The valedictorian of 10th grade in Quang Ngai lives with his mother who buys scrap metal in a 20m² house.

thủ khoa - Ảnh 1. — Quynh Mi and her mother at her junior high school graduation - Photo: Character provided

Ngo Dang Quynh Mi (15 years old, resident of Lan Phong commune, Quang Ngai) has just become the valedictorian of the 10th grade entrance exam in Quang Ngai (old) with a total score of 28.5 (3 subjects: math, literature and English all scored 9.5 points). The achievement made teachers proud, and the hard-working mother with the cart to collect scrap metal shed tears, and many people in this village had to admire her.

Quynh Mi is preparing to enroll at Tran Quang Dieu High School. The petite girl with a bright face has been an excellent student for the past 9 years of school, winning second prize in the provincial math competition and first prize in the Handheld Calculator Math Competition.

But what makes people admire is not just the score, but the path Mi has gone through, full of "turns", deprivation and pain.

Mi lives with her mother, Mrs. Ngo Thi Kim Mai (60 years old), in a small house that used to be her grandparents' old grocery store. Mrs. Mai is a single mother, who has worked hard for many years to earn a living for the two of them.

Of course, Mrs. Mai was proud that her child was valedictorian, but she was also filled with worries. "I was happy that my child was valedictorian, but I was also worried... because I didn't know how much longer I could take care of my child," Mrs. Mai said, then looked into the distance.

Thủ khoa lớp 10 ở Quảng Ngãi sống cùng người mẹ mua ve chai trong căn nhà rộng 20m² - Ảnh 3. — The 20m² house - where Quynh Mi is writing a miracle story, becoming the valedictorian of grade 10 - Photo: TRAN MAI

Talking about the life of mother and daughter over the years, Mrs. Mai pointed to the field where she had a few acres of rice fields and the bicycle that she used to go to every village to buy bottles every day.

Not only suffering from physical hardship, the valedictorian of grade 10 in Quang Ngai province has also had to fight with illness over the years. At the age of 7, Mi discovered a lymph node tumor in her neck, the tumor was located near a blood vessel so it could not be completely surgically removed. Every year, the girl had to go to Ho Chi Minh City for treatment, bringing with her anxiety and pain.

However, Mi never complained or surrendered to adversity. Mi said: "I believe that only education can help me and my mother have a different life."

Teachers at Duc Lan Secondary School know Quynh Mi's hardships and appreciate her great efforts, so they always pay special attention to their young student. Although she is the valedictorian of the province, the teachers are not surprised because Mi's academic performance has been confirmed.

Ms. Vo Thi Xuan Lan, a math teacher, said: "I often have to prepare advanced questions for Mi. She understands everything she learns, and wins prizes in competitions. Mi makes us very proud."

thủ khoa - Ảnh 3. — For 9 consecutive years of study, Mi was the best student in her grade, something that even Mrs. Mai could not believe - Photo: TRAN MAI

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many students to struggle, but it was a turning point for Mi. At that time, a relative bought her an old phone for online learning. Mi searched for documents on her own, studied through online platforms, and listened to podcasts to expand her knowledge.

Discipline and self-study have helped the girl improve her academic knowledge. Entering a new level of education, Mi said she is not afraid of the pressure of studying.

The biggest concern is health. Therefore, the girl plans to spend time playing sports and exercising in the upcoming high school years to fulfill all her long-term dreams in university and beyond.

Mi's dream is to study information technology in the future. Mi said math is her favorite subject and is suitable for this field. "I will try harder to make my dreams come true," Mi said.

The sunlight filled the small village, in the simple house of 20 square ^meters , the walls were covered with certificates. Mi smiled, saying that this would be the beginning of her learning journey and also the journey to change the not-so-peaceful life of the mother and daughter.

"Mom has worked so hard. The path of studying is also the path that will change my life and mom's in the future," Mi confided.