Annual Awards for 2019
The annual awards project “Chance for the Talent” aims to support the training and performance of talented children and young people in the sciences, humanities, arts, technology as a stage in the process of continuous learning, education and development. For 14 years we have supported individual awards and distinctions for talented children and young people. Over 75 children from across the country have been honored through the Awards, Scholarships and Honors program, and 10 of them have won the Foundation’s Chance for Talent Grand Prize.
Laureates for 2019
Nurgyul Ilkhanova Salimova, 9th grade, “Vasil Levski” Secondary School, town of Opaka
“Chance for the Talent” Foundation Prize for 2019. Notable Achievements: For the past 5 months, Nurgyul has been leading the world ranking for girls under 16. In April 2019, she participated in the European Women’s Chess Championship in Antalya, Turkey, where she fulfilled her final norm for the title of Woman Grandmaster and qualified for the Women’s World Cup. In February 2019, she took part in the international chess tournament “Georgi Tringov Memorial” and received the award for best-performing woman. In April 2018, Nurgyul became the national champion for girls under 16. In May, she won the strong international men’s tournament “Bayonne Open.” In July, she fulfilled her first norm for International Master (men) and Woman Grandmaster. In September, with a score of 8/10 points, she was the best-performing participant in the Serbian Women’s League. In October, she was awarded the Woman International Master title by FIDE. In December, she fulfilled her second norm for International Master (men) and Woman Grandmaster in Zadar, Croatia, reaching a rating of 2405, making her the leader in the global girls U16 ranking.
Konstantin Bashikov, 4th grade, National School of Music and Performing Arts “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, Burgas
For excellent performance in national or international music competitions. Notable Achievements: First prize in the “Prelude and Fugue” section at the 12th International Bach Competition, Kurume, Japan, 2018; Second prize in the “Debussy” section of the same competition; First prize in the “Piano” category, 5th–7th grade age group at the 5th National Academic Competition “Bach and His Contemporaries”; First prize in the piano division at the 4th International Classical Music Festival, Burgas, June 2018; First prize, piano category, age group I, at the 19th International Children’s Festival “Sun-Joy-Beauty,” Nessebar, June 2018; Second prize in piano category at the 5th International Music Competition “ENKOR,” July 2018; First prize in the piano section at the International Internet Music Competition (IMKA), Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, August 2018; First prize with the highest point score at the 9th International Online Competition, Belgrade, Serbia, March 2018; First prize in the piano section, age group I, at the 3rd International Competition for Instrumentalists and Composers “La Musique et la Terre,” Paris, France.
Yasen Penchev, 7th grade, PMG “Acad. Ivan Gyuzelev”, Gabrovo
For excellent performance in national or international mathematics competitions.Notable Achievements: First prize and Champion’s Cup at the Thailand International Mathematical Olympiad (TIMO), Bangkok, Thailand, February 2018; First prize at the United International Math Olympiad “The Formula of Unity/Third Millennium,” February 2018; Gold medal and “Star of the World” cup at the World Mathematics Invitational (WMI), Seoul, South Korea, February 2018; First place and gold medal at the 1st International Festival “Mathematical Triathlon Apollonia,” Sozopol, June 2018; First prize at the WMI Mini Math Creative Competition for theoretical math research, Seoul, July 2018; First place at Spring Math Competition, Shumen, March 2019; First place at the National Mathematics Olympiad (national round), Sofia, April 2019; Gold cup and laurel wreath at the 5th International Tournament “Mathematics Without Borders” – final, Nessebar, July 2018; First place (individual ranking) at the 22nd National Math Tournament “Acad. Kiril Popov,” Shumen, May 2018; First place at the 20th Sofia Math Tournament, November 2018; First place at the 12th National Autumn Math Tournament “Acad. Stefan Dodunekov,” Sofia, November 2018, and more.
Viktor Kozhuharov, 10th grade, MG “Baba Tonka”, Ruse
For talented children/youths with limited financial means who have achieved exceptional success in computer science and information technology. Notable Achievements: Gold medal – European Junior Olympiad in Informatics (EJOI), Innopolis (Russia), July 26 – August 1, 2018; Gold medal – Balkan Junior Olympiad in Informatics (JBOI), Timisoara (Romania), June 7–13, 2018; Gold medal – 10th International Autumn Tournament in Informatics (IATI), Shumen, November 21–25, 2018; Gold medal with perfect score and Peter O’Halloran Award – Intermediate Division – Australian Kangaroo Math Competition, August 9, 2018; First place – Group B – 18th National Autumn Informatics Tournament – Shumen, November 2018; Bronze medal – Romanian Masters of Informatics, October 2018, and more.
Stefani Angelova, 10th grade, First Language High School, Varna
For talented children/youths with limited financial means who have achieved exceptional success in literature. Notable Achievements: First prize – 13th National Literary Contest for Literary Work and Computer Drawing “The Sea, the Sea, the Sea…”, poetry division; First prize – “I Love the Black Sea” contest, Nessebar; First prize – National Literary Contest “We Live in the Land of Botev,” Municipality of Vratsa; First poetry prize – 5th National Contest “Bulgaria in Pictures and Words”; First prize – 10th National Literary Contest “The Madara Horseman – a Symbol of Bulgaria’s Historical Past and European Future,” poetry division; First prize – National Literary Contest “I Love You, Sea,” poetry division; Second prize – “Spoken Word,” First category – 18th Regional Student Contest “My Bulgaria”; Third prose prize – Creative Workshop, project “Literature – Knowledge and Creativity,” Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Third prize – essay – 21st National Student Contest “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread…”; Finalist – story published in a book from the 5th National Literary Contest “Children Conquer the World. Show You Can!” – theme “My Letter to Bulgaria,” and more.
Denis Mustafov, 10th grade, PGMETT “Hristo Botev”, Shumen
For an innovative project in science, technology, and the arts awarded/created in 2018/2019. Project Overview: The aim of the project is to create a path of tiles equipped with a mechanism for generating electrical energy. The idea is that as pedestrians walk over the path, energy is generated and stored in a battery. This stored energy can then be used at night to power street lighting. The operating principle is converting the mechanical energy of pedestrian movement into electrical energy. For maximum efficiency, the path should be installed in areas with high pedestrian traffic. The project supports the generation of green energy for urban lighting. Notable Achievements: First prize and special prize at the National High School Competition “Energy and Us 2019”; First prize in the essay competition “Industry in My Region 2018” on the topic “Engineer – Creator of the Future”; National winner of the “Who is the SUPER STEM in your school?” competition 2018, engineering category; Second place – “I Can and I Know How” Competition 2019; Third place – National Competition “Electroniada 2019,” and others.
