Few know that it was the wartime stories shared by his grandfather that helped Tran Xuan Dam, a 12th-grade student from My Loc High School (Ninh Binh), achieve a remarkable 9.25 score in literature, becoming one of the top national scorers in Vietnam's 2025 high school graduation exam.

Tran Xuan Dam, whose father works as a manual laborer and mother is illiterate, comes from a family of four sons. Despite financial struggles, his parents have always tried their best to ensure their children receive a full education. This environment helped Dam develop a strong sense of self-discipline and determination to overcome his circumstances.

In the 2025 national high school graduation exam, Dam became one of two national valedictorians with a total score of 39 out of 40 across four subjects. He earned perfect scores in Math and Physics, 9.75 in Chemistry, and 9.25 in Literature.

When asked about his study methods, Dam summed it up in two words: self-discipline. To him, discipline is the most secure path to success.

Dam said he never attended extra classes. Instead, he focused on learning effectively during school hours, especially investing more time in Math, Physics, and Chemistry due to his natural sciences track.

Each day, he aimed to complete two practice tests for each of the three science subjects. Only after meeting his goals would he allow himself to rest and relax, avoiding overexertion. For Literature, he dedicated less time.

"I mainly studied literature during class. At home, I would review the subject one or two times per week. During the exam, I focused intensely and gave the essay my all," Dam shared.

This year’s Literature prompt, themed “Every homeland sky is part of our national sky,” was, according to Dam, open-ended, meaningful, and highly relevant.

Fueled by patriotism cultivated through his grandfather’s wartime stories, Dam wrote his essay with deep sincerity and emotional honesty.

Both of Dam’s grandfathers were war veterans who had endured fierce battles. While his maternal grandfather passed away early and he never met him, Dam’s paternal grandfather only passed away last year.

“When he was alive, my grandfather used to tell me about the harsh days of resistance,” Dam recalled.

“He fought in major campaigns like the Route 9 - Southern Laos campaign and the 81-day defense of Quang Tri citadel. He spoke of freezing nights spent in hammocks with fellow soldiers in the jungle, of fierce bouts of dengue fever they battled, and of the many places he had seen.

Every path he marched, every forest or stream, left him with deep emotions, which he captured in poems. I still keep his poetry notebook,” Dam said emotionally.

For Dam, those stories were more than recollections of war. They were vivid portrayals of courage, camaraderie, and love for the homeland and nation from a generation of soldiers.

Though he didn’t invest much time in Literature, Dam’s deep emotional connection to his grandfather’s stories helped him convey heartfelt sentiments in his writing.

After receiving his exam results, Dam immediately shared the joyful news with his parents and teachers - his steadfast supporters.

Trần Thi Hong Don, homeroom teacher of class 12A1 at My Loc High School, said Dam was a truly special student. He was hardworking, proactive, and always had a clear academic plan. Once he set a goal, he pursued it relentlessly.

She added that becoming the national valedictorian of the 2025 graduation exam had long been Dam’s ambition. So, while she was extremely proud of his success, she wasn’t surprised - it was a well-deserved reward for his dedication and discipline.

Looking ahead, Dam shared that he plans to pursue a degree in Control and Automation Engineering at Hanoi University of Science and Technology to fulfill his dream.

Given his family’s difficult circumstances, Dam has already mapped out how to pursue his passion while supporting his family.

“My family isn’t well-off, and my dream is big, so I have to try my very best,” Dam said.

Trong Tung