On the morning of July 16, the Ministry of Education and Training announced the 2025 high school graduation exam scores. In the list of valedictorians, the name Tran Xuan Dam, a 12A1 student at My Loc High School, Ninh Binh Province, moved many people. He is one of two candidates nationwide who scored 39/40 points in four university entrance exams: Math 10, Physics 10, Chemistry 9.75 and Literature 9.25.
This impressive achievement becomes even more special when knowing Dam's family situation: both parents work as construction workers, working hard all year round on every meter of rice field and wall to raise and educate four children.
My story is not just about winning scores. It is also about winning will, determination, and gratitude.
Mother is illiterate, father had to give up university
Mrs. Bui Thi Luu (born in 1983), Dam's mother, shared that she gave birth to four children, Dam being the second. Her husband worked as a construction worker, and the family cultivated more than one hectare of rice fields to support their children's education. In each season, they worked as hired laborers planting rice, spraying pesticides, and working as construction workers, regardless of the weather.
She herself is illiterate, because her family was poor and she did not go to school when she was young. Even now, when she goes to the hospital, she still cannot sign her name, only knows how to print her fingerprints. Because she is illiterate, all of Dam's studies are done by Dam herself. Her family is poor and does not have money to send her to extra classes, so apart from studying in class, Dam studies on her own.
"When our child achieved results like this, it was a great joy for us," Mrs. Luu said emotionally.
Mr. Tran Xuan Thiem (born in 1982), Dam's father, also passed the entrance exam to Nam Dinh Pedagogical College, but due to his family's difficult circumstances, he had to drop out of school to work for hire, and then became a construction worker for the past several decades.
“That morning, I was working at the construction site when Dam called to tell me his score. My hands and feet were shaking. When I heard that my son got 39 points, I cried with joy. All the hard work, sweat, and hardship seemed to have disappeared,” Mr. Thiem recounted.
After falling from the second floor of a scaffolding, he has to wear a pin in his leg. Mrs. Luu also had to have surgery on her leg. Despite their poor health, the couple still does not take a day off to support four mouths.
Iron discipline, smart learning
No extra classes, no pressure, Dam chose the path of self-study with strict discipline. Every day, he wakes up at 4:30 am, studies before breakfast and goes to class. In the afternoon after school, Dam helps with housework and then sits at the table until 11 pm.
“When I’m too tired, I allow myself to sleep early and make up for it the next day. But every day I set clear goals: how many questions to answer for each subject, what knowledge to review in depth. I don’t push myself too hard, but I also don’t allow myself to loosen up from the discipline I’ve set,” Dam shared about her study method.
Dam does not study at any center, his knowledge mainly comes from listening in class and asking teachers when he does not understand something. Instead of studying to exhaustion, Dam focuses on learning solidly and understanding deeply. After each test, he carefully checks for mistakes and writes them down in his notebook to avoid making them again. With natural subjects, he does tests continuously to practice his speed and reflexes.
As for Literature, I consider the essay subject as the “art of writing”, learning by reading the questions carefully and practicing natural expression. Because I love Literature, every Literature class I feel relaxed, helping to improve my writing and presentation skills. However, when I received a Literature score of 9.25, I was surprised, because I thought I would only get an 8.
Ms. Tran Thi Hong Don, Chemistry teacher and also the homeroom teacher of class 12A1, shared that Dam is a highly disciplined student. He always knows what he needs, sets clear goals, and perseveres in achieving them.
According to Ms. Don, what makes Dam stand out is not only his grades but also his proactive spirit: helping his friends, participating in class activities, and being ready to support teachers when needed. “When I found out he was valedictorian, I wasn’t too surprised. Because that’s a goal he’s been quietly pursuing for a long time,” Ms. Don said.
Mr. Tran Nam Chung, Vice Principal of My Loc High School, said that in the 2024-2025 school year, the school had many students with good achievements. Among them, Dam is one of the typical faces: won the second prize in the provincial Chemistry competition, scored the highest in many subjects, and ranked first in 4/5 subjects in his class in the whole school.
“Success is not a destination, but a journey”
With excellent results in the high school graduation exam, Tran Xuan Dam plans to study Control and Automation Engineering at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, a school he has cherished for many years. This is not only a career choice, but also the first step to realizing the passion he has nurtured since childhood.
“For me, success is not a destination, but a journey,” Dam shared, adding that he would strive to achieve his goal. He thought a lot before deciding to go to Hanoi to study. Knowing that the financial burden would fall on his parents, he had to find a way to help them ease their burdens without giving up on his dream.
Right from the moment he decided on his wish, Dam took the initiative to carefully research the scholarship programs and student support policies of Hanoi University of Science and Technology. He planned to ask his parents to cover his tuition fees for the first semester. From the next semester, he set a goal of getting a scholarship to reduce the financial pressure on his family. At the same time, he also planned to work as a tutor to cover his living expenses and improve his teaching skills.
Achievements of Valedictorian Tran Xuan Dam over the years:
School year 2022-2023:
Third Prize - National Defense and Security.
Outstanding Award of Provincial STEM Competition.
First Prize in Information Technology in English at provincial level.
Third Prize for Startup Ideas for High School Students.
KK prize in provincial IOE competition.
Achieved the title of Advanced Youth following Uncle Ho's teachings.
School year results: Excellent student title.
School year 2023-2024:
Outstanding Award of Provincial STEM Competition.
Achieved the title of National 3 Good Student.
Second Prize in Provincial English News Contest.
Third Prize in Provincial Information Technology Competition.
Third Prize IOE Provincial Level.
Provincial Youth and Children Creative Award.
KK Prize in Provincial Startup Competition.
School year results: Excellent student title.
School year 2024-2025:
Second prize in provincial Chemistry competition.
TSA Exam: 77.03/100.
KK Prize in Children's Creativity Competition.
School year results: Excellent student title.
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/cach-hoc-cua-thu-khoa-co-cha-lam-phu-ho-me-khong-biet-chu-post1556457.html
Comment (0)