The petite girl and her secret to academic success.

Dang Thi Thu Thao at her study corner. Photo: Thanh Nga

Young Party members in disadvantaged areas

Thu Thảo was born and raised in Nghi Kiều commune, considered a disadvantaged area in Nghi Lộc district, where many people choose to leave their hometowns to make a living. Therefore, from a young age, Thảo and her siblings were equipped with independence and self-discipline. "Because my parents often had to work far away to earn money to support my siblings and me through school, I took on the roles of both father and mother in guiding and caring for my younger brother, who is only one year younger than me," Thảo explained.

Dang Thi Thu Thao (in the middle) and her classmates. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Aware that only education could lead her and her family to brighter horizons, Thao showed a stronger will than her peers from a young age. She studied diligently and always strived for improvement, aiming to be better today than yesterday, and better this semester than the previous one. Therefore, she was always a shining example for her classmates to follow. Thao's example was not only about being a role model but also about her ability to lead others. "Thao is very helpful to her friends, assisting them with both big and small tasks. When the teachers aren't around, this petite class president is always the big sister in the class and in the student union. She is the most impressive class president I've ever met," shared Pham Lam Tung, the homeroom teacher of class 12A1 at Nghi Loc 5 High School.

At the 2021 "Road to Olympia" competition, Thảo won second place in the weekly round. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Thảo has always balanced studying, playing, and training in the most scientific way. Therefore, for 12 consecutive years, this petite student has always been class president; and achieved the title of Excellent Team Leader at the provincial level. Most notably, Thảo recently had the honor of participating in the "Road to Olympia" competition organized by Vietnam Television and won second place in the weekly round.

"It was an interesting experience during my student life. Although the results were modest, I gained a considerable amount of knowledge during the exam preparation process. For me, that's also a success," Thảo shared.

Class 12A1 at Nghi Loc 5 High School is considered to have a relatively consistent student quality and a very high university admission rate. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

When talking about Thao, friends and teachers mention her not only for her knowledge and excellent academic performance in all subjects, but also for her consistent efforts in extracurricular activities. Whether at home or at school, Thao stands out as a leader in every movement. It's thanks to Thao that the younger students participate in summer activities, and it's thanks to Thao that local Youth Union activities have energy and structure. Thao is also the only student in Nghi Loc district to achieve the "Three Good" student title at the provincial level in the 2020-2021 school year. Thanks to these outstanding achievements, Thao was honored to be admitted to the Party at school when she was just 17 years old.

Secrets to excelling in studies

Thao often teaches and guides her younger brother during his studies. Photo: Thanh Nga

Recalling the recent national high school graduation exam, Thảo is still emotional: "I didn't expect to get 9.5 points in Literature; that's my highest score ever. My secret to studying Literature is my reading comprehension and text analysis skills. From the literary works taught by my teachers, Thảo always finds ways to practice writing, writing a lot, and using different approaches."

“Although Foreign Language was the subject with the highest score, 9.6 points, I wasn't surprised because I had already scored that number after the exam. In my opinion, Foreign Language is a relatively easy subject if you have a solid foundation and the ability to memorize effectively; the rest is just practicing with sample tests and vocabulary. I think I grasped the key concepts, so learning Foreign Language went quite smoothly,” Thảo said.

These days, Thu Thảo often helps her mother with daily chores. Photo: Thanh Nga

Speaking about the high school graduation exam, Thảo said that besides the three main subjects for the university entrance exam, she basically mastered the knowledge in class and completed assignments in class for other subjects. “Throughout my final years of junior high and early high school, my chemistry teachers always tried to persuade me to pursue the science stream (Group A), to join the school's chemistry gifted student team, and in 12th grade, all the teachers were surprised by my 'change of direction,' because I chose the D01 stream (Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Language),” Thảo said. Therefore, her consistent academic performance and consistent excellence are well-founded, and it's not difficult to understand why she excels in both the Natural Sciences and Social Sciences streams. “Thảo has a scientific approach to learning because she absorbs most of the material in class, and then actively studies on her own. She doesn't just practice exam questions; she also thoroughly trains herself on any type of problem she's not yet proficient in, and asks her teachers and classmates for detailed advice,” said Mr. Phạm Lâm Tùng, Thảo's homeroom teacher.

Learning and practicing have always been the words that followed Thảo from elementary school to high school. “I’m not a particularly intelligent student, someone who learns two or three things at a time, but only hard work has allowed me to confidently keep up with the latest knowledge,” Thảo confided. That hard work, combined with a scientific approach to organizing her studies, allowed Thảo to excel in all subjects, from Math, Physics, Chemistry, to Literature, History, Geography, and English. “English is my strongest subject, but since there are no internationally accredited English training centers in my hometown, I had to learn on my own through online resources and online courses, along with guidance from my teachers.” With her passion for foreign languages, this student from a disadvantaged area in Nghi Lộc district won an award in the district's English competition, much to the surprise of her teachers and classmates.

Thảo also mentioned that she scored 110 points in the aptitude test and was admitted to the National Economics University. This was a rewarding experience because the exam assessed students from multiple perspectives, and participating required consistent preparation across all subjects.

Having passed the entrance exam to the Foreign Trade University with a major in International Economics, a popular field at the university, Thao hopes to work in a dynamic and innovative environment in the future. She says this is a gift she wants to give her parents, to repay them for all their hard work and sacrifices for her and her siblings.

Ranked among the top 10 out of 20 students honored at the provincial level, Thảo said that she and her family were extremely happy, honored, and proud. “Although the road ahead is still long, I believe that what I will do and choose is the right path.”