Empower Students through Leadership Training

The 2024-2025 academic year started with a very successful SL opening weekend in October 2024. Over the following months, the Student Leaders attended regular online meetings with their SL coordinator, Desislava T., and SL intern, Vyara B. In mid-December, they submitted their project proposals. To support them, the SL coordinators held office hours every Friday, offering a dedicated time for questions and guidance. The Student Leaders also provided updates on their selected topics and the progress of their community projects. Additionally, in January, we conducted Mid-Year Conference calls with each team to review and discuss their project's progress.

Community Project Progress

Currently, the Student Leaders are in the final stages of their community projects, with the results set to be showcased at the SL Wrap-Up Seminar in Sofia in mid-May.

For those eager to learn more, here are some of the projects that will be presented and will compete for the awards we have prepared:

• Maths and Science High School Blagoevgrad The Community Project, led by Velislav S., aims to preserve and promote the linguistic and folklore heritage of Bulgaria’s Pirin region through an interactive digital map. This initiative will document local dialects, folklore tales, and traditional costumes, making them accessible for education, research, and cultural tourism. The project involves volunteers, researchers, and local institutions to collect and digitalize information, ensuring its long-term preservation. Workshops and cultural events will further engage the community. 

• Petar Bogdan Foreign Language High School, Montana Kristina P. and Ivan I. from FLHS Montana are creating a song about how humans take nature for granted. The project aims to raise awareness of environmental issues through music, encouraging people to appreciate and protect the natural world. By using art as a medium, they hope to inspire reflection and action toward a more sustainable future.

• FLHS "Yordan Radichkov", Vidin Maria S. and Martina S. are organizing a charity festival to raise funds for the local hospital’s children’s department while creating a fun community event. The festival will include a bazaar, children's activities, and a concert, with funds raised through vendor fees, an entry fee, donations, and activity participation.

• FLHS “Asen Zlatarov”, Haskovo The team is launching a project to inspire young people to engage with literature and recognize its value in knowledge, critical thinking, and communication. Concerned about growing apathy toward learning and the arts, they plan to collaborate with local institutions, host an event featuring presentations, games, and discussions, and offer books and prizes as incentives. 

• Geo Milev Foreign Language High School, Dobrich Ana-Kristina Z. and Ema P. are leading a project to teach young children the importance of hygiene and disease prevention. Through an interactive seminar with a biology teacher and engaging activities, the initiative aims to raise awareness about hygiene practices in a fun and educational way. 

• FLHS “Nikola Ionkov Vaptsarov”, Shumen The team is organizing an educational astronomy workshop at Shumen’s Astronomical Observatory. The project aims to provide attendees with a deeper understanding of the solar system and inspire interest in astronomy as a field of study. 

As always, the Student Leaders play a vital role in supporting their BEST teams within their schools. They serve as dedicated BEST ambassadors, attracting new participants to the tournaments while also assisting their English Coaches. Additionally, Student Leaders actively participate in weekly BEST club meetings at their schools, helping their peers select, prepare, and perform their pieces for the tournaments.

This academic year, we successfully held four Regional tournaments as planned—two in November (Fall West and Fall East) and two in February (Spring West and Spring East). For each tournament, the Student Leaders designed posters for their school’s BEST clubs, which were displayed in school corridors. These posters not only promoted the events but also added an element of excitement and engagement for all participants throughout the tournaments.

Student Leaders are the driving force behind fostering team spirit, creating a strong sense of community, and inspiring enthusiasm and motivation.

At the opening ceremonies of each tournament, we provide Student Leaders from the host school or the nearest city with the opportunity to take the stage for a short performance. This year, they delivered creative and entertaining speeches, which were thoroughly enjoyed by all participants.

Looking ahead, we anticipate the completion of the Community Projects, two more workshops, and a final wrap-up seminar and award ceremony to celebrate the participants’ achievements in May. 

We organized 2 online workshops. One of them had the topic “Show me the money: How to fund your big idea” and featured guest lecturer Reny Mitkova - a host and author of the “Pocket money” podcast. 

On March 11, we also organized a pitching event where Student Leaders presented their Community Project ideas to compete for funding, with the guest lecturers Reni Mitkova and Dobrin Mirevski, serving as judges. 

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for your incredible support! The success of our Student Leader program would not be possible without you.

We would be truly grateful if you could share our GlobalGiving link with your friends and consider continuing your support through monthly donations.

Your generosity makes a meaningful difference in the lives of every student in our Student Leader program, and we are beyond grateful to have you as our guiding angel!

Every year, we witness the inspiring growth of our Student Leaders. As you know the BEST coaches nominate the new Student Leaders for their outstanding leadership, encouragement, and commitment to their team. The program trains Bulgarian high school students participating in BEST to be team leaders, mentors to younger students, and active servants in their home communities. 

To run the program and to widen the SL community we need support.

On 29^th of September 2024 for the fifth time was held online our traditional fundraising event Summer Slam. The show presented a sample of what our amazing students perform at the BEST Tournaments. It was streamed live on our Facebook and YouTube pages. The event was free, but we kindly asked that participants vote for their favourite performance by donating through GlobalGiving. Thanks to your support, the Summer Slam showcase managed to fundraise 1457.00 $, which ensured that we could continue to run our Student Leader training seminar in person at the beginning of October.

From 4 to 6 of October 42 (from 52 nominated) bright, dedicated and passionate leaders from 27 schools across 23 towns participated in person in our Student Leader training. Those who couldn’t attend in person connected through online training with our SL Coordinator and Intern.

During the weekend our Student Leaders delved deep into their responsibilities, explored the Program Schedule for the school year—including the Fall Tournament mini-project, the Mid-Year Conference Call in January/February, and the Spring Tournament mini-project—while also discussing the invaluable Community Projects and the culminating Student Leader Wrap-Up Seminar in May. They began to envision how they could lead their teams effectively and learned the requirements for graduating from the program and earning their certificates. Most importantly, they formed connections with the BEST Management team and fellow SLs.

Central to our training were the Community Projects, which unfolded through a series of engaging activities. In the first session, students were divided into teams of six, tasked with crafting their own Community Project Proposals. Each team was paired with a mentor who provided guidance, evaluating the feasibility of their ideas while encouraging them to brainstorm independently. The atmosphere was charged with questions, ideas, and constructive feedback, all aimed at refining their Community Projects and ensuring their success.

This training weekend was not just about learning; it was about forging bonds, igniting passion, and empowering our future leaders to make a lasting impact in their communities.

The SLs had the opportunity to meet a couple of amazing lecturers:

1. Desislava Taseva, SL Coordinator and Vyara Bagryanova, SL Intern unfolded the SL program like a vibrant tapestry, weaving together the yearly schedule, the myriad responsibilities, and the pivotal role of the Student Leaders throughout the year, especially as tournaments approached.
2. Reni Mitkova, the inspiring CEO of EOS Matrix Group Bulgaria and host of the enlightening podcast “Our Money,” captivated everyone with her presentation titled “Plan Your Freedom: Mastering Life and Money”. She addressed vital issues surrounding financial literacy, resonating deeply with the students as she shared practical wisdom on crafting and adhering to a monthly budget, and wise strategies for managing savings.
3. Dilyana Kulova and Filip Manov, dedicated Admissions Counsellors & Recruiters at AUBG illuminated the diverse programs, grants, and international experiences available at AUBG. The excitement continued with a campus tour, where students had the rare chance to chat with the President of AUBG Dr. Margee Ensign.
4. Samuil Mladenov, Data Science Intern at PWC Bulgaria and an advocate for the BEST initiative, delivered a thought-provoking presentation titled “Telling Stories with Data: A Tool for Leadership and Community Impact.”
5. Stefani Strezova and Viktor Zhelyazov, the Student Leaders from the 51st School in Sofia, showcased their inspiring Community Project, “Define Nature.” Their presentation served as a beacon of inspiration, offering valuable insights into what makes a Community Project truly successful, igniting the imaginations of their peers.

During the weekend despite the busy schedule, the SLs managed not only to participate in the training and in the development of the CP, but also to get to know each other, make new friendships, that will continue during the tournaments and throughout the school year.

The Student Leaders returned to their hometowns brimming with energy, newfound knowledge, and fresh ideas for their community projects, willing to put them into action. In the coming months, we will eagerly await the first results of their work. We are happy to share with you the below pictures from our events. 

Dear friends,

We are deeply grateful for your incredible support! The success of our work would not be possible without you.

We would truly appreciate it if you could share our GlobalGiving link with your friends and consider supporting us with a monthly donation. As we continue to grow, we need your help more than ever!

Your contributions have a meaningful impact on the lives of every student who participates in our Leadership Program, and we are so thankful to count you as one of our angels.

We thank you again for all your support and wish you a warm holiday season!