The student who "conquered Vietnam"

(Baonghean)At the final weekly competition of the first season of "Conquer - Vietnam's Brainiest Kid" for the 13-14 age group, held in early May 2014, although he did not win the championship to advance to the final round, what Nguyen Van Duc - a 9th-grade student from Dang Chanh Ky Secondary School (Nam Dan) - demonstrated throughout the competition will always leave an indelible mark on the audience, teachers, and friends.

Nguyen Van Duc with his silver medal at the "Conquer Vietnam" competition.

Born into a modest family and witnessing his parents' struggles to provide for his education, Duc obeyed his parents and studied diligently. He was particularly fond of Physics and Chemistry. His passion was nurtured by a favorable environment: the school's effective investment in high-quality education and the dedication of his teachers, who have built the reputation of Dang Chanh Ky Junior High School as a leader in the district for the percentage of students achieving excellent grades at all levels each year. Therefore, throughout his four years at this school, Duc consistently achieved the title of all-around excellent student. In the 2012-2013 school year, he won second prize in the provincial Physics Olympiad, and in the 2013-2014 school year, he continued to win second prize in Chemistry at the provincial level. Speaking about his secret to academic success, Duc humbly said: "I don't have any secrets, other than arranging my study schedule logically and appropriately. Seeing my parents work hard to support my brother and me through school, I always try my best to study well so that I can have a stable job in the future and become a useful person for my family and society."

Duc is honored to be one of 240 outstanding students nationwide selected from a total of 21,783 applications from 560 junior high schools in 33 provinces and cities to participate in the "Conquer Vietnam Brainiest Kid" competition - a program exclusively for junior high school students, organized by VTV6 - Vietnam Television, with the largest and most open recruitment scale ever. For the first time in an intellectual competition, the questions focus on exploring 7 types of intelligence according to world standards, including logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence.

Participating in this competition, Nguyen Van Duc prepared himself with a confident and calm mindset, along with high determination. His efforts and dedication were rewarded when he won second place in week 24 of the competition with the theme "The Natural World." Although he didn't win first place and advance to the final round, his performance in the weekly competition left a strong impression on the audience, teachers, and friends. Duc happily shared: "After registering and passing the preliminary round, I was very nervous entering this final weekly competition. Therefore, I prepared thoroughly to try my best to complete the task. My competitors in this round were very intelligent. So, within the short time allotted to answer the questions, I had to concentrate intensely to give the quickest and most accurate answers."

Throughout the competition in Hanoi, Duc was supported by his teacher, Mr. Phan Huy Tung from Dang Chanh Ky Secondary School. Mr. Tung proudly stated, “Duc is a very intelligent and enthusiastic student in all activities. The 'Conquer Vietnam' competition in week 24 was quite intense, with 10 contestants vying for 1 spot in the final. Watching live, I saw that Duc displayed composure and confidence. He answered most questions quickly and accurately. However, I think he lacked a bit of luck in the final minutes, so he only came in second, one point behind the winner. Nevertheless, this is a result he can be proud of.”

Returning from the intellectually stimulating competition, Nguyen Van Duc continues his journey of seeking knowledge to nurture his dream of becoming a skilled doctor. To make that dream a reality, he is currently focusing on preparing for the entrance exam to Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School. What he has achieved throughout his studies, especially in the "Conquer Vietnam" competition, is not only his personal accomplishment but also a source of pride for his family, school, and the people of his hometown.

Hong Suong