15-year-old boy brings Cao Bang's landscape to UNESCO and wins a 'double' gold award for invention.

The owner of that achievement is Nguyen Bao Son – a student from an ethnic minority group with the aspiration to "bring the beauty of his homeland to the wider world".

A "double win" from scrap materials...

In the list of outstanding young figures in the technology industry in 2025, Nguyen Bao Son (10th grade, English 1 class, Cao Bang Specialized High School) is a unique case. Not coming from professional training centers in major cities, nor owning multi-million dollar labs, Son's assets are his different mindset and the perseverance of a son from the mountainous region.

In just one year, the 15-year-old boy achieved great things by consecutively winning first prize in the 21st National Creative Competition for Youth and Children and the Gold Medal - Young Vietnamese Inventor 2025. This is the first time Cao Bang province has had a representative win the "Young Inventor" title.

Nguyen Bao Son (third from the left) and his team create a model of Earth's stratigraphy and introduce the UNESCO Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark.

What makes this "double win" so special lies in the materials used to achieve it. While many competitors presented expensive robots and AI, Son's project, "Earth Stratigraphy Model and Introduction to UNESCO Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark," was created from... modeling clay, old toy dinosaurs, and recycled materials.

"I wanted to prove that technology doesn't necessarily have to be expensive to be good technology. A model made from recycled materials, inexpensive but helping students in remote areas understand the hundreds of millions of years of Earth's history, is just as valuable as modern machines," Bao Son shared about his unconventional thinking that completely convinced the demanding judges.

Nguyen Bao Son poses for a commemorative photo with Mr. Jonathan Wallace Baker – Head of UNESCO Representative Office in Vietnam.

The handshake of the UNESCO Representative and a ticket to the world.

The value of the "double" Gold award lies not only in the medals, but also in the international recognition. At the Immersion Day 2025 Forum, Bao Son's project was honored to be selected to present to leading experts.

Jonathan Wallace Baker, Head of UNESCO's representative office in Vietnam, could not hide his surprise when witnessing how a high school student "digitized" the geological heritage of his homeland.

"I was surprised by them. The way they linked the development of the Earth with the development of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark was truly creative and inspiring," he said.

The praise from the UNESCO representative served as a "seal of approval" for the project's international quality.

With this achievement, Bao Son and his team were awarded the "Creative Youth" badge and officially nominated to participate in the World Young Innovator competition.

From an idea conceived in a classroom, the landscapes of Cao Bang are now presented with the opportunity for widespread promotion at global forums thanks to the intelligence of Generation Z.

Ms. Nguyen Pham Duy Trang - Secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union, President of the Central Council of the Young Pioneers, and Mr. Nguyen Bao Son at the Award Ceremony of the 21st Creative Competition for Young People and Children in 2025.

The dream computer and the decision to donate 10 million VND.

Besides portraying a rational "young inventor," Bao Son also possesses the poignant moments of a team leader.

Few people know that before Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3) struck and devastated northern Vietnam, Son had a big plan of his own. He had saved up all his prize money from competitions and birthday money over many years to accumulate 10 million dong.

The goal is to buy a new computer because the old one is too slow and no longer meets the needs of programming and project work.

Nguyen Bao Son tests out a drone with his classmates.

But then Typhoon Yagi passed, leaving behind great losses. When Sơn learned that Cao Mạnh Hùng, an orphaned student living with his grandmother, had lost his home, he made a decision that made adults reflect. He withdrew all 10 million dong from the "computer fund" to give to Hùng so he could rebuild his life, along with a new study desk.

When asked if he regretted having to put his technology dream on hold, Son answered clearly: "I simply thought that I still have my parents and relatives to help me. Hung only has his grandmother; he's much more disadvantaged and lonely than I am. I want him to have a childhood like ours."

Bao Son (third from the left) attends the National Congress of Exemplary Children of Uncle Ho in 2025.

That act of sharing didn't stop at the individual. In his role as a member of the Scout Troop Command Board, Son continued to use his voice and honorary awards to donate books and scholarships to many other children.

"The material value may be small, but I want you all to believe that if we keep striving and being creative, we will eventually be recognized," Son said.

The dream of an English-specialized student who loves History.

Bao Son's day begins at 6 am and rarely ends before 11 pm. Although he majors in English, he is passionate about History and Geography, finding common ground between these subjects: the desire to position his homeland on the world map.

After winning two gold medals in 2025, the young man affirmed that his next project will still be connected to the "fairytale land" of Cao Bang. "I want to continue bringing the model to schools in remote areas, so that the children can see that science is not far away; it lies right within the history of the land beneath their feet," Son shared.

In the eyes of this 15-year-old student, creativity is not about creating soulless machines, but about telling human stories, about empowering children in the highlands to rise up together, proud of their homeland.

From rudimentary clay modeling projects to a national gold medal, from a village in Cao Bang to a handshake with a UNESCO representative, Nguyen Bao Son is a living testament to the "Overcoming Mountains" spirit. He not only brought glory to his homeland with a historic "double" award, but also beautified the world with his compassionate heart.

As Son affirmed: "My next project will definitely still be related to Cao Bang, to work with the people in the mountainous region to rise up and protect our homeland."

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nam-sinh-15-tuoi-dua-non-nuoc-cao-bang-den-unesco-va-cu-dup-vang-sang-che-2470753.html