Just a few days before the entrance exam to Ha Long High School for the Gifted (Quang Ninh), Trung, a San Diu student from Trang Luong commune (former Dong Trieu city), suffered a broken right arm in an accident. It seemed as if his dream door had closed. But with perseverance, Trung endured the pain and wrote a story of resilience that led to his direct admission to HUST.

Recalling the exam for the specialized Math-Informatics class, Trung remembers having to write using his whole arm. Just four days before the exam, he fractured his right wrist. The injury seemed to make it impossible to take the test, but Trung refused to give up.

"My wrist couldn’t move, so I used my whole arm to write. My teachers advised me to wait and retake the exam next year, but after all the preparation, I still decided to take the exam," Trung said.

That determination helped him earn a place in the gifted class in Math-Informatics, just as he had dreamed, marking a new beginning for the computer-loving student from the mining region.

His passion for computers began in grade 4. By the end of grade 8, Trung and several classmates were selected for informatics training by teachers at Ha Long high school for the gifted. As a result, he won a provincial consolation prize. In grade 9, he went on to earn a second prize in the provincial informatics competition, first prize in Dong Trieu town, and another consolation prize in the provincial young informatics contest.

These achievements gave Trung more confidence as he joined the national competition team of excellent students. In the 2023-2024 school year, he earned a consolation prize. Just one year later, in 2024-2025, he advanced further and won third prize at the national level in informatics, an impressive accomplishment, especially for a student with an ethnic minority background.

Thanks to this dedicated journey, Trung has become one of the outstanding students admitted directly to the computer science program (IT1) at HUST, the leading technology school in Vietnam.

Ha Dai Ton, homeroom teacher of the 12th-grade Informatics class, said that Trung is a very hardworking student. Compared to many others on the team, he is mature and dynamic. Besides academics, he also participates in sports and group activities. He always completes every task excellently. Most importantly, Trung has a strong drive to improve and constantly works on himself.

According to the leadership of Ha Long high school for the gifted, Resolution 63 of the Quang Ninh provincial people's council has provided many practical support policies for fostering talented students, especially during the 2021-2026 period.

Principal Do Thi Dieu Thuy said: "This is a great source of encouragement that motivates students to study harder. For ethnic minority students, there’s often an academic gap when they first enter the gifted school compared to peers from urban centers. However, after just one semester, thanks to their persistence and close support from teachers, that gap gradually narrows, and many go on to achieve remarkable results."

In the 2024-2025 school year, the school recorded many outstanding achievements at both national and international levels. The university admission rate for 12th-grade students was high, with many receiving direct offers from top universities across the country. Although the number of ethnic minority students admitted to the school each year is small, their accomplishments are impressive.

Trung has proven that with willpower, the right policies, and devoted teachers, students from disadvantaged areas can reach academic success. His journey sends a clear message: if you are persistent and dare to dream, doors will eventually open.

My Dung