Two schools will share a “Varna” award in the “Team of the Year” category in the field of primary education. This was decided after a discussion by the Municipal Council at its regular meeting today. The prestigious award will go to Vasil Aprilov Elementary School, which in 2024 will celebrate its 115th anniversary, and Dobri Chintulov Elementary School, whose staff in the 2023/2024 school year solemnly celebrated 60 years since the establishment of the school.
A total of 21 individuals and collectives will be awarded the “Varna” prize in the system of education and science this year. The honors are awarded by decision of the Municipal Council on the eve of May 24th and are presented to teachers, students, professors, scientists, teaching and scientific teams for their achievements in the last year.
This year’s winners of the “Varna” award in the system of preschool and school education are:
I. “Student of the Year” in the field of general education
Veselin Markovich – a student in the XI “e” grade at the “Dr. Petar Beron” MG.
Veselin Markovic worthily represents the city of Varna and Bulgaria outside the borders of the country by winning medals and prizes at all international competitions and Olympiads in which he participates. He is the only student in Bulgaria ranked in the two senior national teams next to mathematics and informatics. He won medals from both the most prestigious Olympiads in these fields – IMO and IOI, in which the national teams of the strongest countries from around the world participate.
Nikola Stamov – student of the XII grade at the First Language High School.
Nikola Stamov has excellent skills for working and leading teams, and with his experience, creative thinking and deep knowledge in the field of culture, he achieves high results at prestigious national and international competitions and forums. With his innovative approach and the interactive methods he applies, Nikola Stamov is the initiator of a number of meetings with representatives of the academic community in the field of history and European studies, actively participates in the celebration of significant dates and events from Bulgarian history among the school community.
II. “Student of the year” in the field of vocational training1
Andrew Mladenov – student from the X “a” class at NUI “Dobri Hristov”.
Andrew Mladenov’s exceptional musical talent and success at international and national competitions are evidenced by the prestigious awards he won and three one-year scholarships under the Program for the Protection of Gifted Children, as well as the recognition of eminent professional musicians, academic teachers.
Elvira Krasnobayeva – 9th grade student at “Georgi Benkovski” Sports School – Varna, with coach Svetlana Yurievna.
National competitor in rhythmic gymnastics. She performed excellently at the World Championship in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, senior girls, /07/07/2023 – 07/09/2023/, where she won team – I place, ball – I place, hoop – IV place.
III. “Teacher of the Year” in the field of preschool education
Boyana Yordanova – kindergarten and elementary school teacher in the “I am Bulgarian” school. He has innovative thinking, systematically uses information technology and interactive techniques in his work, stimulating children’s creative expression. Participates in the development of scenarios for holidays and entertainment in the educational institution, as well as being a partner of the teachers in the implementation of projects related to the pedagogical activity in the DG.
IV. “Teacher of the Year” in the field of service units
Mariyana Panteleeva – director in the RCPPPO – Varna.
Every year it contributes to the personal development and competences of children with special needs. Its main aspiration is to affirm the special child as a person, his successful entry into the world through games, knowledge and creativity, so that he can feel accepted and understood by the group and the class. An aspiration she achieves with high results. Its graduates have largely mastered knowledge and skills surpassing the threshold of the possible, being successfully implemented in an educational environment in mass kindergarten and school
V. “Teacher of the Year” in the field of primary education
Ivelina Stamboliyska – senior teacher in the primary stage at “Petko R. Slaveykov” Primary School. She is distinguished by initiative and innovation, she has created and conducted many open practices in front of colleagues and guests. Skillfully combines digital educational technologies and traditional teaching methods to achieve sustainable high quality of the educational process and create lasting motivation for learning in its graduates. The successes of her students are regular and well-known, always with prizes in mathematical competitions and Olympiads. Ivelina Stamboliyska has made an outstanding contribution to confirming the permanent leading position of “Petko R. Slaveikov” Primary School in national external evaluation after IV grade over the years.
VI. “Teacher of the Year” in the field of secondary education, Veneta Toteva – teacher at IV Language High School “Frederic Joliot Curie”. A distinguished professional with a proven contribution to French language teaching. Its graduates annually perform and achieve high results at the municipal, regional and national rounds of the French language Olympiad. Her almost 30 years of teaching experience helps her to work successfully with students, dedicatedly imparting her knowledge and building skills and abilities to communicate in French.
VII. “Teacher of the Year” in the field of professional training
Zhivko Nikolov – weightlifting teacher at Sports School “Georgi Benkovski” – Varna. Prominent professional with a proven contribution to the development of the sport – weightlifting in Varna and Bulgaria. It applies innovative approaches in the educational and training process. It works purposefully to motivate students and achieve high sports results at prestigious competitions, to build a system of common values and ideals of citizens and athletes. Uses authority among students, colleagues, parents and the sporting community. During the past academic and training year, its graduates had successful performances at international championships.
VIII. “Team of the Year” in the field of preschool education
DG No. 36 “Starfish” with director Dragomira Makedonska – Serafimova.
DG No. 36 “Starfish” has been working since 1980 for the education and training of many children, giving them knowledge, skills and habits in keeping with the Bulgarian national traditions in education. The kindergarten skilfully combines traditions with modern trends and works hard for an innovative kindergarten that educates, educates and supports thinking and creative children who grow up and socialize in an environment of trust, love and professionalism. Her talented children are very successful and they, leaving the kindergarten, do not forget her and continue to be excited about her development.
IX. “Team of the Year” in the field of primary education
“Vasil Aprilov” Primary School with director Sevdalina Zhekova.
In 2024, “Vasil Aprilov” Elementary School celebrates its 115th anniversary. The school has been established over the years and is preferred by children and parents not only because of the traditions it follows, but also because of the innovative practices it introduces, the atmosphere of work and learning, the organization of the educational process. The students from “Vasil Aprilov” Primary School participate in numerous events, concerts, competitions, winning prizes and awards. The teachers of “Vasil Aprilov” Elementary School introduce the latest and modern technologies in education, the employees of the institution raise their qualifications every year, participating in trainings, applying and working on projects, improving their knowledge and modernizing their teaching methods.
“Dobri Chintulov” Primary School with director Prof. Veselin Mihalev, PhD.
In the academic year 2023/2024, the school staff of “Dobri Chintulov” Primary School solemnly celebrated 60 years since the establishment of the school under the motto “The school that makes dreams come true and gathers friends”. Today, the teaching staff has the well-deserved self-confidence due to the fact that the achievements of teachers and students are the result of hard, systematic, everyday, but very dedicated and creative work, time for self-proving of highly qualified specialists, whose indisputable results are a recognized certificate of their high professionalism.
H. “Team of the Year” in the field of secondary school education
Professional high school for forestry and woodworking “Nikolay Haitov” with director Eng. Maria Georgieva.
Professional high school for forestry and woodworking “Nikolay Haitov” Varna is a modern, modern school, a developing cultural and educational center. Today it is one of the preferred vocational high schools with a modern material base, a unique interior with wood carvings and a highly qualified teaching staff. A school, inheritor of traditions, but also with a keen eye on the future.
XI. “Team of the Year” in the field of personal development support centers
CPLR – NAOP “Nikolais Copernicus” with director Svezhina Dimitrova.
CPLR-NAOP “Nicolas Copernicus” employs professionals with a proven contribution to natural science education, one of which is astronomy. The teachers have exceptional achievements in the preparation of students who have won dozens of medals from national and international Olympiads and competitions, students, participants in national and international conferences, observers of meteors, comets, asteroids, variable stars, the Sun and others.
This year’s winners of the “Varna” award in the field of science and higher education are:
I. HUMANITIES
INDIVIDUAL AWARD:
Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Georgiev, MD – for comprehensive research, teaching and treatment activities in the field of invasive cardiology, the creation and management of the Clinic for Interventional Cardiology at the “St. Marina” UMBAL – Varna.
COLLECTIVE AWARD:
Educational project “Training of cadets in the specialization “Medical provision of the armed forces”, team of: Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov” – Varna, Higher Naval School “N. Y. Vaptsarov” and the Military Medical Academy, in connection with the successful graduation of the first graduating class of “Military Doctors” in December 2023, Fleet Admiral Prof. Boyan Mednikarov, Prof. Dr. Krasimir Ivanov, MD, Major General Prof. Dr. Vencislav Mutafchiyski, MD
II. NATURAL SCIENCE
INDIVIDUAL AWARD:
Associate Professor Dr. Ivo Veselinov Yotsov for the published monograph “ECONOMIC WARS: Theory and Practice in the 20th and 21st Centuries”, VVMU “N. Y. Vaptsarov”.
COLLECTIVE AWARD:
The team of the “Informatics” department at the University of Economics – Varna for the creation of the first bachelor’s degree in Data Science in Bulgaria, headed by Prof. Dr. Julian Vassilev.
III. SOCIAL STUDIES
INDIVIDUAL AWARD:
Prof. Ph.D. Rumen Stamatov for overall contribution and significant achievements in academic, research and practical work for the development of positive education, social and educational abilities of students and successful building of a positive school culture under the project of VSU “Chernorizets Hrabar” “Positive Education at School”.
COLLECTIVE AWARD:
Author collective Yani Yanev and Dr. Svetlozar Popov for significant achievements in the study of historical aspects of contractual and international public law – the basis of an innovative author’s approach for teaching law students and their monographic work “The Beginning of Contracts in Bulgarian Statehood 5th – 7th Century “.
IV. TECHNICAL SCIENCES
INDIVIDUAL AWARD:
There are no nominations.
COLLECTIVE AWARD:
Creative collective for the implementation of the project “Satellite monitoring, modeling and simulations of the movement and spread of pollution “Nova Kakhovka” in the interest of ecological safety and national security of the Republic of Bulgaria”, headed by Captain I rank Prof. Miroslav Tsvetkov.
