Celebrating Curiosity, Collaboration and Courage: BSB at the World Scholar’s Cup
Earlier this month, two talented teams from the British School of Bucharest joined students from across Romania and beyond to take part in the World Scholar’s Cup – a unique celebration of learning that is as whimsical as it is rigorous. With alpacas on stage and challenging motions to debate, our students embraced every moment with energy, excellence and a true love of learning.
Rooted in values of inclusivity, discussion, interdisciplinarity and forward-thinking teamwork, the World Scholar’s Cup encourages students to explore the big questions of our world together – and to do so with curiosity and joy. Over the course of two action-packed days, our Junior and Senior teams did exactly that.
Outstanding Performances in Debate, Writing and Scholar’s Bowl
On Day 1, both teams launched into their debates with impressive confidence and skill. Our Senior Team – Janu (Year 10), Daniel (Year 9) and Victor (Year 7) – won all three of their debates, despite going head-to-head with older sixth-form teams. Meanwhile, our Junior Team – Ella and Maya (Year 8) and Sophia (Year 7) – secured two wins and pushed their final round to the wire, only narrowly defeated by an older team.
The spirit of camaraderie extended beyond the competition with both teams expressing heartfelt thanks to their debating mentors, Ms Citron and Ms Davies and Ms Doganay for a full day of judging.
Day 2 brought a blend of serious scholarship and light-hearted challenge. Janu opened the day debating whether salad is the healthiest food in the world, before placing fourth in the ‘toy alpaca on your head’ challenge – a highlight of the WSC’s signature playful spirit.
Daniel was selected as one of the top debaters and invited to judge a live round in the Debate Showcase – an honour that reflects his talent and poise under pressure. The day continued with the Scholar’s Bowl, where our Junior Team triumphed, securing 1st place and bringing home a trophy. Ella also closed the evening Talent Show with a standout performance of singing and piano – a moment of pride for both her team and the BSB community.
Medals, Trophies and a Place on the Global Stage
Across all categories, our students achieved extraordinary results:
- Team Debating: Gold for both Junior and Senior teams (Seniors came 7th overall)
- Team Writing: Juniors – 3rd place trophy and gold; Seniors – silver medals
- Team Bowl: Juniors – 1st place and gold; Seniors – 8th place and gold
Individual Medals:
- Debating: Sophia (silver), Ella and Maya (gold), Victor (silver), Janu and Daniel (gold)
- Writing: Maya (silver), Sophia and Ella (gold), Daniel (silver), Victor (gold)
- Specific Subjects: Ella (gold in History), Janu (gold in Literature)
- Scholar: Maya (silver)
In the final rankings, our Junior Team placed 6th overall and our Seniors 9th, with both teams qualifying for the next level: the Global Rounds.
More Than a Competition
What makes the World Scholar’s Cup special is not just the medals and trophies but the way it challenges students to grow – not only as thinkers but as teammates, communicators and compassionate leaders.
As one of the WSC’s core messages says: ‘It’s a celebration of the joy of learning, a tournament as rewarding for the team that came in last as for the team that came in first.’
We are incredibly proud of our students for their determination, teamwork and spirit. They have not only represented BSB with excellence but have joined a global community of scholars who dare to question, collaborate and dream bigger.
We look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the Global Rounds – and beyond.
