“Sweet fruit” from scientific journey

Le Dinh Uy, a student of class 12A1.4 at Hung Vuong High School (Binh Phuoc ward, Dong Nai province), has persevered for five years in pursuit of one goal: using his knowledge to protect the safety of his peers on the roads.

Le Dinh Uy at the Dong Nai Provincial Science and Technology Contest, school year 2025–2026. Photo: Phuong Dung.

For Le Dinh Uy, scientific research is not merely numbers lying quietly in a laboratory, but a breath of life, a responsibility, and a love for the spirited land of Dong Nai.

Persistence on the path of knowledge

Not only is Le Dinh Uy an active student, but he is also known for winning first prizes in the Science and Technology Competition and the “Traffic Safety for Tomorrow’s Smile” competition at different levels for many consecutive years.

He has won several awards, including first prize (2024), second prize (2022), and third prize (2023, 2025) at the national level in the “Traffic Safety for Tomorrow’s Smile”, a contest organized by the Ministry of Education and Training. As one of ten individuals honored by the Provincial Youth Union for outstanding achievements in the Dong Nai Young Creators Movement in 2025, he also won first prize at the provincial level and a national prospect award in the National Science and Technology Research Competition for middle/high school students in the school year 2024–2025.

Le Dinh Uy is awarded certificates for first prize (2024), second prize (2022), and third prize (2023, 2025) at the national level in the Traffic Safety for Tomorrow’s Smile Contest organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Behind these awards lies a long journey of perseverance, countless nights reflecting over manuscripts, and many field surveys conducted under the scorching sun of the Eastern red-soil region. The student’s research topics all began with curiosity and a heart constantly asking questions: “Why do my friends get into traffic accidents? Why does social media affect the way we behave on the road?” These “why” questions led him to author a scientific article published in the Vietnam Journal of Education  (Ministry of Education and Training).

In the article, Uy highlighted a pressing issue: dangerous driving trends on TikTok can encourage imitation; Facebook notifications or the urge to “check in” everywhere distract young people, making them careless in traffic. Drawing on statistical data, his research sounded an alarm about online content: traffic-related content on social media, both positive and negative, can influence the attitudes and behaviors of high school students when they participate in traffic.

“Don’t be afraid to start late, just don’t give up too early. Everyone has their own journey. What matters is daring to dream and having the perseverance to pursue it to the end.”

Le Dinh Uy, student of class 12A1.4, Hung Vuong High School

Nguyen Thi Huong, a teacher at Tan Phu Secondary School (Binh Phuoc Ward), commented that Uy’s project serves as a practical “safety handbook,” helping schools and families gain a more comprehensive perspective to better protect students from risks that arise when the virtual world impacts real life.

Promoting safe and responsible road behavior

Asked about the secret behind maintaining his performance in competitions for five consecutive years, the 18-year-old student simply smiled and said, "I'm not looking for awards; I’m looking for answers to what is happening around me.”

Behind Uy’s achievements is also the guidance of his mentor, Pham Van Quy, a mathematics teacher at Hung Vuong High School. In his teacher’s eyes, Uy is a student with a very serious and eager attitude toward learning.

Teacher Quy shared proudly, "What impresses me most about Uy is his proactive spirit. Once guided, he knows how to build his own plan, search for documents, and boldly propose new ideas. I often remind him that scientific research rarely produces immediate results. The key is to analyze the causes of shortcomings, respect the data, and persevere to the end. Uy has done that with rare honesty and persistence.”

Not only is Uy trusted by teachers, but he also inspires creativity among his peers and younger students across the province. Nguyen Huu Tri, a student in class 8/1 at Tan Phu Secondary School, expressed admiration: “Uy’s perseverance in science is truly something remarkable that we should learn from. Looking at the awards he has achieved, I realize that such achievements never come naturally; they are earned through sweat and persistence.”

Five consecutive years of high achievements are not merely numbers of achievements but the journey of a young heart restless about social issues, using knowledge to address the pain caused by traffic accidents.

When asked about his dreams, the eyes of the student from class 12A1.4 shone, and he shared that he hopes to join the armed forces or work in a state agency - not for stability, but to serve. Uy hopes that his research project on traffic behavior will be applied in real life, making Dong Nai’s roads safer and easing mothers’ worries whenever their children go out.

By Phuong Dung – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho