AFTERWORD FROM THE HEAD JUDGE

SCHOOL OF TOMORROW
REGIONAL STUDENT CONVENTION

I learned about this event somewhere between 1996 and 1997. When I came from city of Vladimir, where I used to work, to get some educational materials from the Model School of Tomorrow (former name of the International School of Tomorrow), I met Len Stolyarchuk and Michael Showalter.

They told me about the idea of conducting the first convention of the School of Tomorrow in the CIS and Baltic States. It sounded quite interesting; however no one understood how it would happen and no one imagined it would become a twenty-five year long story.

Nevertheless, the administration of the school represented by the Principal Julie Avdoshina and Vise-Principal Galina Burlakova did like the idea. Moreover, the parents were also eager to do it. At that time as we gathered teams for the convention we also studied the Convention Manual. With considerable difficulty we tried to understand the requirements for convention events, studied American judges' forms and tried to figure out how the points are given and why they are taken away.

As a result we overcame all fears and difficulties and departed for our first Student Convention. Most of the events took place in Moscow, Domodedovskaya street, 44. However, we also rented a hall not far away for the other events.

First performances, first victories, as well as award ceremonies and choosing the “School of Convention”. You were not there!? Do not worry. Watch the following video!

And so the convention kept going. It hosted teams from different countries and we also managed to go to England for the European conventions and the USA for international ones.

You would think that nothing can surprise us after going through with 10, 20, and even 30 conventions … However that is why this world is so interesting to live in – it can surprise you anytime.

March 2020. Because of the coronavirus pandemic we faced a lot of limitations: borders closed, events got cancelled… Nevertheless we hoping to keep the convention off line no matter what. However, on March 13 it was decided to postpone the events. We wanted to postpone, not to cancel. We were sure that things would get back to normal soon. But unfortunately the situation in the world kept getting worse.

And at the beginning of the new academic year, still with restrictions and other circumstances, we at the International School of Tomorrow were pondering about the fate of the Convention. There were various proposals, often completely opposite to each other. In addition, last summer our children took part in one American online Convention.

As a result, taking into account all circumstances, on October 7, the following news appeared on the website of the International School of Tomorrow:

The 24th Reginal Student Convention for schools in Moscow, regions of Russian Federation, CIS and Baltic states will take place online staring October 12, 2020 until April 15, 2021.

The Statutes of the convention are based on the Student Convention Manual. The criteria necessary for each nomination is in this manual taking into account the remote format of the event.

New format, new challenges, new expectations. No one really knew how it would go and whether it would be technically possible . We also did not know if the students will be interested and the teachers inspired. To be honest, many in our own school doubted the idea was great.

Nevertheless, day by day, step by step the team kept moving ahead. Students and teachers from different schools and cities such as Moscow, Vladimir, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Minsk, Shymkent, Ekaterinburg also got connected. We had 287 applicants overall. Moreover, thanks to the students of the International School of Tomorrow from Vietnam, Zimbabwe, USA, Uganda, India, Nepal, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, South Sudan, Taiwan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Nigeria, Iran, Philippines, and Namibia our Convention became traditionally International.

Online meetings, sending and uploading performances through different online platforms, websites, email and messengers. Calls, message exchanges and millions of questions. Quite similar to what it was like twenty-five years ago. There was just one difference: the world keeps developing and communication has become much easier.

Six months of Convention passed by like one day and finally we approached the Award Ceremonies! They were held online for most of the participants. However, at the International School of Tomorrow in Moscow we had the pedestals and the medals and gifts were given live. So many positive emotions

Of course it is important to mention the names of the best:

GIRL OF CONVENTION 2021
JUNIOR CATEGORY
KSENIA NIKOLAEVA (GYMNASIUM # 94)
BOY OF CONVENTION 2021
JUNIOR CATEGORY
JADON BALANON (INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF TOMORROW)
GIRL OF CONVENTION 2021
SENIOR CATEGORY
LE CAM TU (INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF TOMORROW)
BOY OF CONVENTION 2021
SENIOR CATEGORY
MAKSIM TERESHENKO (GYMNASIUM # 94)

I am confident that the Convention in this format has the right to continue! But what else will life offer? We do not know yet but we will keep planning new and amazing events!

Vladimir Nikolsky,
the Cheif Judge of the International School of Tomorrow Convention in CIS
and Baltic States

International School of Tomorrow
in TOP-30 according to FORBES
Private Schools of Moscow Ranking
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