Top student in the city at the "confluence of rivers"

Having studied away from home since the 6th grade and understanding her father's hardships, Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, from the specialized Literature class at Hung Vuong High School (Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province), excelled and became one of the two valedictorians of Block C at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities with a score of 26.5 (Literature: 8.0; History: 9.0 and Geography: 9.25).Arriving at Ngoc's house on a small street in Nong Trang ward, Viet Tri city, the first impression is of a bright, intelligent, and very individualistic young woman. Ngoc is the eldest of two sisters; her father is a border guard officer who is often away from home, and her mother is a stay-at-home mother. Previously, Ngoc's family lived in Xuan Huy commune, Lam Thao district, and they moved to Viet Tri city two years ago. Early on, she was aware of the importance of education. Outside of school hours, Ngoc rarely went out to play, instead focusing on self-study and reading. Because of this, she was an excellent student for 12 consecutive years. In the 2007-2008 entrance exam for 10th grade, Ngoc was the top-scoring student at Hung Vuong Specialized High School. From grades 6 to 12, she consistently won first and second prizes in the provincial-level Literature competition for gifted students. Notably, she also won a gold medal in the 10th-grade Literature competition at the Hung Vuong summer camp for 16 provinces in the northern region. In the recent high school graduation exam, Ngoc was one of the highest-scoring students in her class with 53 points. Her Literature score of only 6.5 didn't discourage her; instead, it motivated her to strive for another top-scoring achievement. "When I saw my university entrance exam results online, I was so surprised that I could get such a high score and be the valedictorian of my school," Ngoc said, unable to hide her joy. Despite attending a specialized high school, Ngoc never went to any university entrance exam preparation centers. She believes her basic secret to achieving such impressive results is mastering the knowledge in textbooks and using a specific study method for each subject. She's even nicknamed a "bookworm." Initially, Ngoc dreamed of becoming a cultural researcher, but she thought it wasn't practical, so after receiving advice from many people, she decided to register for the Oriental Studies major. Outside of school, Ngoc also helps her younger brother with his studies and assists her mother with shopping and cooking. Although she lives in the city, Ngoc is still not proficient at riding a motorbike. To achieve this success, she only wants to share her joy and express her gratitude to her parents, teachers, and friends who have always helped, encouraged, and supported her. Commenting on her student, Ms. Tran Thi Thanh (Ngoc's homeroom teacher) said: “Ngoc is a responsible, intelligent, and diligent class deputy. She always carries within her the image of her father – a border guard serving on the country's frontier – to remind herself to strive even harder.” Speaking about her plans, the top student in the C block of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities shared: “First, I will study foreign languages ​​well because it will help me be more dynamic and give me more job opportunities in the future. I hope to become a translator.”