BEST Regional Tournament at Yoan Ekzarh FLHS, Vratsa – November 19-20, 2016

From 19-20 November, the Bulgarian English Speech and Debate Tournament (BEST) Foundation began its 2016-2017 season with an English-language tournament. At an event hosted by Yoan Ekzarh FLHS in Vratsa, 179 students from western Bulgaria competed in the first regional tournament of the academic year. Students competed in five events: Original Oratory, Duo Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, and World Schools Debate.

Fourteen teams from eleven cities in Bulgaria attended the tournament, including two first-time teams from Tarnava and Petrich. Alongside the students, coaches, and chaperones, 44 judges from Bulgaria, America, and Germany evaluated the students’ performances. An additional 30 students from Yoan Ekzarh FLHS were student volunteers

Angela Rodel and Iliana Dimitrova from the Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission attended as special guests. They shared a few words with attendees and presented the winners with their medals and trophies.

This tournament was the first of two tournaments to be held in Fall 2016. A second tournament will take place in Shumen on 10-11 December. This tournament will target students in BEST’s Eastern Region. In the Spring, BEST will host 4 additional tournaments: a Western Regional, an Eastern Regional, a National, and a US Qualifier.

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

Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov Foreign Language High School – Blagoevgrad
Aleko Konstantinov Foreign Language High School – Pravets
Bertolt Brecht Foreign Language High School – Pazardzhik
Elisaveta Bagryana 51st School – Sofia
Hristo Botev School – Tarnava
Ivan Vazov Foreign Language High School – Smolyan
Mihail Arnaudov 119th School – Sofia
Peter Bogdan Foreign Language High School – Montana
Peyo Yavorov High School – Petrich
Simeon Radev Foreign Language High School – Pernik
Thomas Jefferson Second English Language School – Sofia
Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School – Vidin
Yordan Radichkov Foreign Language High School – Vidin
Yoan Ekzarh Foreign Language High School – Vratsa

AWARDS

POETRY INTERPRETATION – NOVICE

Semifinalists

  • Viktoria Parvanova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Adriana Georgieva – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

  • Bogomila Veleva – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Valentina Nikolova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Viliyana Grigorova – Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  • Sasha Georgieva – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

Finalists

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

  2. Antonia Rusalieva – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Lyuba Tonislavova – Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  4. Sofiya Tsenkova – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  5. Lyuboslava Vasileva – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Simona Boyadzhieva – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

POETRY INTERPRETATION – VARSITY

Semifinalists

  • Lilyana Terzieva – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Todor Nikov – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  • Denimira Angelova – Yoan Ekzarh FLHS, Vratsa

  • Anna Dimitrova – Ivan Vazov FLHS, Smolyan

  • Vanessa Tsvetkova – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

  • Vanina Vladova – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

Finalists

  1. Mario Mateev – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Merelin Lesovska – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Kaloyan Georgiev – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  4. Ralitsa Manolova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  5. Mihaela Kafedzhiyska – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  6. Margarita Zlatanova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

 PROSE INTERPRETATION – NOVICE

Finalists

  1. Andrea Kirilieva – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Ivalina Ivanova – Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  3. Martina Kao – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  4. Rozaliya Markova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  5. Anna Cherneva – Mihail Arnaudov 119th, Sofia

  6. Erdzhan Terzi – Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

PROSE INTERPRETATION – VARSITY

Quarterfinalists

  • Tsvetelina Peneva – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  • Petya Kotsalova – Peyo Yavorov HS, Petrich

  • Melani Mihaylova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Alexandrina Naydenova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Eva Obeznikova – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  • Petya Dimova – Yoan Ekzarh FLHS, Vratsa

  • Lina Dragov – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

  • Nedyalka Nedyalkova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  • Alexander Gerasimov – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  • Konstans Danova – Yoan Ekzarh FLHS, Vratsa

Semifinalists

  • Martin Georgiev – Mihail Arnaudov 119th, Sofia

  • Kristiana Hristova – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

  • Nikol Naydenova – Yoan Ekzarh FLHS, Vratsa

  • Mihaela Kafedzhiyska – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Zornitsa Borislavova – Yoan Ekzarh FLHS, Vratsa

  • Rozaliya Todorova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

Finalists

  1. Ekaterina Pavlova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  2. Mario Mateev – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Denislav Biserov – Yordan Radichkov FLHS, Vidin

  4. Nikolai Nikolaev – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  5. Ivanela Sirakova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  6. Nikolay Chernev – Mihail Arnaudov 119th, Sofia

ORIGINAL ORATORY

Quarterfinalists

  • Alex Todorov – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Borislav Donchev – Peyo Yavorov HS, Petrich

  • Darina-Leila Vasileva – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  • Mario Mateev – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Martin Nikolaev – Tsar Simeon Veliki SS, Vidin

  • Penelope Tsatsakou – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

  • Maria Kabalska – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

  • Teodora Todorova – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

  • Radoslava Ivanova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Gabriela Dimcheva – Ivan Vazov FLHS, Smolyan

  • Yoan Pandushev – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

  • Ani Popova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

Semifinalists

  • Nikolai Gaidarov – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  • Nedyalka Nedyalkova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  • Adina Pushkarevich  – Ivan Vazov FLHS, Smolyan

  • Ralitsa Manolova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Zlatimira Yordanova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  • Zornitsa Georgieva – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

Finalists

  1. Stanislava Stefanova – Peyo Yavorov HS, Petrich

  2. Alexandra Petkova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  3. Tsvetelina Marova – Bertolt Brecht FLHS, Pazardzhik

  4. Elena Georgieva – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

  5. Iren Momchilova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  6. Roberta Tihomirova – Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

Highest-ranked novice performer
Ani Popova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

DUO INTERPRETATION – NOVICE

Finalists

  1. Antonia Rusalieva and Alexandrina Andonova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  2. Nikola Martsenkov and Hristina Tsonkova – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  3. Maria Bojinova and Emelina Chukarska – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  4. Gergana Lilova and Raya Ivanova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  5. Alexandra Markova and Maya Peeva – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  6. Kristiyana Doncheva and Lora Genova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

DUO INTERPRETATION – VARSITY

Semifinalists

  • Anton Petrov and Kiril Genov – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  • Dimitar Petrov and Miladin Peev – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

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

  • Tisho Cvetanov and Ivan Petrov – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

  • Radina Terziyska and Martin Georgiev – Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

  • Tereza Aleksandrova and Reneta Marinova – Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

  • Anatolia Stoicheva and Bilyana Kostadinova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

Finalists

  1. Georgi Petrov and Nikolai Gaidarov – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  2. Niya Ivanova and Veronika Glojeva – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

  3. Ivan Vaskov and Sofiya Naydenova – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  4. Valentina Trifonova and Nikolai Nikolaev – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  5. Boriana Bogdanova and Vladimir Slavchev – Tsar Simeon Veliki SS, Vidin

  6. Bojidar Stoyanov and Bella Kazakova – Elisaveta Bagryana 51st, Sofia

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE

Finalists

  1. Hristo Mihaylov, Iva Timova and Anatolia Stoycheva – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

  2. Alexander Maslarski, Paulina Evtimova and Ekaterina Fakirova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

Individual Speaker Award
Ekaterina Fakirova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

Top Novice Individual Speaker
Ani Popova – Thomas Jefferson SELS, Sofia

Sportsmanship Award
Hristo Mihaylov, Iva Timova and Anatolia Stoycheva – Peter Bogdan FLHS, Montana

TEAM AWARDS

Small School Division (10 and fewer participants)
Simeon Radev FLHS, Pernik

Large School Division (more than 10 participants)
Akad. Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

BEST Foundation