Mr. Nguyen Kim Son studied at Hanoi High School for the Gifted (the predecessor of Viet Duc High School) in 1955. In Mr. Kim Son's family, there are 4 brothers, uncles and nephews from the Viet Bac war zone who came to Hanoi to study at school.
The 70th anniversary of Viet Duc High School is a rare reunion, when the generation of former students of the school are big names, famous in many fields and fields, from politics, economics, science, media to culture and art.
The brilliant 70-year journey
Looking at the notebook of Viet Duc High School will easily make readers "overwhelmed" by the list of excellent former students who have grown up from the school at 47 Ly Thuong Kiet.
In that list of excellents, there are even famous families, both parents and children attending. We can mention playwright Luu Quang Vu, his first wife - People's Artist To Uyen, and his son, journalist Luu Minh Vu - all former students of Viet Duc High School.
The two brothers of People's Artist Tran Hieu, musician Tran Tien, or famous names in the medical industry such as: People's Artist - former Director of Viet Duc Hospital, Principal of Hanoi Medical University - Ton That Bach, Associate Professor, Doctor of Medicine - Director of Hanoi Medical Hospital - Nguyen Lan Hieu... are all on the list of outstanding former students of the school.
In a conversation with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, teacher Nguyen Boi Quynh - currently the Principal of Viet Duc High School, who has worked at the school for 30 years, said: "I have been at school since 1995. At that time, I was 26 years old, had just completed 3 years of teaching in the suburbs, and was able to return to the graduation exam marking school. At that time, my impression was just that the school was so beautiful. The school is located in the center of the capital and is very famous. I secretly wish to go to school.
Luckily, right after that, I was invited by the Principal at that time, Mr. Nguyen Ha Dong, to teach English under a contract. When I was able to return to the school to teach, I read about the achievements and rich history of the school. The teachers of the school at that time were all very experienced in teaching, they were good at their job, making me highly respect them. I know that Viet Duc High School will be the destination of my life.
When teaching or later as a manager, teacher Nguyen Boi Quynh said, the generation of teachers always strives to promote and build the educational brand of Viet Duc High School from the existing rich tradition.
Todays generation of teachers is very young. Gen Z teachers, many of whom are former students of the school. They are full of energy, creativity, enthusiasm, and confidence in the era of integration. We turn pressure into motivation. The previous generation of teachers and students have created a brand for Viet Duc High School through each time frame and change in history.
Today we continue that traditional step, building Viet Duc High School to go further, connecting with the education of many countries around the world, in the process of the country integrating. The school has many international experts participating in teaching. The generation of Gen Z teachers and students today bring science and technology into teaching and learning to create a new era in the 70-year historical journey of Viet Duc High School".
Continue your beautiful journey from the age of 18
Teacher Nguyen Boi Quynh affirmed that Viet Duc High School does not train talent, "we aim to teach good students in school, excellent in school. There, educating students about the foundation of knowledge and personality orientation and behavior is always promoted and valued.
Mr. Bui Huu Ninh has worked at Viet Duc High School for 36 years. He held the position of Vice Principal of the school in 1986, holding the position of Principal from 2001 to 2008.
He said, When I was in high school, my children were between 16 and 18 years old. It was an extremely beautiful time. Usually called "green spring". At that age, they are carrying many concerns standing at the threshold of life. High school is the place that shapes and orients students from knowledge to personality and ethics. I and the teachers of Viet Duc High School are proud to be the boat drivers who have taken many generations of students across the river, entering the journey to adulthood - from the beautiful age of 18".
What Mr. Bui Huu Ninh hopes for most - the memory of being 18 years old in his generations of students from Viet Duc High School - is always memorable, always brilliant, always following them throughout their later journey in life.
Mr. Bui Huu Ninh still remembers and still "reports" about the students that moved him when they met again, even in countless different settings.
That could be in 2006, the first APEC Summit held in Hanoi. One morning while he was at Viet Duc High School, he suddenly saw a black car parked at the gate, and the car was being dismantled by the Deputy Chief of Staff - Military Region of the Capital - the security guard for the APEC Conference. He bowed his head to greet the teacher: "Hello teacher! Do you miss me?", surprised the gray haired teacher.
That could be the time when Mr. Bui Huu Ninh's wife had to be hospitalized for emergency care.
"That night, I stayed to look after my wife at Viet Duc Hospital. A doctor came to visit me and saw me, the doctor shouted: "Hello, teacher". I was surprised, and didn't recognize him. The doctor reminded me, "I am his student, I participated in the Math exam for excellent students, and have a research work in Mathematics". I laughed and said, "I have so many generations of students who are good at Math, how can I remember them all". The doctor added, My teacher nominated me to join a summer camp in Germany for the first time. At that time, I recognized him, Ah, Hung.
That is Prof. Dr. Doan Quoc Hung, he was once the Vice Principal in charge of professional affairs of Hanoi Medical University. At the time of the emergency surgery of teacher Bui Huu Ninh's wife, Dr. Doan Quoc Hung was working at Viet Duc Hospital.
"Mr. Hung is very good. After the teachers and students recognized each other, Mr. Hung also told me to go home and rest, he would take care of my wife in the hospital... I am proud of many good and successful students. I remember student Nguyen Mac Ha, son of Professor, Doctor Nguyen Dinh Tu (1932 - 1996). Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tu is a famous nuclear physics research scientist in Vietnam. His son, Nguyen Mac Ha, was an excellent student at Viet Duc High School, who studied in Russia with Le Ba Khanh Trinh... Looking back at the school's 70-year history, looking back at 36 years of being attached to this place, my heart is truly filled with pride" - Mr. Bui Huu Ninh said.
The 18th age of many generations of students has been written with beautiful memories at Viet Duc High School, at the corner of 47 Ly Thuong Kiet Street. Throughout their later life, many of that generation of students always returned to school to look back at the brilliant years of their youth here.
Loan Tran is a former student of Viet Duc High School, class 2006 - 2009. She said that after graduating from school for 16 years, she still attends school regularly and is still as familiar with the security guard as ever.
Viet Duc High School has many clubs - where we connect together, cry together, laugh together. We are like a family. Every Autumn - the most beautiful season of Hanoi, we remember each other, make appointments to meet each other and together recall the most beautiful and brilliant days of school. That is the place I have always loved and cherished the most in my life - Loan Tran said.
At the corner of Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Viet Duc High School has preserved the beautiful memories of 17 - 18 years old of many generations of students - so that they will always remember them. Even when the age of 18 has passed over time, the journey to adulthood has taken them forever.
Viet Duc High School was established on March 3, 1955. When it was first established, the school was called "Hanoi High School 2 - 3", a place to teach the children of soldiers and officers who participated in the liberation of Hanoi. The curriculum at that time was a "buffer zone" between the 9-year curriculum to become proficient.
Since 1960, the school has undergone a comprehensive education reform program, separating level 2 and level 3, dividing it into A - B facilities, renaming it as Public 3 (A and B). After 1975, High School A - B changed its name to Viet Duc - Ly Thuong Kiet High School. Since 1997, the school has officially been called Viet Duc High School. 70 years of formation and development, generations of students of Viet Duc High School have gone through many historical turning points with the country. During the war against the US, students of High School 3 (A and B) rearranged their books, went to the army, and participated in the fight. After peace, generations of students of Viet Duc High School have contributed to building, rebuilding and developing the country in many fields.
