“Today our school is different. Today it is the way we saw it in our dreams. Before the project we dreamed of modern learning environment where our students are the center of the process; where the curiosity is more valuable than the content; where the learning interacts with the ideas. Environment where we can study, explore, discover and create. Today we are happy our dream came true!” Magdalena Atanassova, Principal, Silistra Language School
In September 2013, the America for Bulgaria Foundation announced a call for proposals for modernization of the learning environment at state and municipal schools in Bulgaria. The main goal was to encourage the introduction and usage of modern educational methods and technologies which improve students’ achievements and increase teachers’ motivation. The schools were invited to send projects for transformation of the school space, encouraging team work, practical experiments and interactive teaching.
Due to the great number of high quality proposals – 221 from over 100 locations, the America for Bulgaria Foundation decided to fund 10 schools instead of the initially planned 5. The funding provided for each project was up to BGN 200,000, while the additionally raised money and the schools’ own contribution exceeded BGN 1 million.
The newly equipped centers opened their doors at the end of 2014. The renovated classrooms, halls and common areas turned into different types of educational centers – natural sciences labs, languages, informational technologies and interactive learning. The modern environment will undoubtedly contribute for both students’ and teachers’ higher motivation, increased quality of the learning process as well as for their improved abilities to meet the modern world challenges. The opening ceremonies in the schools made great news in a number of places in Bulgaria and brought together representatives of the local administration, businesses and community.
The America for Bulgaria Foundation has a long-term commitment to improving the education in Bulgaria in terms of its quality, the prestige of the teacher’s profession, and its rightful position as a main value. In 5 years the Foundation has invested over BGN 3 million in modern centers for natural sciences, languages, informational technologies and multifunctional halls in 46 schools throughout the country. For us, the school programs are a strategic investment in Bulgaria’s future – our young people who will become the catalysts for innovations, scientific achievements, and economic prosperity of the country.
We extend our gratitude to the school teams, all the students, parents, the community and the municipalities around the country who helped realize these projects with their ideas, enthusiasm and hard work.
We wish them all success and inspiration along the journey towards their dreams!
List of all 10 schools and the completed projects:
19th School “Elin Pelin”, Sofia – Center for creation of leaders
2nd School “Professor Nikola Marinov”, Targovishte – “America for Bulgaria” Cyber Center
32 School “St Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia – Center for Foreign Languages
Foreign Language School, Pleven – Center for Informal and Electronic Learning
Language School “Peio Yavorov”, Silistra – “The New Technologies – Catalyst of Change”
Math School “D-r Peter Beron”, Varna – Center for Natural Sciences
Elementary School ‘Dimiter Petrov’, Sliven – Multifunctional Center for Native and Foreign Languages
Elementary School “St Kliment Ohridski”, Burgas – Multifunctional Center for History, Geography, Mathematics and Foreign Languages
Natural Sciences and Math School “Boyan Petkanchin”, Haskovo – Multifunctional Lab in Natural Sciences
Math School “Paisii Hilemdarski”, Sofia – Informational technologies and Physics Center
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