ACS Students Continue Superb Performances in English-language Speech and Debate
ACS students from grades 8-12 once again achieved fantastic results in the latest BEST Foundation (Bulgarian English Speech Tournament) competition, in Burgas from April 24-26. ACS brought 36 students to this event, the most in the speech and debate club's history. Over 300 students from 22 high schools across Bulgaria took part in the tournament.
Students from ACS participated in all five available events, all conducted in English: academic debate, original oratory (writing and reciting original speeches), as well as prose, poetry, and duo (dramatic performance of published works). Students from grades 8-9 participated in the novice division, grades 10-12 in the varsity division.
The debate event continues be of tremendous success for ACS. In the novice group, 7 of the 8 quarterfinal teams--as well as all semifinalists and finalists--represented ACS. In the varsity division ACS students comprised 3 of the 4 semifinal teams, and both finalists. This is an incredibly impressive accomplishment for the school. Manuela Uzunova, Mia Kounova, and Momchil Milanov (all Class of '18) won the novice debate contest, and Stoyan Trenchev, Kamen Velichkov, and Simeon Mihaylov (all Class of '16) took home first prize in varsity debate.
In other events, Nona Kadieva and Mihaela Lekova (both Class of '18) earned 1st place honors in the novice duo competition for their creative and entertaining interpretation of Mel Brooks' classic movie satire "The Producers." Ana-Maria Markovska (Class of '19) reached the final round in 2 events, achieving 2nd place in novice prose for her emotional reading of DK Cassidy's "Spilt Milk.“
The following ACS students reached at least the semifinal round in their events:
Novice Duo (18 total teams)
1st place: Nona Kadieva and Mihaela Lekova (both '18)
Novice Oratory (37 total entrants)
Semifinals: Boyana Atanasova ('19), Aleksandra Zidarova ('19)
Varsity Oratory (56 total entrants)
Semifinals: Teodora Tyankova ('17)
Novice Prose (29 total entrants)
2nd place: Ana-Maria Markovska ('19)
4th place: Kristiya Navushtanova ('19)
Semifinals: Gabriela Ivanova ('19)
Novice Poetry (25 total entrants)
4th place: Ana-Maria Markovska ('19)
Novice Debate (16 total teams)
1st place: Manuela Manuela Uzunova, Mia Kounova, and Momchil Milanov (all '18)
2nd place: Anton Petek, Ivailo Nakov, Ioana Valova (all '18)
Semifinals: Ivanina Dimitrova, Maylin Lazarova, Maria Nikolaeva (all '18); Boyana Atanasova, Kristiya Navushtanova, Gabriela Ivanova (all '19)
Varsity Debate (20 total teams)
1st place: Stoyan Trenchev, Kamen Velichkov, and Simeon Mihaylov (all '16)
2nd place: Adelina Ivanova ('15), Zdravko Varbanov ('16), Evgeni Marchev ('17)
Semifinals: Alex Ivchev, Gabriel Petrov, Laura Begler (all '17)
This was the last speech and debate tournament of the school year, and advisors Mr. Bleiweis, Deegan, and Saligman wish to congratulate all Burgas participants on their impressive work. The club will remain strong and look to build on its success next year.
Scott Bleiweis, ACS Debate Team Coach
