Results of application round – The “Kien tao” scholarship program – 150 students now advance to the interview round

As the ‘Kien tao’ (Shaping the Future) scholarship program wrapped up its first round, 150 candidates who best matched the criteria have been selected from nearly 600 applicants to advance to the second round – the Interview.

Coming from various parts of the country, they are all particularly disadvantaged students who have risen above hardships and become admired for their academic performance. Their reflective essays embodied their forward momentum and ability to think beyond their age. What’s more, their frankness and sincerity really touched the hearts of the judges.

There are fears that hunger and poverty will take away learning opportunities.

And there are dreams of going to school and having a better tomorrow.

“I was deeply touched and amazed by the little students that I’ve never met before. Through the reflective essays and reference letters, I could feel their strong will, resilience, and perseverance amid adversity. They are all excellent students with admirable achievements. Hopefully, this humane scholarship program by Vinschool, as its name reveals, will help them enrich their knowledge and realize their dreams”, said Mr. Nguyen Tien Hiep, Teacher at Vinschool Thang Long Secondary school.

“I really admire the students for their courage, aspirations and desire to rise above the difficulties in life. I also want to extend my respect to the teachers who wrote reference letters for those students for loving them with all their heart and acting as their spiritual support”, said Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, Principal of Vinschool Thang Long Secondary school.

“I am particularly impressed by the story of a student from Nghe An. It’s not a rare thing that she spends the day with an empty stomach. There were times when she almost had to quit school to support her family financially because she left the loving arms of her parents at the age of one and was living with her grandmother who suffered a stroke. Despite those huge challenges, she has managed to become a well-rounded student and win high prizes in competitions for gifted students at district and provincial levels. I hope her story and those of other applicants can greatly inspire the community”, said Ms. Nguyen Nguyen Hanh Tram, Teacher at Vinschool Central Park Secondary school.

“The story of a little boy from Quang Tri really moved me. He is the only son of a couple of farmers. His father became disabled and epileptic after a serious occupational accident, and his mother works in the fields to raise him. However, he is a cheerful, sociable, and active student in the eyes of his teachers. Impressively, he always tops the school with remarkable achievements such as being a well-rounded student for 8 consecutive years, having a GPA of 9.2–9.3 during his three secondary school years, and winning a series of prizes in ICT and Science & Technology competitions at district and provincial levels. Those are fruitful rewards for his relentless efforts to overcome his difficult background”, said Ms. Tran Mai Phuong, Principal of Vinschool The Harmony Secondary school.

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The Interview round will be held online between August 26 and September 4, 2020. See the list of candidates who will advance to the second round of the ‘Kien tao’ scholarship program HERE.

To get the students prepared well for the interview, Mr. Phan Anh, member of the panel of judges, advised: “Just feel free to express your true selves, your abilities, and aspirations. And parents – don’t hesitate to tell us about your life conditions. This is a charitable scholarship program, not a talent search competition”.

Best wishes to the interviewees and may they have a brighter future!