MIJOVIĆ-PANTELIĆ: AWARD IS MOTIVATION TO BE GUARDIANS OF ST. SAVA'S LEGACY

The St. Sava Award motivates its recipients to be guardians of Saint Sava's legacy and to promote the highest spiritual and moral values in the interest of better upbringing and education of those who represent our future, emphasizes Serbian language teacher Vedrana Mijović-Pantelić.

ISTOČNO NOVO SARAJEVO, January 7 /SRNA/ – Serbian language and literature teacher Vedrana Mijović-Pantelić, this year's recipient of the Saint Sava Award, told SRNA that the main motivation in the work of education professionals is love for children, dedication to their vocation, and devotion to Saint Sava's legacy, thanks to which they overcome all the challenges brought by modern times and social circumstances. Mijović-Pantelić, who teaches at the June 28 Secondary School in Istočno Novo Sarajevo, points out that there can be no results without the support of the school management, as well as colleagues and students. She notes that the Saint Sava Award of the Republika Srpska Ministry of Education and Culture, granted for exceptional results and dedication in developing students' knowledge, abilities, and talents, is the highest recognition, but also an obligation for education professionals to continue improving themselves. "I was especially happy about the congratulations from my former students and their parents, who, while they were still in school, recognized and greatly appreciated my love, dedication, and loyalty to them, the school, and Saint Sava's legacy," Mijović-Pantelić said. She added that the Saint Sava Award motivates recipients to be guardians of Saint Sava's legacy and to promote the highest spiritual and moral values in the interest of better upbringing and education of future generations. According to her, the award is the result of cooperation with a large number of colleagues through various projects, humanitarian activities, professional visits, promotions, and the implementation of innovative ideas. "Behind the Saint Sava Award stand my students, current and former, who realized all my ideas with ease, and since we did many things together for the first time since the school was founded, I would say — boldly and courageously," Mijović-Pantelić noted. She believes that education professionals have a duty to help students understand the difference between universal, spiritual, and moral values that are as old as humanity itself and those that are merely temporary. "Bound by the Saint Sava covenant, we must help our students, after completing secondary school, to step boldly and with dignity into the future, prepared," Mijović-Pantelić emphasized. SING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE SKILLS Mijović-Pantelić pointed out that this is an era of digital technologies, which should be used to enhance skills and abilities necessary for professions of the 21st century. "Today more than ever, children must know that even those behind artificial intelligence believe that empathy, communication, and creativity cannot be replaced by anything. We must guide young people in that direction, to see and hear the person next to them, and regardless of the profession they choose, to develop communication skills," Pantelić stressed. "BOOK LOVERS' CLUB" SECTION Mijović-Pantelić said that one way she motivates students to read, think critically about what they read, and develop a reading culture was by founding the "Book Lovers' Club" at the June 28 Secondary School. This extracurricular section aims to promote local authors, Nobel laureates, and works not included in the official Serbian language curriculum for secondary schools, but which will undoubtedly one day become classics. "One of the club's activities is meeting contemporary writers who, at promotions organized at our school, managed to bring closer to students what we constantly tell them in Serbian language classes - that literature will make their lives both more beautiful and easier," Mijović-Pantelić said. She added that her motto is that the only important thing is for students to read. "One book leads to another, and in order to reach the classics, we must accept that students read whatever they wish, because only in that way can they form their own opinions and recognize lasting literary values in a work as opposed to fleeting ones," Mijović-Pantelić believes. She encourages her students to be good people, to place humanity above knowledge and education, and to go "head held high through life," with a clear conscience and dignity. "Integrity, dignity, moral strength, general culture, and education are enduring values. Only through dedicated work, constant self-improvement, and investment in knowledge, education, and personal development will they be able to become torchbearers who will pierce the sky with their light," Mijović-Pantelić said. Mijović-Pantelić has been working at the June 28 Secondary School since the 1999/2000 school year, and throughout her decades-long career she mentored students who became successful journalists, speakers, and promoters of the written word, whose work has been awarded at regional and republic-level competitions. The Saint Sava Award for the 2025/2026 school year was granted to nine education professionals from preschool institutions, primary and secondary schools across Republika Srpska. The ceremonial award presentation will be held on January 26 at the Children's Theatre of Republika Srpska.