The "Golden Boy" of Mathematics from Nghe An and his Harvard dream.

(Baonghean.vn) - Nguyen Thanh Tuan is the only elementary school student from Nghe An province to win a Gold Medal at the 2017 National Young Mathematical Talent Search Competition.

Meeting and talking with Nguyen Thanh Tuan, a 5th-grade student at Le Loi Primary School in Vinh City, one easily notices his mature and somewhat precocious personality compared to many of his peers. When sharing about his studies, especially mathematics, the boy seems to burst with joy: "Mathematics is my favorite subject, followed by English, and History and Geography also always fascinate me."

Because of his passion for mathematics, Nguyen Thanh Tuan has achieved high scores in this subject, winning numerous awards in competitions. Tuan participated in and achieved a perfect score of 300/300 in the "Violympic Online Math Competition" at the city level; and won second prize in the "Challenge with Numbers" competition at the city level.

Most recently, Tuan won a Gold Medal in the "Searching for Young Mathematical Talents 2017" competition organized by the Vietnam Mathematical Society.

Nguyen Thanh Tuan, a 5th grade student from Le Loi Primary School, Vinh City. Photo: Hoang Dung

Tuan recounted this special competition with undeniable excitement: "The competition took place on April 9th ​​in Hanoi, with a time limit of 120 minutes. I felt quite comfortable and confident doing the test, however, after finishing and waiting for the results to be announced in the afternoon, I was a little nervous and anxious."

Tuan was accompanied by his beloved mother in every competition. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan, Tuan's mother, shared: "During the awards ceremony, my son and I sat in the auditorium waiting, and even after the Bronze and Silver medal winners were announced, we still didn't hear my son's name. I felt both sad and sorry for him because he had invested so much and had high expectations for this competition. Unexpectedly, just a few minutes later, the organizers called out Nguyen Thanh Tuan's name as the Gold medal winner. The happiness was overwhelming for both of us."

Sharing his learning experience, Tuan said that he studies and does exercises in the textbook right in class to firmly grasp the basic knowledge. At home, he does additional advanced exercises from the book as well as online.

When faced with difficult exercises, Tuan never gives up. He tries to find multiple solutions, and if he still can't find the answer, he'll stop to relax or help his mother with household chores before returning to the exercises. Tuan believes that doing so helps him stay relaxed and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on himself.

Tuan's mother, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan, always encouraged and motivated Tuan in his studies. Photo: Tuan Duong

Furthermore, Tuan is a boy who loves sports, especially football. Moreover, Tuan has a rather interesting habit: he often watches the entire evening news before starting to study. Tuan believes that watching the news helps him learn more about life around him, and what's happening domestically and internationally.

Ms. Do Thi Thu Ha, homeroom teacher of class 5H at Le Loi Primary School, is also very proud of her young student. She shared: "Tuan is a well-behaved, intelligent student who is always proactive in his studies. In class, he is very sociable and always willing to help his classmates. Tuan is also the one who enthusiastically participates in class discussions, inspiring his classmates to compete in learning."

Young Nguyen Thanh Tuan wrote his promise and pasted it in front of his study corner. Photo: Tuan Duong

Despite his excellent academic achievements, few know that behind today's success lie months of hardship and struggle for Nguyen Thanh Tuan and his mother.

Tuan was born and raised in Nghe An, but his parents divorced when he was just three months old. Tuan moved to Hanoi with his mother and older sister. Tuan's mother used to be a bank employee in the capital, but when Tuan was in third grade, she contracted rheumatoid arthritis. The prolonged illness disrupted her work, forcing the three of them to return to their hometown.

Currently, Tuan's family's main source of income is from renting out their house in Hanoi. Burdened with the responsibility of being both mother and father, and witnessing his mother's struggles, Tuan confided that he hopes to grow up quickly, study hard, and soon find a job to earn money to take care of his mother. When asked about his future dreams, Tuan quickly shared: "I dream of studying at Harvard University someday."

Wishing Tuấn, the "little old man," good health, excellent studies, and especially the strength and determination to make his dreams come true soon.

Tuan Duong