Annual Awards for 2024
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 2024
Vyara Pencheva, 8th grade, “Acad. Ivan Guzelev”, 8th grade, Sofia Gabrovo
The grand prize of the Chance for Talent 2024 Foundation for outstanding achievements in the field of art is awarded to Vyara, who has won more than 80 prestigious awards in the past year.
“For me, art is magic that allows me to express my thoughts, desires and dreams. I have been doing fine art for more than 10 years and have participated in competitions all over the world. I currently have more than 450 awards in my collection from national and international competitions. In 2023 and 2024 (till now), I have won more than 80 awards in the field of fine arts, most of them from prestigious international competitions from different countries around the world – India, Armenia, Russia, Portugal, Romania, Israel, Hong Kong, Italy, UK, Pakistan, Canada, Bangladesh, Switzerland, Japan, France, Thailand and others.”
Here are some of Vyara’s major success stories: First Place (Individual), Age Group B (Grades 6 – 10), 4th International Children’s Art Competition 2023, organized by Anuragyam, New Delhi, India; Gold Medal, 24th International Meeting of Juvenile Art ÉVORA 2023, Portugal; Gold Trophy, 9th International Festival of Pediatric Patient Drawings (IFPPP), organized by Health and Art (HEART) Group, Yerevan, Armenia; 1st Degree Winner (highest award), XXV International Forum of Children’s Art “Ecology of the Soul – 2023”, Yerevan, Armenia. Kaliningrad, Russia; Gold Medal, Drawing Category, Age Group 12-14, Annual International Drawing Competition Superior Culture 2023, Hong Kong, and many others.
Konstantin Radostinov Bashikov, 9th grade, L. L. Sofia
Cash prize for talented children/youth with limited financial means who have achieved special success in the field of music.
“I have been involved in music since the age of six, when in my pre-school group I met Mrs. Emilia Dikova, who started lessons with me after my regular classes. In the second grade I was admitted to NUMSI “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Burgas after an equivalence exam. Due to my low vision by birth, due to a genetic defect, I developed my musical hearing and memory a lot. I have given concerts at the Bulgarian Embassy in Paris. I have participated in master classes of prof. Borislava Taneva, prof. Ilia Chernaev, prof. Atanas Kurtev, Angela Tosheva, Paskal Nemirovski and others. I took the Diplôme Supérieur at the prestigious music university School of Cantorum in Paris with the third concerto for piano and orchestra by L.V. Beethoven under the mentorship of Prof. Zheny Zaharieva. Apart from playing, I also love music theory, which I study eagerly. I think my future is connected with music.”
During the academic years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, Konstantin has won numerous prestigious awards at international and national competitions. The most significant of them are. ) – XI International Competition for Young Pianists (attendance) – Gevgelija (SE Macedonia ); Third Prize – GG “D” – V International Competition “From Bach to Jazz” – Athens (Greece) and many others.
Nikola Radostinov Bashikov, 4th grade, National Music School “L. L. Sofia
Cash prize for talented children/youth with limited financial means who have achieved special success in the field of music.
“I’ve been doing music since I was six. My interest in the piano was sparked by my big brother, Konstantin, who is five years older. After my preparation in solfege I was accepted to the National Music School “L. Pipkov”, Sofia. Besides playing, I also participate in the Sofia Boys Choir. In 2023 I appeared for the first time at an International Competition in Italy (Barletta), where I won second prize. I am happy to attend lessons with my teacher and strive for new successes. I am about to take the entrance exam in solfège and piano again after the fourth grade at the L. Pipkov National Music School, for which I am preparing hard. I love opera and I enjoy going to concerts.”
During the school years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 Nikola has won many awards, the most significant of them are. Assen Diamandiev Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Second Prize – Piano Section, Category “A” – XXXIII International Competition for Young Musicians “Sita di Barletta” – Barletta (Italy) and many others.
Yassen Penchev, 12th grade, “Acad. Ivan Gyuzelev”, town. Gabrovo
Individual cash prize for excellent performance at national or international Olympiads, competitions, contests in the field of mathematics.
“Ever since I can remember, I have always been fascinated by the way the world around me works. The questions “How?” and “Why?” were a constant part of my conversations with my parents, whom I consider my first teachers. This inquisitiveness, which manifested itself in me at an early age, naturally led to my interest in science, in particular mathematics and computer science. I realised that all the accumulation of knowledge and experience would not be useful enough if I did not pass it on to someone else. So I started giving lectures on mathematics and creating problems for computer science competitions.The next step I took was to start doing research. In the summer of 2022, I participated in the 22nd Mathematics and Computer Science Summer Research School. There I started working with a mentor on my combinatorics project, which has now won many awards. Over the past year and a half, I have gotten to know a new face of science, namely the exciting adventure of seeking answers to still unanswered questions, and this has taught me to be even more persistent in pursuing my goals.”
During the academic years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, Nicola has won numerous prestigious awards at international and national competitions. The most notable of these are: Gold Medal, Computer Science, 20th International Zhautikov Olympiad in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, Kazakhstan; Gold Medal and Diploma for Excellent Performance (highest award shared), Project on “On Some Variations of Twins in Permutations”, Twenty-third Student Conference of the Student Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science (SIIMS), Moscow. Gold Medal and Diploma for Excellent Presentation (the highest award), Project on “On Some Variations of Twins in Permutations”, Twenty-third Students’ Section of the Students’ Institute of Mathematics and Informatics (UCHMI), Borovets; First Place, Project on “On Some Variations of Twins in Permutations”, Mathematics as Science, XVII International Competition “Mathematics and Design” (MITE 2023), Borovets. Moscow and many others.
Alexander Pendov, 8th grade, “Acad.Kiril Popov”, Plovdiv
Individual cash prize for excellent performance at national or international Olympiads, competitions, contests in the field of mathematics.
“I have been involved in mathematics since a very early age. When I was 5 years old, my kindergarten teachers suggested me to take part in a mathematics competition. I went without any expectations, but I came back with third place. Since then, I have participated in all the more important math competitions and taken prizes. When I entered the Plovdiv mathematics high school, there was a compulsory two-week course in computer science. I was very interested there and although I failed to qualify for the first competition in 5th grade, I continued to make an effort. That’s how I knew that computer science was a really interesting science that I wanted to pursue. I have always been attracted to the beauty of mathematics. Any solution to a problem can be like a work of art.”
During the school years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, Alexander has won more than 20 prestigious awards in international and national competitions. The most significant of them are: 1st place (sole) – National Mathematics Olympiad-National Round, held in person in the period 07-09 April 2023 in the city. 1st place (single, with maximum points) – National Autumn Tournament in Informatics, held in person in the period 24-26 November 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria. 1st place Gold Medal, single-handedly, National Winter Mathematical Competitions, Sofia, 20 2023, Sofia, Bulgaria. 2nd place Silver Medal – XX
Jacqueline Kostadinova, 8th Grade, German Language High School “Goethe”, Burgas
Individual Award “Mirela Buyuklieva” for Outstanding Performance in the Field of Musical Art
“I have been in love with music since I was little. When I was four years old, my parents enrolled me in the Milka Stoeva Choir School at the Youth Cultural Center in Burgas. I have been playing the piano for seven years, and for more than a year now, I have been experimenting with the string instrument ukulele. I also dream of conquering the world stage. Meeting the audience and seeing their reactions during my performances gives me immense pleasure. Music is my inspiration, and singing is my passion!”
In 2023 and 2024, Jacqueline achieved the following significant accomplishments:
Award for Best Vocal Performance (Category 13–14 years) at the “Next Artist” Competition, Sofia; Grand Prix (the highest award – above first place, the only one in the entire competition) at the 22nd International Competition “River Notes,” Tutrakan;
Grand Prix (the highest award – above first place, the only one in the entire competition) at the 4th National Competition for Young Performers of Popular Songs “Danube Stars,” Silistra and many others.
