Farewell to the Class of 2025 of Zlatarski International School

The day we said our Farewell to the Class of 2025 of Zlatarski International School was extremely moving for the entire school community. Colourful balloons and photos of unforgettable moments spent together over the years decorated the school yart. Thanks to the efforts of the 11th graders, the send-off was organized every well. They took care of the decoration of the arch and the stage, the awards and the inspiring speeches. The presenters were Miroslava Krumova and Alexandra Rushanova, who addressed the future graduates with attention and respect, wishing them: “May the path be bright, the steps confident, and the hearts always young.” A musical greeting was performed by Victoria Assenova from 9th grade, who with melody and voice wished the 12th graders exciting moments in the future ahead.

Before the ceremonial part, in which the entire school community congratulated the 12th graders, the future graduates underwent a comprehensive briefing of the graduation procedure in view of the upcoming state matura exams, as well as the International Baccalaureate exam session. The necessary requirements for behavior during the International and Bulgarian exams were explained in detail, the academic integrity policy was also reviewed, the students again went over the exam schedule, as well as the regulation on the stages and procedures for graduation of the Class of 2025.

With many smiles and a cheerful mood, the twelfth graders became part of the school photo shoot, photos from which will be included in the annual album of Zlatarski International School. Against the backdrop of the beautiful school yard, a professional photographer took pictures of the students of the Class of 2025 dressed in their formal attire. The photos were taken in a friendly and cheerful atmosphere – the seniors talked to each other, joked and shared their excitement about the upcoming official Graduation Ceremony.

Yoanna Ilieva, an IB Full Diploma student from grade 12, stood in front of the school community as a representative of the Class of 2025. In her moving speech, she thanked Ms. Kardasheva for being not only the Headteacher of Zlatarski International School, but also the creator and leader of “something much bigger – of a community, a family.” Yoanna thanked the class teachers of the three 12 grade classes – Mr. A. Ivanov, Ms. D. Angelova and Mr. B. Mandisch, calling them not just teachers, but “mentors, our supports, people who stayed after class to explain to us once again, but also to ask us: “How are you today?” With deep affection, she shared that her classmates were always “the hand that lifted me up. The smile in the silence. The look that said “we will make it, the people who first showed me what a friend was.” With words of gratitude and love, Yoanna testified to the deep respect that every secondary school graduate feels for their school on the threshold of adulthood. The emotions of her speech brought tears to the eyes of classmates and teachers, parents and grandparents.

An inspiring speech on behalf of the three class teachers was also delivered by Mr. Brian Mandisch – a teacher with many years of experience as a principal and teacher in a number of international schools around the world. Teaching international mindedness Mr. Mandisch emphasized the fact that Zlatarski International School “…is very good at getting young people prepared for university academically, mentally and socially”. He expressed his belief that every secondary school graduate is ready for the next step, to which they should look, without focusing unnecessarily on what they have just achieved.

This day became another precious memory for our 12th graders, in which they took the time to enjoy their last moments as students together. It was a moment filled with gratitude, warmth, pride and anticipation – a time in which they felt the strong bond between each other and the belonging to the school that had brought them together and supported them over the years. The day left behind beautiful photos and even more beautiful emotions.

This year, Zlatarski International School celebrates its 30th anniversary since its foundation, and for over 20 years now, the school has been successfully teaching the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The School was founded in 1995 as an English language high school, and in 2003 it became the first International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Bulgaria. Zlatarski International School educates its students both in the English language high school system and in the international programs of Cambridge International Education and the International Baccalaureate through a bilingual integrated form of studies. This means that our students graduate from the school with 2 diplomas – Bulgarian and International Baccalaureate Diploma, as well as with international IGCSE certificates in selected subjects from Cambridge.

We are happy that our students annually achieve the highest results in Bulgaria in the international examination sessions of IGCSE and International Baccalaureate. The experience of Zlatarski International School, gained over the past 30 years, helps the school to structure its curriculum and offer the best education for our students in Bulgaria. Today, Zlatarski International School is proud of the excellent university placement of its graduates in the most selective world universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, MIT, Princeton, LSE, King’s College, Delft, Amsterdam, Bocconi and specialties such as Law, Medicine, Computer science, Finance and Economics, Architecture, Journalism, Film and Engineering.