A class of 100% female students from ethnic minorities achieved exceptionally high scores in the humanities/social sciences (Block C) exams.

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Lang Thi Ai My is a female student whohighest pointMy, a student in class 12 C1 at the Provincial Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities, achieved an average score of 28.25 points. Her individual scores were also very high, with Literature at 9, History at 9.75, and Geography at 9.5. Receiving this result, My was overjoyed because the score she achieved opened the door for her to enter the People's Procuracy Academy – a school she had dreamed of attending since high school.

My currently has the highest score in class 12C1, and My is also the...valedictorianBlock CMy, a student from the Provincial Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities, was the most enthusiastic about the three subjects in the exam. Although she was a little disappointed that she only scored 9 points in Literature, it was the subject she enjoyed the most. Speaking about this, the student, who grew up in Ke Noc village, Mau Duc commune, Con Cuong district, shared: "The essay question asked candidates to comment on the statement 'Living fully in the present will allow life, however small, to reach tomorrow.' This is also the thought and the goal I always strive for to make life better."

From a shy little girl, Lang Thi Ai My (on the left) has become the top student in the humanities/social sciences group at her school with very high exam scores. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

For the past three years, since I started studying here...Provincial Ethnic Boarding High SchoolLang Thi Ai My has also gradually conquered herself. Therefore, from a shy and insecure girl from a remote area, Ai My has become increasingly confident and sociable with her friends. She also admitted that "due to my family circumstances, I suffered from psychological issues from a young age," but after being encouraged by friends, parents, and teachers, she found her passion in learning. More importantly, she saw the joy of her parents when she achieved high results... Ai My's greatest achievement while in high school was winning third prize in Geography at the Provincial Excellent Student Competition in 11th grade.

My's family lives in Mau Duc commune. Her parents are farmers and have remained in the "near-poverty" category for many years. Although they wanted her to do well in school, her parents couldn't provide much support for her after four years of boarding school in the district and three years in the province, and she was mostly independent. Knowing her family's circumstances and especially not wanting her to follow the path of "dropping out of school and getting married early" like her older sister, My resolved to study hard and get into university.

The greatest motivation for ethnic minority students is to excel in their studies in order to improve their lives. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Throughout her high school years, My was always a diligent and hardworking student. Besides attending classes, she spent her remaining time in the dorm diligently reviewing old lessons and solving practice problems. My's study secrets were simple: for Literature, she focused on "preparing thoroughly before class, reading carefully, and understanding the material," and for History, she emphasized "remembering the information as she learned it, following the sequence of events." Geography, her favorite subject, was easy for her. She also regretted that if she hadn't been nervous, she could have gotten a perfect score on her Geography paper, as she made a mistake on a relatively easy question that was precisely on the topic she had carefully reviewed.

In the same class as My, Lau Y Vi was also a standout candidate because, since 11th grade, Vi had been an excellent student at the provincial level in History.2020 High School Graduation ExaminationVi scored 26.5 points, including 9.5 in History, 9 in Geography, and 8 in Literature. Although the score was quite high, Vi was not satisfied with the result because she was confident she could have done better.

Lau Y Vi is a talented and academically gifted Hmong female student in her class. Photo: Provided by the subject.

In class 12C1, Vi was an active participant in all activities because she was a good student, sang well, danced gracefully, and participated in many extracurricular activities. Vi's personality was quite different from other Hmong students; she considered herself an "extrovert."

From her school days in Muong Long (Ky Son), the girl dreamed of going to Vinh, to Hanoi to study at university, so she was determined to pursue her studies even though "all her friends around the house have dropped out of school to get married early." Currently, Vi is confident that she will be admitted to the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, majoring in Oriental Studies. This is also the field where Vi is confident that she will fully develop her abilities and talents, giving her the opportunity to explore many new and exciting places in the future.

A special class with all girls.

Class 12C1 of the Provincial Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities has 35 members, all of whom are female. Of these, 100% are ethnic minority students, many from poor or near-poor households.

For the reasons mentioned above, maintaining a stable class size over the past three years has been challenging. Even in 12th grade, despite being in their final year of high school, many female students decided to only take the graduation exam or planned not to go to university due to financial difficulties. However, these same students later achieved very high scores, such as Lu Thi Tha (Thai ethnic minority, 27.25 points) and Lin Thi Tuoi (Khmu ethnic minority, 26 points). Many other students in the class also scored very high marks, even in the humanities and social sciences (Block C), which is not an easy field to get a 9 or 10, such as Le Ha My (28 points) and Nguyen Thi Thuong (27.25 points)...

Class 12 C1 consists entirely of students from ethnic minority groups, all of whom are female. Photo: Provided by the class.

Upon receiving these results, homeroom teacher Nguyen Thi Huong couldn't hide her joy because, over the past three years, she has been the one who understands each student's circumstances and efforts very well. She also shared: "When I first took over the class, I was a little worried because the students' entrance scores weren't very high. Many of them were away from home for the first time, studying far from home, and were shy and quiet, so I had to constantly be close to them and encourage them."

From being shy little girls who were "far from the mountains and forests," they came to Vinh and, under the care of their teachers, have matured after three years of schooling. Therefore, at the provincial-level excellent student competition in the 2018-2019 school year, all 8 students from the class participated and all won awards – a rare achievement, including 3 second prizes, 2 third prizes, and 3 consolation prizes. In the 2019-2020 school year, all 36 students in the class achieved excellent academic performance.

Specifically in the 2020 High School Graduation Exam, the class had 32 out of 36 students achieving 24 points or higher in Block C, 20 students achieving 26 points or higher, and 2 students achieving 28 points or higher. Students from the class include Lang Vi Ha Thuong, who received a certificate of commendation for "Students and young people studying and following the moral example and style of Ho Chi Minh," and Ha Thi Na, who not only won second prize in the provincial excellent student competition but also won a gold medal in the Tinh Hoa Luong Nghi Kiem Phap (a school of Vovinam martial arts) performance competition at the 2020 Phu Dong Sports Festival, a discipline she has pursued for many years with great passion...

In the 2020 high school graduation exam, class 12C1 made a strong impression with many students achieving very high scores in the humanities/social sciences (Block C). Photo: Provided by the class.

The success of aclassIn particular, it has also empowered thousands of other ethnic minority students throughout the province. And for them, learning is not only for themselves and their families, but also for their dream of returning to their homeland and changing their villages...