Early in the morning, all students of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School gathered and settled down to prepare for the ceremony. Being a school with the highest number of academic achievements and extracurricular activities, in the year 2016 – 2017, teachers and students of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School will continue the tradition and remain a pioneer in the education system.

The guests of honor attending the ceremony include Prof. Tran Dai Quang- Politburo member, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam; Pham Manh Hung - Secretary of Party Committee, Deputy Minister of Education and Training; Ngo Thi Thanh Hang - Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee; Chu Xuan Dung – Vice President of Education and Training Department, other representatives and government officials, along with teachers, administrators, and students of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School.

President Tran Dai Quang and many government officials attending the celebration.

Performances by teachers and students of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School

2015 – 2016 was a successful school year for the teachers and students of the school. Many academic achievements have been obtained, including such medals of international competitions as Silver Medal of International Mathematics Competition (Dao Vu Quang – 12T1), Silver Medal of International Physics Competition (Pham Quang Minh), Silver Medal of International Biology Competition (Le Thi Hong Hoa), and many more. To be able to gain such achievements, Hanoi-Amsterdam High School has received the ongoing support from the government as well as the Ministry of Education and Training.

President Tran Dai Quang giving presents to the teachers and students having many academic achievements.

During the grave air of the ceremony, Le Thi Oanh - Secretary of Party Committee, School’s Principal –summarized the efforts made by the entire body of teachers and administrators as well as the students of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School. Being the top school in Ha Noi, a pioneer in the number of gifted students participating in national and international competitions, Hanoi-Amsterdam High School is constantly making its name as a pioneering position in the innovation process of Viet Nam’s education system. After 30 years of growth and hardships, the school is still moving forward, achieving honorable milestones, and putting itself on the map. Amsers have always shown their maturity and the wonderful characteristics of modern Vietnamese people – loving the nature of science, having the necessary skills to succeed in foreign environments, and living kindly to preserve the “soul” of the Vietnamese. As a passionate leader, she recognized the potentials and the limitations in the foreseeable future, thereby telling the students: “You are of valuable intellectual resources of the nation. Do try more, be determined, strive for success, and nurture your development and skills. Do follow your desire and ambition to reach the height of science. Do lead a healthy life, be curious, and stay humble towards your grandparents, parents, and teachers. Do unite, love, help, and share every happiness with your friends. Do learn to stay away from trivial matters, to love knowledge, and to follow your career path. Do appreciate and love life, and fully exercise your will, your strength to reach success. Standing beside you are a body of teachers with high intellectual capabilities…” The celebration was not only a fun day for teachers and students, but also a special day for the entire community. Teacher Le Thi Oanh also addresses the parents: “Respectable parents! Together with the school, we should sow into the innocent mind of the children the true value of knowledge, ethics and culture. Every family is a cradle of safety for our children to be educated, trained, and cultivated in joy and happiness. We should create more possibilities for our children to exercise the law of life and humanity. We should teach our children the ways of loving and caring, of nurturing their pleasure, and of spreading love for others. We share the responsibilities of educating these citizens of honesty, conscience, good will, equality, and civil duty.”

Teacher Le Thi Oanh - Secretary of Party Committee, School’s Principal – making a speech

President Tran Dai Quang also recognized and congratulated the achievements gained by the teachers, administrators, and students of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School throughout the past years. He also wished a wonderful start to a new school year of excitement, happiness, and success. The president also expressed his delight to hear the school report. With a long history of 30 years of development, Hanoi-Amsterdam High School has confirmed its role and contributed to the overall achievements of the education system. The president also announced that school year 2016 – 2017 had considerable implications for the implementation of Resolution XII made by the Party - the education development strategy until 2020. Therefore, Hanoi-Amsterdam High School needs to clearly identify the responsibility of building a high-quality education center of the capital and of the entire country, where the focus is to educate and care for the young generations to fully develop in terms of morality, intellect, physicality, and emotions and to reach to other advanced schools in the area.

President Tran Dai Quang congratulating and assigning the responsibilities of teachers and students of the school.

At the end of the ceremony, President Tran Dai Quang banged the drum to mark the beginning of a whole new successful school year. So another school year has begun. The familiar sound of the drum seemed to tug at the students’ as well as the entire country’s heartstrings and to urge them to better train and improve and to help the country become more prosperous and civilized.

Reporter: Ha My (Teacher), Thanh Binh – IT 1417

Photo: Nhat Linh – Literature 1417, ANTD Online Newspaper

Translator: Hai Dang – English 1 1518