Kaloyan Dimitrov '25: I Dream of Pushing Technology Forward

Interview by Petia Ivanova '97 and Gergana Yaneva '10 - June 2025

A young man who truly wears many hats, Kaloyan has made an indelible mark on the ACS community. As chairman of the makerspace committee of the ACS Student Council, president of the Robotics Club, and captain of the ACS Phoenix – the first Bulgarian team to compete in the prestigious international robotics competition FIRST in Turkey – he has shown remarkable leadership and vision. Beyond his technical pursuits, Kaloyan is also a passionate member of the English Drama program, having participated in all its final productions over the past five years.

An aspiring engineer with a deep belief in the power of interdisciplinary knowledge, Kaloyan often draws inspiration from nature. His impressive portfolio includes a research paper on swarm robotics inspired by ant behavior, the design of a robotic bee to help combat declining bee populations, and the creation of an affordable robotic dog for educational purposes. In recognition of his outstanding achievements and contributions, in 2025, Kaloyan, who is a recipient of the Polansky Scholarship, was awarded the Science Department Award and the Floyd Black Award.

One afternoon in June, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Kaloyan to learn more about his journey, his inspirations, and his vision for the future.

How was senior year at ACS? Anything special that you think you’re going to remember, like a particular challenge or a lesson learned perhaps?

I thought senior year would be easier than junior or sophomore year, so I was a bit surprised at first. Then again, this is ACS, so I should have expected it. (laughing) A good rule is not to let go of the reins until you have your diploma. I’m joking, of course – it wasn’t a big issue. I was busy with university applications and finishing other activities, making sure they were passed on properly to future students. I should have prepared better, but overall, it turned out well. In the end, all’s well that ends well – that’s senior year for me.

And that's without mentioning the English Drama program and the FIRST Robotics Competition. I guess these two projects contributed a lot to the busy senior year that you had.

I have been part of the English Drama program since I started at ACS, and I have been involved with robotics ever since the club was founded three years ago. Both activities hold a special place in my heart. I feel I have grown significantly through my experiences in both, and I hope they continue to inspire and transform me as profoundly as they have so far. To me, these two pursuits represent the core of my ACS experience and have been the most influential in shaping the person I am today, five years later.

Do you know where you’re going next?

Yes, I’ll be studying at Yale, which I’m very proud of. From what I’ve heard, the environment there is quite similar to here, so I expect it will be both a step up and something familiar. It feels like a natural continuation of the five years I’ve spent here.

Do you know if you are going to join a drama program there?

I hope so. I want to give myself some time to settle in first – new country, new continent – and see how everything falls into place. But after that, I’m really hoping to continue acting, at least as a hobby.

How and when did you first start acting?

I actually did some drama before joining ACS, but only for about a year, and it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience due to some challenges at my previous school. The story of how I got involved with the ACS drama program is quite funny. Between lockdowns, during a brief period when we were back at school, a friend of mine mentioned that the English drama club needed more boys for casting because the membership was unbalanced. I hadn’t even heard of the drama program before, but I thought, why not give it a try? From the very beginning, I really enjoyed the experience – the people, the organization, and of course, the incredible final productions each year. I like to think of it as love at first sight, though it’s also something I could have easily missed.

And what about your interest in natural sciences? Is there a particular field or topic that excites you the most?

I’d say engineering, as it’s an umbrella term that truly encompasses my interest in the natural sciences. While this interest dates back long before ACS, it was here that I genuinely discovered engineering and realized it’s where my true passion within STEM lies. Previously, I struggled with the purely theoretical approach to natural sciences; something always felt incomplete. There was a lingering doubt about whether that was truly what I wanted to build my life around. Discovering engineering, and the gratification of seeing my creations work, made everything fall perfectly into place.

So will you be studying engineering at Yale?

Engineering is the plan, yes. I haven’t officially declared my major yet, since I’m not required to do so until after the first couple of years. But for now, that’s the path I intend to follow. Of course, things can always change, but that’s where I’m headed at the moment.

How did you learn about ACS? How did you end up choosing ACS?

Back in seventh grade, my family and I started exploring potential high schools where I could continue my education, as I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the school I was attending at the time. I took the admissions exam and felt that I did quite well. Then, I remember attending the open house event, and everything just seemed to fall into place. The strong emphasis on the SCIFI workspace really stood out to me – that was the deciding factor. A few months later, I found myself here at ACS.

With so many academic interests and extracurricular activities, how do you like to unwind or relax?

I really enjoy sports. Although I haven’t had many opportunities to play here at ACS due to my busy schedule, I make sure to engage in various sports during my free time. It’s my favorite way to blow off steam and recharge.

What makes you happy?

I touched on this earlier, but I believe that experiencing any kind of success – no matter how big or small, regardless of the area it occurs in – is an incredibly gratifying feeling. It genuinely makes me happy on a personal level to see the final result of my work. A common example is working on a robot for weeks or even months, and finally seeing it move exactly as intended. The satisfaction from that moment is incomparable.

You’ve completed your education now, high school and earlier stages. How would you ideally like education to be different? Is there anything you would change, if you could?

Actually, unlike many people, I believe education is already quite well-structured and organized. That said, I think there could be a stronger emphasis on helping students discover and pursue their passions. For example, student clubs play a big role in this. When I first arrived at ACS, especially during the COVID lockdowns, it was really challenging to find and engage with clubs because of the disruptions. Thankfully, things have improved significantly since then, with more active clubs and better opportunities to get involved.

However, I do think the system for discovering clubs could be enhanced. The club fair is helpful but could be more effective. One of the unique strengths of ACS is its vibrant club culture, which is better than many other schools, but there’s always room for improvement. Strengthening this aspect could help students explore potential career paths earlier and start working towards their goals sooner. Even many upper-grade students still struggle with choosing the right university degree, which is natural, but improving how students are supported in this process could reduce that uncertainty earlier on.

Aside from your Yale education, what are some goals or dreams you are particularly excited to pursue in the future?

I tend to think long-term about my goals. First and foremost, I am focused on completing my education, as I believe it provides a strong foundation. Ultimately, my dream is to start my own engineering firm – essentially a startup – where I can innovate and make a meaningful impact.

I recall you had startup-worthy ideas back in ninth grade.

Well, they weren’t quite there yet – it’s still a work in progress. But I’m committed to improving over the coming years. Ultimately, in about a decade, I hope to be surrounded by people who share my passion for engineering and to build a company that genuinely creates innovative products, with a very clear goal of pushing technology forward.

Imagine you are interviewing ACS graduates as potential employees for your company. What would it mean to you if a candidate showed up for an interview and mentioned they graduated from ACS?

I think it would give me an immediate sense of the kind of person they might be, which is valuable. But it wouldn’t immediately seal the deal. I honestly haven’t thought about it; this seems a bit too much in the future, even for me.

What’s the most impressive, exciting, or exotic place you’ve ever visited, and is there a place – whether metaphorical or geographic – that you aspire to go?

Honestly, I haven’t traveled as much as I’d like. One of the most exotic places I’ve been to was Azerbaijan, where I attended an event connected to the European Youth Parliament, which I was briefly involved with. Although it’s geographically close and culturally familiar, it felt quite exotic and exciting to me. As for the future, I’m not big on making lavish travel plans. I don’t necessarily have a destination in mind that I want to visit, so I might put traveling on hold for a while.

Is there a particular skill you developed at ACS that you believe you might not have gained if you had attended a different school?

The obvious answer is time management. I’ve learned to navigate tasks more effectively, even after procrastinating until close to the deadline. While it’s not the ideal approach, it’s a useful skill in its own right. I’ve experienced the most significant personal growth in public speaking and articulation – areas I wasn’t very confident in before. ACS and the drama program really helped me improve how I express myself in front of others. Compared to peers from other schools, I’ve noticed ACS places a strong emphasis on presenting and speaking in front of others. That focus is unique and has been incredibly valuable for me – and from what I hear, it will continue to be useful in the future.

During your time at ACS has there been a student who inspired and motivated you to improve?

Absolutely. I had a very trustworthy partner, Momchil Kolev, Class of 2024, with whom I collaborated on most of our engineering projects. We presented together at science fairs and participated in the FIRST Robotics Club. He graduated a year before me, and we’ll soon be reunited at Yale, which I’m really excited about. I’m incredibly grateful to him. He’s been the most impactful student I’ve had the pleasure to work with at ACS. Working alongside him pushed me to improve significantly. Honestly, I’ve learned more from him than from some teachers – not that it’s the teachers’ fault. Meeting him here has been a turning point; in the few years we’ve worked together, I’ve achieved and grown more than ever before, largely thanks to his influence.

Do you have a life lesson for new ACS students – something that would help them make the most of their experience here? What is one piece of advice you would give?

I touched on this earlier when I mentioned clubs. One of my biggest regrets is that I wasn’t actively involved in clubs until 10th grade, aside from English drama. Maybe because of COVID, I found it challenging to discover and engage with clubs early on. I even tried joining some that turned out to be inactive, which was a frustrating and uncomfortable experience. This delay made it harder for me to integrate into the ACS community initially.

However, from 10th grade onward, I really made up for lost time and embraced everything ACS has to offer. It’s encouraging to see many 8th and 9th graders now getting involved with clubs early, and I believe they’re truly making the most of their time here.

So, my number one advice is to dive into extracurricular activities as soon as you can. Academics will naturally fall into place, but it’s up to you to seize the other opportunities that will enrich your experience and help you feel connected.

If you had to choose three words to describe yourself, what would they be?

I’ve never been great at answering questions like this honestly, but I’ll give it a try. The first word that comes to mind is intense. It’s not always a positive trait, but when there’s pressure – like a looming deadline for the robotics club – I tend to get really intense. I’m not sure it always comes across in the best way, but I like to think my intentions are good.

The second word might sound a bit cliché, but people often describe me as determined and goal-driven. When I set my mind to something, I usually see it through, or I realize if it’s not the right goal and adjust accordingly.

The third word is a bit harder to pin down. I’ve tried a lot of different activities, and I’m glad I did. Maybe curious fits, but I prefer to think of myself as a polymath, it’s Greek and means having a wide range of interests. I enjoy engaging in diverse activities and exploring different fields at the same time.

It is never too late to learn a new word. Thank you, Kaloyan.