Looking boldly to the stars
79 science medals were won by Bulgarian children and young people in 2021
When you talk to them, you realise that they are still children - they love chocolate ice cream, they want to invent a machine to get to sleep faster, they are fascinated by discovering the world. But alongside that, they are very mature - persistent, consistent, responsible, tirelessly seeking answers in their field. These are our young mathematicians, computer scientists, astronomers, engineers, biologists and chemists - the stellar teams of the natural science teams that participate in around 15 international and Balkan competitions every year. And although according to Francis Darwin, "In science, as in sport, it is the participation that counts, not the results", from 1959 (when the first Science Olympiad was held) to 2020 our national team has brought Bulgaria 1018 medals - 186 gold, 365 silver, 467 bronze.
This year, the Bulgarian Development Bank supported the Association of the Olympic Science Teams and financially supported the preparation of Bulgarian youth for these competitions.
"The foundation of the prosperity, technical development and scientific progress of any society are the children and the extent of their education", that is what the association believes in, as well as all of us. The funds donated by the BDB will be used for their participation in international Olympiads and competitions.
The effort on the part of the athletes is the same as that of the athletes - daily and year-round. Success requires ambition, perseverance and dedication. Their "coaches" - elite professors from leading high schools, universities and the BAS - also play an extremely important role. Science Olympians have another tangent with their colleagues in the sports arena - working conditions are often not what they should be for children to be able to prepare well. Already former competitors say that it happened at the practical round of an international Olympiad to encounter for the first time an instrument unseen in Bulgarian laboratories. Despite the obstacles, however, our Olympians stand with their successes alongside those of the USA, China, Russia and in 2021 brought 79 medals for Bulgaria.
We believe in them and wish them much success this year.
