West Fall Post-Tournament Press Release

THE BEST FOUNDATION HOSTS ITS 38TH EVENT
ONLINE SUCCESSFULLY AMIDST A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

From November 14th-15th the BEST Foundation hosted its 38th English speech and debate tournament. Hundreds of high school students participated in the competition, representing numerous schools from across Bulgaria. The tournament was held online in the interest of community health, but students still gave live performances in five events: Original Oratory, Duo Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, and World Schools Debate. The students, coaches, and volunteer judges demonstrated extraordinary perseverance and flexibility under adverse circumstances, in addition to exemplary creativity, hard work, and talent. BEST is enormously proud to partner with these young people on their journey through English education and creative expression.

BEST is especially grateful to the US Embassy in Sofia for their financial support, without which, this tournament would not have been possible. BEST would also like to thank Angela Rodel, Iliana Dimitrova, and Rada Kaneva of the Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission for their endless support. We would also like to give a special thank you to 119th Secondary School “Acad. Mihail Arnaudov” in Sofia that was to host our face-to-face tournament before we decided to move online

Below are the names of participating teams and winners from the west tournament; you can view results on Speechwire, as well.

FALL WEST TOURNAMENT AWARDS

Fall West Regional Tournament Schools (November 14th-15th)

Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School, Blagoevgrad

PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

Foreign Language High School, Plovdiv

Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

Ivan Vasov Language School, Smolyan

Second English Language School, Sofia

12th High School Tsar Ivan Asen II, Sofia

119th Secondary School Acad. Mihail Arnaudov, Sofia

Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

Ioan Ekzarh FELS, Vratsa

Saint Paisiy Hilendarski, Zlatitsa

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

Finalists

1. Mihaela Mihaylova - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

2. Teodora Borisova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

3. Desislava Tasvea - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School, Blagoevgrad

4. Teya Tosheva - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

5. Helena Kondrova - Second English Language School, Sofia

6. Iva Petrova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

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

Semifinalists

• David Papich - Second English Language School, Sofia

• Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

• Lilian Djoneva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

• Petar Atanasov - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

• Laora Rumenova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

• Martin Lyubomirov - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

• Ivana Spasova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

• Tiffany Minkova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

Finalists

1. Gergana Boycheva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

2. Kristiyan Stoyanov - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

3. Borislav Matsin - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

4. Dimitrina Belnikolovska - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

5. Dimitar Borumov - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School, Blagoevgrad

6. Vili-An Doneva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

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

Semifinalists

• Maria-Viktoria Yaneva - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

• Iva Petrova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

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

• Dimitar Shtarkov - Saint Paisiy Hilendarski, Zlatitsa

• Zarina Andonova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

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

Finalists

1. Teya Tosheva - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

2. Desislava Taseva - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School, Blagoevgrad

3. Mihaela Georgieva - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

4. Beloslava Velinova - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

5. Virginia Petkova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

6. Mihaela Mihaylova - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

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

Semifinalists

• Stanimira Velichkova - Saint Paisiy Hilendarski, Zlatitsa

• Aylin Ahmedova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

• Stephanie Lubenova - Ioan Ekzarh FELS, Vratsa

• Vili Vasileva - Foreign Language High School, Plovdiv

• Raya Boycheva - Second English Language School, Sofia

• Emona Tsoneva - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

• Martin Lyubomirov - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

• Viktoria Daskalova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

• Radostina Bikova - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

• Galya Stancheva - FLHS Yordan Radichkov, Vidin

Finalists

1. Katerina Krastilova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

2. Borislav Matsin - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

3. Dimitrina Belnikovska - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

4. Vili-An Doneva - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

5. Radina Beleva - Second English Language School, Sofia

6. Plamen Dimitrov - Saint Paisiy Hilendarski, Zlatitsa

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

Finalists

1. Ralitza Parvanova - 12th High School Tsar Ivan Asen II, Sofia

2. Lachezar Cvetanov - Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

3. Polina Filipova - Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

4. Virginia Petkova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

5. Maria Petkova - Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

6. Viktoria Dionisieva - Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

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

Semifinalists

• Slavena Medova - Foreign Language High School, Plovdiv

• Eleonora Dobreva - Foreign Language High School, Plovdiv

• Tereza Todorova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

• Ekaterina Valeva - Foreign Language High School, Plovdiv

• Damyana Zaharieva - 119th Secondary School Acad. Mihail Arnaudov, Sofia

• Tsvetina Cherganska - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

Finalists

1. Stephan Kozelov - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

2. Slavcho Balabanov - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

3. Yoanna Kanelova - PMG Yane Sandanski, Gotse Delchev

4. Pamela Kirilova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

5. Neda Miteva - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

6. Mihalea Marinova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

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

Finalists

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

2. Magdalina Dimitrova and Daniel Yordanov - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

3. Krisi Stoycheva and Tsvetanka Vasileva - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School, Blagoevgrad

4. Mihaela Georgieva and Teodora Borisova - Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

5. Megan Topuzov and Beloslava Lazaova - Akad. S. Korolyov Maths and Science High School, Blagoevgrad

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

Finalists

1. Alex Lazov and Julia Zaharieva - Dr. Petar Beron Language School, Kyustendil

2. Radislav Stefanov and Emiliyan Andreev - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

3. Antoniya Kamenova and Yanitsa Ivanova - Tsar Simeon Veliki Secondary School, Vidin

4. Lilian Djoneva and Kristiyan Stoyanov - Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

5. Ivana Iotova and Magdalina Nikolaeva - Aleko Konstantinov FLHS, Pravets

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – NOVICE (8th-9th grade)

Finalists

1. Tsvetelina Dimovska, Yoana Antonova and Virginia Petkova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

2. Viktor Serov, Kalina Angelova and Daniel Petkov - 12th High School Tsar Ivan Asen II, Sofia

Sportsmanship Award
Tsvetelina Dimovska, Yoana Antonova and Virginia Petkova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

Top Speaker Award
Yoana Antonova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE – VARSITY (10th-12th grade)

Finalists

1. Iva Aleksieva, Victoria Veselinova and Tereza Todorova - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech

2. Raya Boycheva, Bozhana Tabakova and Niya Balcheva - Second English Language School, Sofia

Sportsmanship Award

Emiliyan Andreev, Bogdan Todorov, Radislav Stefanov - Ekzarh Yosif I FLHS, Lovech 

Top Speaker Award

Niya Balcheva - Second English Language School, Sofia

TEAM AWARDS

Small School Division 

Petar Bogdan FLHS, Montana

Large School Division 

Lyudmil Stoyanov FLHS, Blagoevgrad

About The BEST Foundation

BEST stands for Bulgarian English Speech and Debate Tournaments. Established in 2013, BEST provides the English-language learners of Bulgaria an opportunity to come together and pursue personal growth through English language speech and debate. BEST aims to empower students to think critically, express themselves creatively, and create a dynamic community that truly cares about the success and the future of Bulgaria. BEST is proud to provide a platform for English-language speech and debate for students across the country.