Our Sofija represented Savremena High School at the SOFija 2024 competition

The thirteenth Serbian Philosophy Olympiad (SOFija 2024) was held in the city of Požarevac, which also serves as a qualifying competition for the International Philosophy Olympiad. This prestigious Olympiad brought together 33 gifted students from high schools across Serbia, who put their intellectual abilities to the test with demanding tasks.

Sofija Ivković, a senior student and a member of class IV-2, represented Savremena High School after winning the school's philosophy competition. Under the guidance of Professor Slobodan Rodić, Sofija achieved a notable result, although she did not win a medal. In a strong competition among students who were winners of school competitions, Sofija's work stood out for its systematic approach, philosophical insight, and particularly original approach.

Rules and Requirements of SOFija 2024

The rules of SOFija 2024 set high standards: participants were challenged to write an essay in English, exploring complex philosophical topics and applying the philosophical knowledge acquired during their education within a four-hour time frame. This competition not only tested their knowledge but also their analytical skills, ability for critical thinking, and expression of opinions through clear argumentation.

Education of Mentors and Teachers at SOFija 2024

As part of the Serbian Philosophy Olympiad, Jadranka Pešti, the Vice President of the Serbian Philosophical Society, organized a seminar for teachers - mentors of students, on the topic "Challenges of Teaching Philosophy," which was attended by Professor Slobodan Rodić from Savremena High School, who mentored Sofija Ivković. Also, within the event, a roundtable for teachers was held to mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great German philosopher, Immanuel Kant.

Progress and Engagement of Sofija Ivković

Sofija's participation in the national philosophy competition indicates her exceptional enthusiasm and investigative spirit. Her desire for learning and exploring philosophical ideas is truly inspiring, confirming the continuity of her development. In the school competition in philosophy in 2023, Sofija won second place, while this year, 2024, as the winner of the first place and a participant in the national competition, she showed that dedication and effort yield results.

Even during preparations for the national competition, Sofija demonstrated a deep interest and desire to acquire knowledge. Her participation and experiences from the national competition will undoubtedly have a positive impact on her further development, both in the field of philosophy and as a young intellectual. We will joyfully follow her progress and look forward to her future successes and achievements!

I am extremely pleased and proud to be the parent of a Savremena student. During my first encounter with the school management, when I asked about my child’s potential enrolment, I saw how much love, enthusiasm and professionalism you put in your work. I was impressed by your approach, ideas and methods. I couldn’t believe something like this existed in our country! It doesn’t take long to realise that this is a school you would recommend to everyone. Creativity, modern technology, top-quality education, and most of all, the humaneness that can be seen throughout the school, make it truly different and worthy of its name – Savremena Gimnazija. With such an approach, the success of this school and, consequently, our children’s success, is unavoidable. Congratulations! Jelena Đorđević, Andrija’s mum
Contemporary in any sense of the word, our school offers functional knowledge and quality preparation for tertiary education in Serbia and abroad. Implementing modern and creative teaching in the classroom, where the teachers’ pedagogy and students’ performance are aligned with the highest academic standards for the high-school finals, our school develops linguistic, mathematical, scientific, artistic, cultural, technical and ICT competence, which is a prerequisite for further education and professional development. Teaching is supported by the interactive whiteboards and educational software, whereas practice exercises research and critical thinking.