From the catwalk and beauty pageants to the classroom - this is the change that 25-year-old Vesela Teneva is making. The winner of the title “Miss Plovdiv“ and first runner-up of “Miss Bulgaria“ 2024 is now a teacher and homeroom teacher for first grade.
Teneva spoke about the unusual path between two seemingly completely different professions in the show “This Morning“ on bTV. She does not hide that pageants are an important part of her life and that behind her successes there is a lot of effort.
„I can say that every title I have won, I have won it with hard work and with what I have shown on stage“, says Vesela.
Her last major participation was in „Miss Bulgaria“, where she came in second place. Today she admits that this moment somewhat influenced her decision to move away from pageants.
„Miss Bulgaria: – first runner-up was my last title. Maybe on the one hand, because I was disappointed with taking second place. I have an extremely athletic spirit and to this day I am still learning how to lose my battles in life," shares Vesela.
However, it turns out that the stage and the classroom are not as far apart as they seem. According to the young teacher, both situations require confidence, presence and the ability to lead people.
„Това да си на сцена като модел и това да си на сцена пред децата е горе-долу едно и също. Пак трябва да имаш лидерски качества, самочувствие, за да го правиш. Така че не беше нещо кой знае колко различно“, казва тя.
Любопитна подробност е, че част от учениците ѝ постепенно откриват и другото лице на своята госпожа. Когато преподавала на четвъртокласници, те вече били добре запознати със социалните мрежи и знаели за участията ѝ. Сегашните ѝ първокласници все още са по-далеч от този свят, макар че понякога и до тях достигат нейни клипове в Instagram.
За Весела обаче днес много по-важно е какво се случва в класната стая. Тя определя учителската професия като трудна, но изключително удовлетворяваща.
„Трудна е, но е и много приятна. Колкото ти взема, толкова и ти дава“, казва учителката.
This school year is especially important for her because it is the first time she is the lead teacher of her own class. Preparations for welcoming the first-graders began back in July, and Vesela decided to turn their room into a kind of beehive. The children are “bees“, and the idea is that from the first day they will feel that they belong to a community in which everyone takes care of each other.
“I am already a lead teacher and the preparations for September 15th began back in July – to decide what the theme in the room will be. I refine everything down to the last detail. And that is how the idea of them being bees was born. Above the door it says “Caring” – we are one hive, together, we take care of each other. That was my idea – to enter a classroom where they feel at home," she says.
For the young teacher, the relationship with the children does not end with the teaching material. During breaks, she strives to be close to them, to talk to them and to show them that they can accept her not only as an authority, but also as a person they can rely on.
„We actually explained to them that this is our family here, at school, and we will support each other. That was the main thing we wanted to welcome them with. That's why we are here, to help them," she shares.