Tran Xuan Dam, a student at My Loc High School in Ninh Binh, was one of two top scorers nationwide, achieving a total of 39/40 points for four subjects: 10 in Mathematics, 10 in Physics, 9.25 in Literature, and 9.75 in Chemistry.

The only way to escape poverty

Bui Thi Luu, Dam’s mother (born in 1983) said she and her husband have four sons, with Dam being the second. They earn their living as mason’s helpers, and till rice on one hectare of fields, working tirelessly year-round. During the high season, they take on extra jobs like rice planting or pesticide spraying to earn money to support their children’s education.

The greatest wish of the couple has been to earn enough money so that their children could go to school, the only way to escape poverty.

“As a child, I couldn’t attend school because my family was too poor, with many siblings and barely enough food. Even now, I’m illiterate, unable to write my name at the hospital or sign documents, only using fingerprints. It feels humiliating at times. That’s why I always encourage my kids to study hard to avoid a hard life like ours. Dam’s achievement today leaves me overjoyed beyond words,” Luu said, tearfully.

Tran Xuan Thiem, Dam’s father (born in 1982), recounted that from age four, Dam began studying on his own by following his older brother. As he grew, Dam’s self-discipline became evident, and his parents always encouraged him to strive harder.

“This morning, I was working when I received a call from Dam to inform him about his exam results. After hearing that, my hands and feet trembled with joy. All my fatigue seemed to disappear. My son achieving such results is a great happiness for me,” Thiem said.

Discipline "key" to success

Dam said he has a personal study method based on self-discipline. He didn’t attend extra classes, just focusing instead on mastering knowledge in class. Whenever he faced difficulties, he promptly asked his teachers for clarification.

“In my studies, I always set clear daily goals. Once the goal is set, discipline helps me take steady steps forward,” Dam said.

Each day, Dam woke up between 4:30 and 5:00 am to study. He attended school during the day, helped with household chores in the evening, and then reviewed lessons and practiced exam questions until 11:00pm.

During his exam preparation, after each practice test, Dam carefully reviewed mistakes, noting them meticulously in a notebook to learn from them and avoid repeating them.

For Dam, studying wasn’t about pressure but a serious yet relaxed journey.

“I don’t put pressure on myself. I set clear goals every day for how many practice questions to complete per subject. Once I meet the goal, I rest to get refreshed. If I am too tired, I allow myself to skip a session, as long as it doesn’t disrupt my long-term plan.

“Before entering the exam room, I prepared myself with a strong mindset and solid knowledge,” he said.

“My family isn’t well-off, but my dreams are big, so I must strive my hardest,” he added.

Tran Thi Hong Don, Dam’s Chemistry teacher, couldn’t hide her excitement and pride upon learning that her student had become the national top scorer in the 2025 high school graduation exam.

Don said that Dam is a very proactive student. He not only excels academically but also actively helps classmates improve and supports teachers in various activities.

“Dam has a clear study plan. Once he sets a goal, he strives relentlessly to achieve it. His exam results didn’t surprise me too much, as they aligned with the goals he quietly pursued and what we always expected of him,” Don said.

Tran Nam Chung, Vice Principal of My Loc High School, noted that the 2024-2025 academic year was remarkable, marked by outstanding achievements from the school’s teachers and students.

“In the 2025 high school graduation exam, the school had 25 perfect scores. Notably, Dam’s class, with five tested subjects, ranked first in four subjects across the school,” Chung said.

With his results, Dam plans to pursue Control and Automation Engineering at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, a field he has been passionate about since childhood.

Thanh Hung