1. Eleslav Vasilev – Zaharii Stoyanov WLHS, Sliven

  2. Katerina Stoyanova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  3. Denislav Blagoev – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  4. Viktoria Nestorova – Dr. Ivan Bogorov FLHS, Dimitrovgrad

  5. Aleksandar Venchev – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  6. Ivan Mihov – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

ORIGINAL ORATORY – NOVICE (8th-9th grade)

Semifinalists

  • Martin Georgiev – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Bogomila Veleva – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Bilyana Kostadinova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Albena Valkova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Radoslava Ivanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Radina Terziyska – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

  1. Nikolai Gaidarov – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  2. Boyana Atanasova – American College of Sofia

  3. Alexandra Zidarova – American College of Sofia

  4. Boyan Slavov – Atanas Burov School of Economics, Silistra

  5. Anna Dimitrova – Ivan Vazov FLHS, Smolyan

  6. Yordan Georgiev – American College of Sofia

ORIGINAL ORATORY – VARSITY (10th-12th grade)

Semifinalists

  • Veni Chiron – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Nikolay Petrov – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • James Mott – Geo Milev ELHS, Burgas

  • Veselina Balabanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Alexandra Petkova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Ivanela Sirakova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

Finalists

  1. Ralitsa Belcheva – Nikola Vaptsarov FLHS, Shumen

  2. Todor Chergarov – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  3. Elena Trayanova – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Kristiana Dimitrova – Geo Milev ELHS, Ruse

  5. Todor Doychinov – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  6. Eliana Alexandrova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

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

Finalists

  1. Ivan Vaskov and Valentina Goranova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  2. Monica Andreeva and Rumyana Ivanova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Anton Petrov and Kiril Genov – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  4. Boyana Atanasova and Kristiya Navushtanova – American College of Sofia

  5. Margarita Zlatanova and Nevena Tsarevska – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Alexandrina Andonova and Antonia Rusalieva – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

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

Semifinalists

  • Alexandra Petkova and Veni Chiron – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Radost Petrova and Stoyana Tomova – Geo Milev FLHS, Dobrich

  • Georgi Arnaudov and Gabriella Gospodinova – Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  • Eliana Alexandrova and Ana-Maria Grigorova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Steliyana Yordanova and Margarita Bozhilova – Geo Milev ELHS, Ruse

  • Kristina Vitanova and Hristina Georgieva Todorova – Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

  • Alexandrina Naydenova and Melani Mihaylova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

Finalists

  1. Karolina Kostadinova and Nansi Dasheva – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Marieta Milusheva and Mario Mateev – Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Nia Ivanova and Veronika Glojeva – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  4. Martin Cvetanov and Yoan Dimov – Romain Rolland FLHS, Stara Zagora

  5. Dayana Baleva and Tihomir Kamenov – Pleven FLHS

  6. Todor Chergarov and Todor Doychinov – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE

Finalists

  1. Boyana Atanasova, Gabriela Ivanova and Kristiya Navushtanova – American College of Sofia

  2. Ivan Stefanov, James Mott and Vivan Tsaneva – Geo Milev ELHS, Burgas

Runners-up

3. Kristina Hristova, Sechil Mehmed and Rukiye-Ayshe Egeli – Nancho Popovich Maths and Science HS, Shumen
4. Rada Pavlova, Mila Marcheva and Iva Valcheva – American College of Sofia

Individual Speaker Award
James Mott – Geo Milev ELHS, Burgas

Sportsmanship Award
Valentin Kostov, Kristiana Dimitrova and Kristian Peev – Geo Milev ELHS, Ruse

TEAM AWARDS

Small School Division (8 or fewer participants)
Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

Medium School Division (between 9 and 26 participants)
American College of Sofia

Large School Division (more than 26 participants)
Acad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

BEST Foundation