By Denitza Manova | Senior Development and Fundraising Specialist
Dear supporters,
“I want more classes like these” is not a statement you expect to hear from students often, even less so during the summer break. This quote, however, comes from one of the students who took part in the Summer START Academy in Burgas last year.
Designed to support students in catching up on subject knowledge in Bulgarian and Maths and develop their socio-emotional skills, the START Academies are a three-week-long summer school for primary school children who are at risk of dropping out of school. The initiative is led by Teach For Bulgaria alumni who are dedicated to supporting the students in overcoming their gaps.
The START Acadey in Burgas in 2025 took place in August, and more than 30 students took part in the activities. Split into two teams - The Artists and The Actors - the children played themed games that helped them not only learn key parts of speech in the Bulgarian language, but also develop crucial skills such as patience, respect and responsibility.
To close the summer adventure, The Artists presented an exhibition with their wonderful paintings, in which the studied letters come to life, and The Actors performed short theatrical sketches with a lot of emotion and laughter, showing that the stage is a place for sharing and empathising.
There were many more adventures that the students took part in during the START Academy in Burgas - a bazaar ran by the children, volunteer visits, student-led discussions, and a visit to the Museum of the Impossible - that rounded the experience and helped students realise the importance of studying.
All of this would not be possible without the support of all the donors, partners and volunteers in the START Academies. Thank you for your continued support!
Gratefully,
The Teach For Bulgaria team
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