Hien Van Club: Nurturing the aspirations of young people.

Sow seeds from the pages of books.

In mid-May, the Literature Club held its regular meeting with the theme "Aspirations of Youth." The hall seemed to quiet down before brightening with the melodious poetry, songs, flute music, expressive dances, and the fresh, youthful thoughts and emotions of the students. The meeting was even more special than usual with the presence of guests including Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc - Director and Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Publishing House, and poet Huu Vi, making the discussion about reading, writing, and culture more accessible and impactful.

The enthusiasm and excitement of the members of the Literature Club were easily felt during the sharing of the two guest speakers. With their experience as professional publishers and writers, Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc and writer Huu Vi shared sincere and profound insights about their professional journeys and the enduring values ​​that literature brings to people. While poet Huu Vi recounted stories about preserving the essence of the mountains and forests in his writing, Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc offered the students a more intimate perspective on the journey of bringing a manuscript to the reader. Through these stories, the students understood that each page of a book is created from serious labor, from a love of words, and from responsibility to the community. The applause, the attentive gazes, and the feeling of awakening "youthful aspirations" elevated the club's activity beyond the scope of a typical extracurricular event.

Mr. Nguyen Van Trung, the head of the Hien Van Club, shared that the club was established in 2022 by dedicated teachers. When Mr. Trung joined the school in April 2025, he was assigned the role of head of the club by Principal Nguyen Thi Kieu Hoa. Prior to that, he worked at Tuong Duong Ethnic Boarding School and had experience building the "Sky-filled with Sunshine" library, which was highly praised. This continuity shows that the Hien Van Club today is the result of a persistent process built from the practical experience of boarding school education and the dedication of many generations of teachers.

Intrigued by the club's name, Mr. Nguyen Van Trung explained that the inspiration for Hien Van came from a poetic idea by Nguyen Trai, the image of a "veranda" in a green, poetic, and evocative space. It represents a "veranda" dedicated to literature, a private space for school art and culture, a place where students can find spiritual refuge, always listened to and encouraged to confidently express their thoughts and opinions. By choosing this name, the school administration seems to want to affirm that literature is not just a subject, but also a place to express feelings, reflect upon, and awaken the most subtle aspects of students' souls.

In a boarding school environment, the significance of the Literature Club becomes even more pronounced. The unique characteristic of ethnic minority students living far from their families, with their concentrated living arrangements, allows them to spend more time with school and friends. According to teacher Nguyen Van Trung, this very circumstance creates an environment where students can express their individual creative abilities, develop their literary appreciation, and cultivate a better reading culture. While previously students primarily encountered literature through classroom lessons, tests, or homework assignments, now they have their own forum, their own competitions, and opportunities to write, speak, and present their viewpoints. The club thus serves as both a playground and an "open classroom" for students to learn how to read more deeply and think more profoundly.

The Literature Club is well-organized and regular. Teacher Nguyen Van Trung said: “Each meeting usually has a specific theme, harmoniously combining reading and performance, singing songs based on poetry, bilingual singing, dramatizing literary works, performing traditional musical instruments, and even birthday celebrations for members to strengthen connections. The club's main focus is creating a space for students who love literature to write, have their works recognized and published; encouraging reading through monthly book review competitions and book introduction contests; and connecting with book events organized by the Nghe An Union of Literature and Arts, Nghe An Publishing House, or authors.”

"Sweet Fruits" Under the Roof of Literature

The Hien Van Club prioritizes developing reading skills, while creative writing is a smaller branch that has also yielded many positive results. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the club's approach: persistently cultivating reading habits, which in turn opens up the possibility of expressing oneself through language.

Recently, six students from the Literature Club had articles published in the Song Lam Magazine of the Nghe An Provincial Association of Literature and Arts. This is a positive sign, as it shows that the club not only discovers talent but also has the ability to "awaken" hidden qualities in students, leading them towards a more professional artistic life.

Dang Ba Quan, a student in class 11A5 at Nghe An Ethnic Boarding High School, hails from Cao Veu, Anh Son commune, a disadvantaged area. Previously, he was quite quiet and received little attention in his class. However, after joining the Hien Van Club, Quan was encouraged to write, won a prize in the club's writing competition, and his essay was selected for publication in Song Lam Magazine. He gradually became more confident, active, and engaged in reading more books, and recently won second prize in the club's book review writing competition.

Similarly, Lo Thi Ngoc Anh, a Thai ethnic student in class 10A7, is a prominent figure in the club. She is known for her beautiful reading voice and is frequently chosen to perform and recite literary works; she has also won prizes in many book introduction competitions organized by Hien Van. Recently, Ngoc Anh received a 5 million VND scholarship along with book gifts from writer and translator Nguyen Bich Lan. For this Thai ethnic student, the club has helped her cultivate self-confidence, expressiveness, and gratitude for books.

Poet Huu Vi believes that the most valuable aspect of the Hien Van Club's activities is not how many students become writers or poets in the future, but rather that they learn to appreciate beauty, listen to life, and express their thoughts. "For ethnic minority students, experiences of their villages, families, customs, and the natural beauty of the mountains and forests are a unique and abundant source of life experience. When they read and write more, they not only improve their language skills but also contribute to preserving the cultural values ​​of their communities," shared poet Huu Vi.

In the midst of a digital age with the countless influences of social media and technological devices, maintaining a space for reading, writing, and cultural dialogue within schools is no easy task. However, with the support of the school administration, the dedication of those in charge, and the positive response from the students, the Literature Club has persistently kept this precious "flame" burning. Under the roof of the boarding school, where students live far from their families, the Literature Club has become a true "shelter"—a place where students can share, be listened to, and receive emotional support; thus, their youthful aspirations have a solid foundation on their journey to adulthood.