You do everything well!

Sharing about her daughter, Nguyen Ngoc Bao Khanh, a student at the United Nations International School of Hanoi (UNIS), who was recently accepted into Washington & Lee University (USA) with a scholarship of approximately $400,000 (over 10 billion VND), Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Van said that even with only one hand, her daughter can do everything and do it just as well as everyone else!

Bao Khanh was accepted into Washington & Lee University (ranked 19th in the US university rankings) thanks to her outstanding academic achievements and diverse and consistent extracurricular activities. Khanh has an IELTS score of 8.5, an SAT score of 1460/1600, and an estimated IB (International Baccalaureate) score of 39/45.

Bao Khanh (right in the photo) with her mother and two younger sisters.

Bao Khanh has dreamed of studying abroad since 7th grade at UNIS. Sharing about her daughter's determination to fulfill her dream of studying in the US, Ms. Anh Van said: "From an early age, she had a specific plan for her future career path. Then, she researched universities that suited her, the core values ​​of the school, and her desire to attend. She chose Washington and Lee from the beginning and gradually implemented her plan, from building extracurricular activities to planning her major and IB courses. With such determination, she completely decided how to make her 6 years of study at UNIS effective and achieve her dream."

Bao Khanh focused on extracurricular activities from the 9th and 10th grades. Among these, she was most passionate about researching the psychology of people with eating disorders. This project received support from Dr. Iris Hertz in Bangkok, Thailand.

Ms. Anh Van said that Bao Khanh was born with a disability in her right hand. Her family calls Bao Khanh's arm "sausage." Ms. Anh Van always teaches her daughter: "You are a normal person who can do everything just like everyone else. There are people with two hands who are useless and can't do anything because they are lazy. But there are people with disabilities (no hands, feet, or blind...) who still try and strive to do things that normal people can't."

Often, children with disabilities are overprotected or "hidden" by their parents for fear of others' curiosity and questioning. Many parents are afraid of embarrassment or hurt feelings, so they rarely let their children go out. But Bao Khanh is different. Ms. Anh Van said that Bao Khanh has been allowed to socialize with friends since she was little. Bao Khanh confidently wears sleeveless "sausage" shirts. At 5 years old, Bao Khanh started taking singing lessons and performing in a choir at Sol Art. Bao Khanh frequently performs at important events and on television. Therefore, instead of feeling self-conscious, Bao Khanh is very confident when going to school and playing.

Despite having only one hand, Bao Khanh does everything very well on her own.

"Khanh is able to do personal care tasks on her own. I told Khanh that whatever she likes, she can learn and do it. Khanh learned to cook, taught herself to bake on YouTube, learned to play the piano, and learned to swim... She does everything well, just like everyone else! 'Everyone has their strengths, no one can be good at everything - so when I discovered Khanh loves reading, I bought her lots of storybooks and English learning books.' She's eager to learn, but to help her build confidence, her parents are always her audience, listening to her give speeches after each reading session," Ms. Anh Van shared.

In 2018, Anh Van's family experienced a major upheaval. In sixth grade, Bao Khanh studied in the dual-degree program at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for Gifted Students. Afterward, she won a 100% scholarship from UNIS for academically gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Anh Van said that during that difficult time, her family moved back to their hometown in 2021, while Bao Khanh stayed in Hanoi to study and live with relatives. According to Anh Van: "This was a difficult time for her because she didn't have her parents around regularly. Therefore, Bao Khanh experienced stress about her studies and anxiety about the family crisis… Her parents encouraged her a lot. After that, I had to move to Hanoi to live with her and her sister to support her through the emotional difficulties."

What Ms. Anh Van is most proud of about Bao Khanh is that her daughter is honest and always tries her best. Bao Khanh overcame her own difficulties to seize opportunities for personal growth. Bao Khanh knows how to love her family and friends, so she has friends all over the world .

Ms. Anh Van's family has three daughters. Besides Bao Khanh, who is very talented and capable, her two younger daughters are also excellent students, very confident, and independent. Sharing her thoughts on raising her children, Ms. Anh Van said that family is the deciding factor in whether her children will live healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives in the future.

"Being academically successful isn't everything. What parents need to teach their children is to live ethically, honestly, and responsibly towards themselves and the community. To achieve this, children need to be healthy, knowledgeable, and financially secure so they can live well and help others. Understanding this will help them know how to improve their health and studies to prepare for their life journey," Ms. Anh Van stated.

Source: https://pnvnweb.dev.cnnd.vn/me-cua-nu-sinh-mot-tay-gianh-hoc-bong-10-ty-dong-du-hoc-my-moi-thu-con-deu-lam-tot-20250106174121512.htm