Last Sunday, January 26th, the chic, well-lit main hall of events at the Biltmore Hotel in Tbilisi was filled with joy and excitement in anticipation of something big. A couple of hundred young boys and girls from all over Sakartvelo, along with their dedicated parents and success-driven teachers, gathered together in one eager group of English-language learners, providers, and instructors, to witness the solemn award ceremony of the national linguistic competition, organized by LINGOSTAR, an English-language program of International Edu for Georgia, in cooperation with the Speak Up London international language school.
Says the enthusiastic and emotionally overwhelmed Sophia Kvartskhava, the founder and owner of the event-organizing company: “Our main goal is to help the youngsters of this country acquire the skills that are clearly indispensable for surviving in the 21st century.” And this is a huge task that can greatly benefit this nation because English, as the most powerful linguistic tool of communication worldwide, must be mastered by our younger generation, if not the entire population. Otherwise, our national progress may be hard to imagine. Georgia’s youth, in order to stay in meaningful contact with their peers in the international arena, must double down on learning English to meet the monumental challenges and expectations of the modern world.
Incidentally, LINGOSTAR defines itself as an English-language Olympiad and a youth international project that strives to provide young men and women in this country with contemporary international experience, to introduce them to various cultures around the world, and ultimately prepare them to become knowledgeable and qualified participants in what we call intercultural communication.
Achieving this is no easy feat, and it won’t happen without the effort of professionals like Sophia Kvartskhava and her dedicated, results-oriented team. Moreover, her project not only helps young people improve their English—the most advantageous foreign language—but also supports those ready to plunge into hard work, helping them develop their careers and eventually find employment in the globalized world, wherever their talent and knowledge may take them.
Thousands of children, eager to test their knowledge, skills, and determination, volunteered to participate in this year’s Olympiad, the concluding event of which took place at the Biltmore Hotel. The nationwide competition was held online on a specially selected platform and was divided into two age groups: 7th to 9th grades and 10th to 12th grades. This division made sense, ensuring a fair and reasonable opportunity for all participants. And all this was available for an almost negligible enrollment fee that any parent could easily afford. Each subgroup selected one winner, and the winners will receive full funding to attend the renowned Speak Up London School in the UK, where they will continue to improve their English. Not only that, but they will undoubtedly forge many lasting friendships that could accompany them throughout their lives or even present opportunities to collaborate with their international peers to make the world a better place to live. There could be no greater dream than this.
The competition was no easy feat and was organized as a two-round contest, giving prominence to as many as 690 students out of 4,200 participants. After that, the participants went through a difficult live audition, conducted in English by local, British, and American teachers, which resulted in the selection of the 180 best students. This group was then narrowed down to 17 finalists, and ultimately, two winners emerged: Nika Chikviladze from the junior group and Mariam Azrumelashvili from the senior group.
The Biltmore Event Hall was packed to the brim, with about 500 people eagerly watching the festive award ceremony, beaming with the radiant, happy faces of the children. Both the participants and their supporters filled the hall. Speeches and performances took place, as is customary, but nothing was ordinary or trivial that joyous evening. Everything felt elevated in that rare, yet increasingly popular, educational trend. Bravo, LINGOSTAR!
Blog by Nugzar B. Ruhadze
