Mr. Stuart A. Spencer, Deputy General Director of Marketing, AIA Group (right) and Mr. Andrew Loh, General Director of AIA Vietnam, shared at the event.
Helping people live healthier, longer, happier lives
On July 3, AIA Group officially announced the winners of the third AIA Healthiest Schools Competition - a key initiative under the AIA Healthiest Schools (AHS) Program, with the goal of equipping students aged 5 to 16 with the knowledge and resources needed to build healthier lifestyles.
Since its launch, AHS has expanded to eight markets in the Asia Pacific region, positively impacting thousands of students and teachers. At the heart of the program is a vibrant competition that encourages schools to develop innovative initiatives aimed at improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, caring for mental health and promoting sustainability in the school environment.
The 2024-2025 competition saw a record number of entries. Each entry was a testament to the creativity and collaboration between students and teachers in the journey to create sustainable behavioral change.
The total value of the award is up to 100,000 USD, to support schools to continue implementing health and well-being initiatives for students.
“The AIA Healthiest Schools competition is not only about honoring outstanding projects but also about inspiring positive movements that have the potential to spread beyond the classroom. This is a vivid demonstration of our mission: Helping people live healthier, longer, happier lives,” said Stuart A. Spencer, AIA Group Chief Marketing Officer.
Leaders of AIA Group and AIA Vietnam presented the award to representatives of UPTD SD Negeri Papela School (Indonesia).
In this competition, UPTD SD Negeri Papela (Indonesia) won the Regional prize with the idea of creating change from waste.
Faced with the serious problem of waste and low literacy rates, teachers and students jointly initiated the project “Ecolitera: Stories from waste”. Students collect plastic bottles, tires and household waste to recycle into desks, chairs, alphabets, school gardens and fertilizer to support local farmers.
The project has helped improve students' literacy outcomes by 70% and at the same time raised environmental awareness.
Two Vietnamese entries entered the final round
Vietnam was also honored to have two schools in the final round. With the initiative “Sustainable Journey for a Happy School”, UK Academy Da Nang has brought about a transformation to improve student well-being and environmental awareness.
One of the physical and mental health activities of students at UK Academy Danang.
The project was initiated in response to academic pressure and limited awareness of mental health, integrating emotionaleducation and sustainable development into school culture.
With nearly 200 students, 50 teachers and 200 parents participating, the initiative fosters empathy, gratitude and social responsibility through activities such as kindness week, gratitude month and environmental campaigns.
Students participate in tree planting, creating art from recycled materials, participate in debate competitions, and actively participate in volunteer work and sharing and reflecting sessions on mental health.
The Wellbeing Classroom provides a safe space for students to freely share their feelings, along with themed events to spread kindness, gratitude and build positive relationships. Community events and partnerships with NGOs have extended the project's impact beyond the school.
Future plans include expanding the initiative to the wider community, integrating digital tools such as a mental health app, virtual reality (VR) tours, and hosting events such as mental health days and green living fairs.
The project raised over VND100 million for welfare and volunteer programs, planted over 300 trees, and supported over 300 people through charitable activities. The initiative has contributed to significantly improving student engagement, emotional resilience, and environmental awareness - creating a cohesive, compassionate, and inspiring school community.
The second project of Times School Khai Son Secondary School (Hanoi city) implements a student-led transformation to address emotional, behavioral and community connection challenges in the early stages of establishment.
With a student population of 111, some of whom have social and emotional difficulties, the school has made it a priority to create a safe, engaging and inclusive environment.
Students learn how to protect the environment through recycling activities as part of the AIA Healthiest Schools campaign at Times School Khai Son.
Through AIA's wellbeing tools and emotional behavior surveys, the school has worked with students to design more than 30 student-led initiatives, including: “Chairless Classrooms”, “Student Conversation Corners”, and “Relaxation Corners”.
These activities promote movement, emotional expression, and peer support. Teachers are trained in teaching methods that are sensitive to and supportive of students who have experienced trauma, while parents participate in workshops on mental health and positive communication.
The project reached over 6,000 people in Vietnam and India through partnerships with Tay Son High School and CMI Lisieux International School. Assessments using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) showed that the proportion of high-risk students dropped from 42% to 18%, and 98% of students reported feeling happier and safer. Teachers reported a 45% increase in job satisfaction, and parents had full confidence in the school.
With strong community engagement, environmental initiatives and a replicable model, Times School Khai Son has become a beacon of comprehensive education and school wellbeing – proving that even small schools can make big changes.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/lanh-doanh/aia-vinh-danh-cac-truong-doat-giai-trong-cuoc-thi-truong-hoc-lanh-manh-nhat-20250708104941092.htm
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