Vitebsk Gymnasium No. 2 has shown the best result in the country in the Olympiad movement for the fifth consecutive time
However, the students of Gymnasium No. 2 are not used to resting on their laurels; new heights await them, which they dream of conquering. Eleventh-grader Matvey Areshchenko, who won a first-degree diploma in mathematics, is now actively preparing for the qualifying round for the international olympiad. Only six people will be included in the team from Belarus.
“Together with my classmate Ivan Korshunov, who also became a winner of the republican olympiad, we will do our best to prove that Vitebsk Gymnasium No. 2 trains the best mathematicians in the country,” Matvey said. “I am confident in my knowledge of algebra and geometry, but I need to improve my problem-solving skills in combinatorics. But that's the beauty of mathematics: you overcome yourself every day, seeking the true and elegant solution to a complex problem, gradually raising the bar. Small victories every day – perhaps that's what makes studying mathematics worthwhile.”
Matvey Areshchenko admitted that he dedicates five to six hours a day to his favorite subject, constantly studying additional literature, including in English.
“My teacher, Alexander Vladimirovich Shugol, gives me a solid foundation of knowledge in every lesson. But building the necessary number of ‘floors’ on top of it is already my task. Without self-organization, discipline, and patience, one can forget about a good result,” Matvey is confident.
In the future, the gymnasium student sees himself in the IT field, but has not yet decided on a specific area. He knows one thing for sure – he will study at a Belarusian university.
Valeria Korenevskaya, a tenth-grader who won the final stage of the English language Olympiad, also admitted that she considers our education one of the best in the world. The girl transferred to Gymnasium No. 2 only this academic year – and achieved success immediately!
– Unfortunately, the school I attended earlier did not have the profile I needed. That's why in the ninth grade I started looking for options where I could realize my potential: I really wanted to study English at an advanced level. The choice was between Lyceum of BSU and Gymnasium No. 2, – admitted Valeria. – After attending the "Talent Development Laboratory" at the gymnasium for several months, I realized that this is exactly the place where I feel at ease, comfortable, and interested. With the teacher Anastasia Vladimirovna Zuton, even complex topics become easy. You absorb knowledge like a sponge and understand that there are still many discoveries ahead. This is very motivating!
Currently, the gymnasium student is working on expanding her active English vocabulary by reading many books in the original. For example, she recently enthusiastically studied Jean Baudrillard's philosophical treatise "The Consumer Society."
– In the future, I want to specialize in technical translation, particularly in the IT field, or become a professional in simultaneous interpretation, – Valeria shared her plans. – I am also considering a specialty like "international communications." In the modern world, this is a very relevant profession, as more and more ties (economic, cultural, humanitarian) connect our country with others. This means that any large company must have a specialist who can not only build dialogue but also understands the intricacies of international relations.
In the last four years alone, students of Gymnasium No. 2 have won 103 diplomas at the final stage of republican Olympiads in 14 subjects, and 27 medals at international Olympiads. Based on the results of 2020 and 2022, Gymnasium No. 2 was recognized as the best general secondary education institution in the Republic of Belarus.
How are such impressive results achieved? The director of the educational institution, Konstantin Kiselev, shared his insights:
– We have created a special system for training students, which begins in primary school. The staff of the educational institution has been working at a highly professional level for many years on the self-realization of gifted children, helping each student to be successful, creative, and in demand. Gymnasium No. 2 is home to the country's best tandem of mathematicians – Alexander Shugol and Svetlana Matrosova, the strongest programming coaches – Veronika Laktina and Mikhail Kostenko, the most effective chemistry teacher in the Vitebsk region – Ruslan Shkleinik, and the most talented geographer – Sergey Krivenko. Traditionally, English language teachers Natalia Chernova, Anna Minenko, Anastasia Zuton, Russian philologists – Elena Moiseeva and Lyudmila Prusova, the team of historians and social scientists – Alexander Dedinkin, Olga Chaplygina, Olga Mitskevich, and many other excellent teachers show high results.
The head of the educational institution emphasized that the established system of specialized training in grades 10-11 helps all graduates to enter the best universities in Belarus. In this regard, Gymnasium No. 2 is also among the best in the country.
– We strive not only to demonstrate the highest quality of education in the republic but also to work hard to ensure that our highly intelligent, talented, and goal-oriented gymnasium students are patriots of their country. So that they study on their native land, and then, with their labor achievements, make life in Belarus better and happier, – admitted Konstantin Kiselev. – And every year on September 1, Gymnasium No. 2 invariably sets itself the task: to be better than the year before.