With a view to creating a mutual playground, providing guidance on aestheticism, personality and lifestyle as well as reinforcing the image of elegant Hanoians, Hanoi Student Culture House hosted "The Beauty of Trang An" for female students from continuing education centers and high schools in Hanoi. The contest received considerable teachers' attention and participation of nearly 200 students from 25 high schools in Hanoi. After Ice-breaking and Conquer Round, the judging panel selected 15 outstanding candidates for the Final Round, including two students from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School: Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh (12 Geography) and Cody Tran Jackson (12 English 1).

15 lively contestants in the Final Round of "The Beauty of Trang An"

Ardent support from the audience

The night began with the dance performance of Chu Le Vi Anh from Kim Lien High School and "Banh Troi Nuoc" performance of Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh from Hanoi - Amsterdam High School. Those two outstanding performances were carefully selected from the Conquer Round. Later on, 15 contestants participated in an effervescent flashmob and thus made the atmosphere more lively.

Dance performance of Chu Le Vi Anh

The flashback of Vietnamese women in "Banh Troi Nuoc" by Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh

The judging panel featured experienced artists such as Meritorious artist Xuan Bac, People's artist Minh Hoa, actor Minh Tiep, ex-model Thuy Hang - director of BB Academy and Mr. Nguyen Thien Tu - Director of Student Culture Theater.

The Judging panel (from left to right): Minh Tiep, Thuy Hang, Xuan Bac, Tran Phuc Loc (flower giver), Minh Hoa and Nguyen Thien Tu

The Final Round began with traditional Ao dai display. The girls demonstrated their elegance in Vietnamese ao dai in Ngoc Han collection. While each girl exuded a unique beauty, all of them had the gentility symbolic of Trang An women.

Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh's elegance in traditional ao dai

Cody Tran Jackson confidently demonstrated her interracial Viet-Australia beauty with the traditional ao dai

After the ao dai display, the contestant could freely choose their own costume for the next round. The girls had an opportunity to show their own personality with different costumes such as ao dai, formal dress,... In this round, while Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh chose a glittering evening gown to highlight her charm, Cody Tran Jackson chose a dress representative of her family tradition.

Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh's gorgeous appearance in the evening gown

Cody Tran Jackson's unrivaled beauty in her family's traditional dress

The top 5 was then announced: Le Khanh Linh (Phan Dinh Phung High School), Le Thi Phuong Linh (Viet Duc High School), Tran Minh Chau (Kim Lien High School), Tran Phuong Linh (Le Loi High School) and Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh (Hanoi - Amsterdam High School)

Top 5 of "The Beauty of Trang An" (from left to right): Tran Minh Chau, Le Thi Phuong Linh, Tran Phuong Linh, Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh and Le Khanh Linh

Top 5 progressed on their road to the crown with the Interview Round. The round began with a question on Gender Equality for Le Thi Phuong Linh, followed by a question on the pursuit of dream for Tran Phuong Linh. After that, actor Minh Tiep asked Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh: "What will you say to contestant who cannot make it to the final round?". Mai Linh confidently said that she would persuade them to continue improving their inner beauty. The last two contestants Tran Minh Chau and Le Khanh Linh completed this round with clever answers on traffic problems and traditional costume respectively.

Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh's fluent answer in the Interview Round

Meritorious Artist Xuan Bac announced the question

After three rounds, "The Beauty of Trang An" came to an end with the coronation of Le Thi Phuong Linh from Viet Duc High School. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Linh (Hanoi - Amsterdam High School) was the second-best. Tran Phuong Linh from Le Loi High School was the third-best with the Best Picture award. Other awards such as Most Impressive Costume and Most Talented contestant belonged to Phan Ha Vi (Le Loi High School) and Chu Le Vi Anh (Kim Lien High School) respectively.

Le Thi Phuong Linh crowned "The Beauty of Trang An 2016"

Nguyen Ngoc Mai Linh came second in the contest

The third-best and the Best Picture Award went to Tran Phuong Linh

The Most Impressive Costume Award was held by Phan Ha Vi

Chu Le Vi Anh was announced the most talented contestant

Finally, on behalf of Ams Wide Web reporters, I would like to wish 15 students greater success as well as greater outer and inner beauty to deserve the title "The Beauty of Trang An". We hope to see you at "The Beauty of Trang An 2017".

Reporter: Ha Mi – Chinese-English 16-19

Photos: Thuc Uyen - IT 15-18

Translator : Pham Thi Minh Chau - English 1 15-18