Doncho Evlogiev – from a parent to a parent motivated to help educational mediator in Paisii Hilendarski Secondary School, Varbitsa

Always with a big smile on his face, running to help anyone in need, I find Doncho in the foyer of the school. He has the look of a man fulfilling a dream. I have known him for more than 4 years. At our first meeting he made a wish – pure, sincere and strong. Today he is a man who has realized his dream. Some will say “so what, just an educational mediator”, but according to Acad. Nikolay Denkov “educational mediators are fighting for the children of Bulgaria to have a future. This is most important! They are the people on whom the education system is based to a large extent. Without educational mediators it would be impossible to implement such important issues in the education system”.

And in our opinion it is! They are important and needed! But let’s hear Doncho’s story.

Hello! Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Doncho Evlogiev, 43 years old, married with 4 children, 3 girls and one boy. My two daughters have graduated from high school, Miglena – the third, soon she will graduate this year is in 12th grade and Christian is in 8th grade.

Since when have you been an educational mediator?

Since February 15th of this year I have been the educational mediator at the Paisii Hilendarski Secondary School in Varbitsa.

How did you happen to become one?

My way to here is quite long. It started at a training for active parents of Center Amalipe, under the program “Every student will be a winner” in Veliko Tarnovo, where I met dedicated and warm-hearted people, heard many interesting stories of how they change their villages and neighborhoods and I was passionate that everyone wanted to help students, teachers. This was imprinted in my heart. I wished I could help too! When I came back from the training, I talked to the director of Paisii Hilendarski School. However, it turned out that I had to continue my education where I left it. This did not stop me. I enrolled and studied for 3 years in an independent form. It was not very easy, but with the help of my children I managed. All the while I continued to work and support my family. I graduated high school in 2021 and kept reminding myself of my desire to work as an educational mediator. At the beginning of the second term of this school year a place became available, I was abroad but the moment I found out I came home and applied. I appeared for an interview and much to my happiness I was shortlisted out of 4 candidates.

What exactly is your job? Describe a day at work.

Day to day does not look alike! But mostly I talk to the students, ask them about their grades, their difficulties, keep them accountable for unexcused absences. I observe them in the corridors between classes and in the yard to prevent aggression among them. I keep them busy with the blackboard when it makes it difficult for them. I often have discussions with teachers about students who are problematic and also about active ones to involve them in celebrations and campaigns. Where there is a need for me to help I go into lessons for support. Teachers share with me what the homework is and I remind students at their houses.

My field work also involves talking to parents to make them aware of the importance of education. Together with the other education facilitator, we organize and conduct campaigns, celebrations, and commemorations of important dates. We are there together with teachers and students. The last campaign we organized and held was for 8 April – International Roma Day, in which students from Bulgarian, Roma and Turkish ethnic groups also participated. Everybody learned something new, everybody was very interested. And the talented children played live the national anthem and other famous Roma songs.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

The younger generation needs to be educated. Parents increasingly need to understand the need for knowledge, skills and qualifications of their children. We mediators are the people who understand the children, we are their friends, but at the same time we manage to change their parents’ attitude towards education because we are part of their community and we are people they trust and believe in. The benefit of our work is visible now, but it will be even more visible in the years to come, when the whole young generation is well educated, literate and useful for the whole of Bulgaria.

Author Sylvia Stancheva