Passion and overcoming difficulties of the valedictorian of the province's excellent math students

Passionate student meets dedicated teacher

In recent days, many friends and neighbors have come to Truong Xuan Thong's house (15 years old, Nghi Kieu commune, Nghi Loc) to share the joy. Thong was the valedictorian of the Math exam in the recent Provincial Excellent Student Competition with 18.75 points.

Nghi Kieu Secondary School (Nghi Loc) - where Truong Xuan Thong is studying. Photo: Cong Kien

“Thong is a well-rounded student. He has been ranked excellent for three consecutive years, from grade 6 to grade 9 he has achieved high scores in the district's excellent student selection exam, and in grades 8 and 9 he was the valedictorian in Math,” said Mr. Nguyen Phan Cuong, Principal of Nghi Kieu Secondary School.

Truong Xuan Thong is always fascinated with math calculations and solutions. Photo: Cong Kien

Thong said that, for him, Math has truly become a passion since elementary school. In grade 6, Thong's talent for this subject was discovered by teacher Nguyen Van Thang. Under the guidance of a teacher with solid expertise and enthusiasm, Thong's talent has become increasingly evident through his academic results as well as his scores in the exams for excellent students each school year.

Since then, Mr. Thang has paid Thong special attention. In addition to lectures in class, he also gave advanced exercises for him to find solutions at home. In their free time, teachers and students would sit together to discuss, guide and receive knowledge. At home, every day, Thong usually spent about 4-5 hours absorbed in calculations as well as searching for the most reasonable solutions.

Whenever he has free time, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang spends it on tutoring and helping Thong expand his knowledge and skills in Math. Photo: Cong Kien

“I discovered that Thong had talent, so from the beginning I looked for ways to nurture and train him to become a good student in Math. My goal was for Thong to get a high score in the Provincial Excellent Student Exam for Grade 9. Today’s result was beyond the expectations of both teacher and student,” said Mr. Thang. During the summer vacation, he often drove his motorbike more than 20 km from his home in Nghi Dien commune to school to tutor Thong. Before this exam, both teacher and student were determined to achieve the set goal.

The sweat of parents

Like many other families in this poor village, student Thong's family is not well off. His father is a construction worker, his mother stays at home to take care of the fields and raise livestock. Thong has two older sisters, the eldest has graduated from Hanoi University of Pharmacy and is married, while the second is in her fourth year at the Military Medical Academy. To provide for their children's education, Mr. Truong Xuan Thu and his wife (Thong's parents) have worked hard regardless of rain or shine.

Truong Xuan Thong's academic achievements in recent times. Photo: Cong Kien

“To earn money for the children’s education, my husband has to work as a construction worker away from home all year round. I stay home and take care of everything, from housework to planting, plowing and raising livestock. Luckily, the children are all well-behaved and good students, so the hardships and difficulties are somewhat reduced…”, Thong’s mother, Nguyen Thi Thang, said.

Her husband was often away from home, so Mrs. Thang worked alone on the family's 7 sao of rice fields and fertile land. In addition, she also received 8 sao from other families to earn more income. She worked all day long, from rice, corn, peanuts to vegetables, chili, then chickens, pigs, buffalos, and cows. Waking up at 4am, she had to carry vegetables 20 kilometers to sell at Bong market, Veo market, and Son market in Yen Thanh district.

At noon, while everyone was resting, the woman with a haggard face would go to the fields or streams to catch crabs and snails to sell along the main road that passed through the village in the afternoon. Despite the hardship, Mrs. Thang said she could endure it as long as her children focused on their studies, so that they could escape the farming life like their parents.

To take care of her children's education, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thang does not mind the hardships and difficulties, doing everything herself. Photo: Cong Kien

“My husband and I thought that we had little education and a difficult life, so we had to work hard to support our children. We hoped that they would have a brighter future. Thong’s results in the recent exam really made the family more excited and proud,” Mrs. Thang added.