[Kien Tao Scholarship] Le Dieu Tam – Classroom without Borders, Friendship without Distance

Le Dieu Tam - 10th grader at Quang Ninh High School, Quang Binh province, is one of 68 lucky students awarded the Kien tao Scholarship by Vinschool - The scholarship fund that helps support and orient children with difficult backgrounds but who are eager to learn, have the will to overcome difficulties, can become talented people, can actively build the country and contribute to the community with their talents.

SMALL GIRL DREAMS BIG WITH INCREDIBLE EFFORT

Born in a family without the complete love of her parents, Dieu Tam is aware of her situation and chooses to look at everything in a very positive way. Although she only received the care of her grandparents, whose health was not good, the girl used it as  motivation to orient her career and overcome difficulties. Her sharing in the application for the “Kien tao Scholarship” of the girl who was only 15 years old at that time was very profound: “My dream in 10 years is to become a medical doctor, first for my grandfather and then for everyone around. I believe that living in the world each person needs to have their dreams, aspirations, and life goals. Those are the directions for efforts to make them come true.”

• Achieved the title of Excellent Student for 9 years in a row
• Second Prize in District level Literature competition for excellent students
• Third Prize in District Physics Competition for excellent students

Neither the 12km journey to school nor material deprivation has ever stopped this girl’s extraordinary effort.

With the companion of Vinschool’s mentor teacher, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Giao, Tam built a learning path and detailed personal plan for each semester. For subjects that she is not yet strong in, like Math, Chemistry, or English, she participates in online classes with Vinschool subject teachers every week. “The teachers are empathic and often ask about the exercises I have at school, and if there is something I do not understand or want to know more, I can ask them to explain. A few times when I have asked, the teachers were very enthusiastic to answer. My favorite is Chemistry class because the lessons are very easy to understand.” Tam also feels very lucky because thanks to the computer-sponsored program, she can study online during the pandemic when she can’t go to school.

In addition to the improvement in learning results, Mr. Giao found that compared to the early days, Tam is much more confident and brave. It is clear that “creating” (Kien tao) borderless classes for students with unfortunate circumstances like Tam not only helps financially but also creates positive mentally changes, something the Vinschool Education System always aims for – the comprehensive development of  learning as well as the physical and mental health of students.

THE FRIENDSHIP DESPITE THE DISTANCE OF DIEU TAM AND NGOC LINH

The Kien tao Scholarship was created to narrow the educational gap, but for Dieu Tam, the program also gave her “friendships without distance”.

Besides the teachers, Dieu Tam was also accompanied on this journey by Ngoc Linh, a Vinser from class 10A1 at Vinschool Metropolis High School, Hanoi. Two girls from two completely different backgrounds, both living at opposite ends of the country, but when they connect, they find many things in common in their interests. Online conversations are sometimes about sharing their love for dogs or about how neither of them are good at memorizing subjects like History. These conversations create a simple yet meaningful bond.

Knowing that Tam is in Quang Binh, where the accent can be hard to understand, Linh also learned to speak the central accent in order to be able to communicate with her. Tam shared: “I find it most interesting that Linh speaks with a central accent to talk to me even though she is living in Hanoi. At first, I didn’t understand what she said.” Meanwhile, Linh finds herself very “cool” when she understands everything you say: “Although Tam warned that her accent was hard to understand, with the experience every summer when I return to my hometown in Nghe An, I understand 95% of what she tells me.”

Not only Dieu Tam, but the connection created by the Kien tao Scholarship also inspires Vinser Ngoc Linh: “I find myself more fortunate, as well as appreciating the value I have. For example, at Vinschool we have modern and fully equipped facilities so that students can develop their skills. Instead of taking the neighborhood and comfortable house where I live for granted, I feel so much more appreciative and grateful.”

“Curious, sophisticated and optimistic are how Ngoc Linh describes her friend Dieu Tam”

The innocent friendship of Dieu Tam and Ngoc Linh seems to normalize all differences in family backgrounds and geographical distance. These are the things that we, the creators of the “Kien tao” Scholarship Fund, always aspire to and aim for. “Life’s greatest luck is not finding money, nor winning the lottery, but having someone who can guide you to new heights.” We believe that talented students like Dieu Tam, if discovered, supported and oriented, can become talented people who know how to actively contribute to building the country and bring back value to the country and the community with their talents.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

KIEN TAO SCHOLARSHIP | NARROW THE EDUCATIONAL GAP WITH VINSCHOOL

Towards the goal of narrowing the education gap and finding and fostering talents, in 2020, Vinschool launched the “Kien tao Scholarship” program from the sponsorship of a Vinschool student’s parent, with a total value of up to 10 billion VND, given to students with difficult circumstances but who are eager to learn and have the will to overcome difficulties to rise up in life.

In addition to being equipped with computers and supported by Vinschool to install the Internet, every month students are also partially supported financially and have the close companionship of teachers at Vinschool throughout their learning journey to the end of high school.

See more about Vinschool’s Kien tao Scholarship program here: https://vinschool.edu.vn/news_event/thu-hep-khoang-cach-giao-duc-cung-chuong-trinh-hoc-bong-kien-tao-vinschool/