Quynh's dream

Not every child starts life in a comfortable home. But every child has the right to hold onto a dream and be given the opportunity to pursue that dream. For Quynh, a student who grew up at the SOS Children's Village in Thanh Hoa, after the high school graduation exam, a new chapter is opening up – a chapter that brings her closer to her dream of becoming a literature teacher.

The afternoon at the SOS Children's Village in Thanh Hoa was quieter than usual. In the small room she had lived in for many years, To Thi Quynh, a 12th-grade student at To Hien Thanh High School, carefully rearranged her Literature textbooks, the stacks of practice questions filled with her handwriting, and her university application documents.

Tomorrow, Quynh will write the first lines of her journey into the future. She looked out the window and pondered. Another journey awaited her – the journey of pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher, a dream quietly nurtured for many years by books, lessons, and the days she spent learning to grow up in her unique circumstances. And to reach that dream, in the coming days she must overcome the challenge of opening the doors to university.

Quỳnh was born into a family of six sisters in Ngư Lộc commune (formerly Hậu Lộc district), now Vạn Lộc commune, Thanh Hóa province. Her mother passed away when the sisters were very young. Her father was a fisherman, and his long voyages at sea made life difficult for the family. At the age of nine, Quỳnh was taken in, cared for, and raised at the SOS Children's Village in Thanh Hóa.

Growing up here, I learned to be independent much earlier than many of my peers.

Without a mother to remind her to study, and without a father to drive her to and from school every day, Quynh became accustomed to preparing everything for herself, from studying to daily life. There were gaps that could never be filled, but it was from these experiences that she learned to grow up with patience and self-confidence.

Quynh understands that she is at a disadvantage compared to many of her peers, but she has never complained or given up. Since she was little, Quynh has always said that she must try her best to study hard so that she can take care of herself and become a useful member of society in the future.

Ms. Vo Thi Huyen Trang

Ms. Vo Thi Huyen Trang, Quynh's aunt at the SOS Children's Village in Thanh Hoa, shared: "Quynh is a very affectionate, independent, and ambitious child. What I appreciate most about her is not her academic achievements, but how she accepts her circumstances. She understands that she is at a disadvantage compared to many other children, but she has never complained or given up. Since she was little, Quynh has always said that she must study hard so that she can take care of herself and become a useful person in the future."

Perhaps that's why Quynh turned to books as if they were friends.

I fell in love with Literature from the lessons in class, from the pages I read in my free time. Gradually, literature became a place where I found empathy. In stories about people, about loss, about hope, Quynh understood that circumstances can create challenges, but they cannot determine the limits of a life.

During her three years at To Hien Thanh High School, Quynh excelled in all subjects, consistently maintaining her excellent academic record. She won third prize in Literature at the provincial-level excellent student selection exam for the 2025-2026 school year.

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But behind those certificates of merit are countless evenings of self-study.

Unlike many of her friends who had the opportunity for extra tutoring, Quynh reviewed lectures on her own, took careful notes, practiced writing, analyzed, and corrected each of her assignments. She didn't study in a rush, but with perseverance.

The most admirable thing about Quynh is that she knows how to persevere in pursuing her chosen goals...

Homeroom teacher Ho Kim Thu

Homeroom teacher Ho Kim Thu commented: “Quynh is a student with a special background, but she has never let her circumstances limit her. She studies seriously, lives calmly, and always maintains a positive spirit. The most valuable thing about Quynh is that she knows how to persevere with the goals she has chosen.”

When asked about her plans after the high school graduation exam, Quynh did not answer immediately.

She smiled and whispered, "I want to become a literature teacher."

It seemed like a simple choice. But arriving at that concise answer was a long journey.

Quynh said she wanted to stand on the podium like the teachers who had encouraged her. She believes that sometimes a timely word of encouragement and a patient teacher can help a student change their self-perception and confidently move forward.

The school I aspire to attend is Hanoi Pedagogical University.

Quynh confided, her eyes welling up with tears as she poured out her overwhelming emotions: “Sometimes I think about how different life would be if my mother were still alive, if our family were more complete. But then I realized I can’t choose where I start, but I can choose how I move forward. My years at the SOS Children’s Village helped me understand that having the opportunity to learn is a very precious one. I want to become a teacher so that I can help my students believe that they are always valuable, no matter their background.”

Quỳnh certainly still faces many challenges ahead. But seeing how she navigates the gaps of her childhood, maintaining her diligence, gentleness, and faith in the future, one can believe that this student will go even further than anyone ever imagined.

Because some dreams don't begin with abundance.

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Some dreams are nurtured by love, by helping hands, and by the tireless efforts of the person who carries those dreams.

And who knows, one day, from the shared home called SOS Children's Village Thanh Hoa, a young teacher might return. Standing before her students, she could tell them: Their circumstances may be different, but every child has the right to dream and can absolutely achieve those dreams if they don't give up.

Mai Nhung

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/uoc-mo-cua-quynh-290713.htm