Journey to Ly Tu Trong Award

Among the 100 individuals selected by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to receive the Ly Tu Trong Award this year, Dong Nai has three representatives. They are teachers, including Ha Truong Khanh, Secretary of the Youth Union of Le Quy Don High School (Tam Hiep ward); Nguyen Binh Khanh Hai, Secretary of the Youth Union of Binh Long High School for the Gifted (Binh Long ward); and Ho Bao Ngoc, Secretary of the Youth Union Branch of Long Tan Primary School (Nhon Trach commune).

These are exemplary Youth Union officials with many outstanding achievements in their study and work, as well as in Youth Union work and youth movements, contributing to spreading the spirit of dynamism, volunteerism, and dedication of the youth in the new era.

Striving to fulfill a “dual” role

With many years of experience working in non-public schools, Teacher Ha Truong Khanh joined Le Quy Don High School in 2019. With his professional expertise and a strong passion for youth movements, since joining the school, Teacher Khanh has been teaching Physical Education, serving as a homeroom teacher, and concurrently acting as Secretary of the school’s Youth Union. Despite undertaking multiple responsibilities, Teacher Khanh has consistently excelled in every responsibility. As a homeroom teacher, he is dedicated to classroom management, closely following students’ learning and personal development, and fostering a united, active, and disciplined class environment. As a Physical Education teacher, he strives to fulfill his teaching duties well, focusing on innovating teaching methods to encourage students to improve their health and physical development. In particular, he selects a number of physical training exercises suitable for male students, and Taekwondo-based exercises aimed at developing physical fitness for both male and female students.

Teacher Ha Truong Khanh, Secretary of the Youth Union of Le Quy Don High School (Tam Hiep ward) mobilizes Youth Union members and students to clean the road behind the school. Photo: Nga Sơn

Beyond his teaching duties, Teacher Khanh has made a strong mark in Youth Union work and youth movements. During the 2019–2025 period, in his role as Secretary of the Youth Union of Le Quy Don High School, he consistently played a pivotal role in providing political, ideological, moral, and lifestyle education for students.

Teacher Khanh said that he has actively advised on implementing Youth Union programs closely aligned with the school’s mission and the orientations of higher-level Youth Union organizations, maintained effective flag-raising activities, and held regular in-class and extracurricular sessions. He has also organized major events such as legal education campaigns, dissemination of Youth Union resolutions, traffic safety training, health and gender education, the forum “Building Beautiful Friendships - Saying No to School Violence," psychological and career counseling, as well as cultural, artistic, and sports competitions. These initiatives have attracted a large number of union members and students, contributing to raising awareness of compliance with laws and school regulations and a sense of responsibility toward the community.

 Teacher Khanh also placed strong emphasis on education of traditional values and revolutionary ideals, implementing it regularly through many forms, such as flag-raising ceremonies, panel discussions, dramatizations, online competitions, and club activities. He has organized journeys to historical revolutionary sites (“red addresses”) at Tan Hiep Prison Relic Site, Dong Nai Museum, and War Zone D to educate students about the revolutionary tradition. The Youth Union’s revolutionary action movements and youth support programs are promoted through club models. Currently, the school’s Youth Union maintains 10 clubs, which serve both as playgrounds and as platforms for students to exercise initiative, creativity, and volunteer spirit. Through these club activities, many students have matured and become core forces contributing to Youth Union work.

Always putting union members and youth at the center

With the desire to contribute to his hometown, Teacher Nguyen Binh Khanh Hai returned to Binh Long after graduating from Da Nang Sport University. Teacher Hai shared that he was born in Binh Long, raised in Long Khanh, then moving to Quang Tri to live and study at Da Nang Sport University, after graduation he chose to return and work in Binh Long.

Teacher Nguyen Binh Khanh Hai, Secretary of the Youth Union of Binh Long High School for the Gifted (Binh Long ward), discusses activities for Youth Month with members of the school’s Volunteer Club. Photo: Nga Son

Teacher Hai said that in 2015, after one year of probation, he officially became a teacher at Binh Long High School for the Gifted. As a young teacher, he always proactively innovates teaching methods, linking theory with practice and integrating life skills, career skills, and education on ethics and life ideals for students. Lessons are designed flexibly, with effective application of information technology, meeting the requirements for developing students’ competencies and qualities.

Passionate about youth movements, Teacher Hai has always shown enthusiasm and responsibility beyond his teaching duties. He was therefore trusted and elected Secretary of the Teachers’ Youth Union Branch, Deputy Secretary of the school’s Youth Union, and since 2021 has served as Secretary of the Youth Union of Binh Long High School for the Gifted. Teacher Hai’s guiding philosophy is clear: every youth activity must breathe with the rhythm of real life, reflecting the legitimate interests and aspirations of union members and youth. Accordingly, he designs all movement activities based on students’ practical learning and training needs, ensuring that the Youth Union truly becomes a companion and a reliable experiential environment for the young generation.

According to Teacher Hai, students of Binh Long High School for the Gifted mainly live in dormitories, which means their demand for extracurricular activities is very high. Therefore, with his role as a youth leader, he has advised on organizing many activities and programs closely tied to students’ learning and daily life. Notably, the school’s Youth Union has maintained 22 clubs, teams, and groups related to academic activities, life skills, and political-ideological education.

In addition to the club, team, and group models, Teacher Hai has proposed many ideas and initiatives to improve the effectiveness of movements at the school. One of them is the alumni connection model, which brings successful former students back to the school to provide career counseling, guidance, and support. Through this model, the school’s Youth Union has successfully organized experience-sharing sessions, helping union members and students grasp labor market trends to determine their future careers.

At the ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (March 26, 1931-2026) held on the evening of March 26 in Hanoi, the Central Committee of the Youth Union will present the 2026 Ly Tu Trong Awards to 100 individuals.

Creativity in professional work and youth movements

Having been trained in English language at Lac Hong University, after graduation, Teacher Ho Bao Ngoc returned to Long Tan Primary School to work as an English teacher. From the very beginning of her work at the school, she always actively participated in activities and demonstrated great enthusiasm and dynamism. For that reason, the school’s Board of Management entrusted her with the role of Secretary of the Youth Union Branch of Long Tan Primary School. Since then, Teacher Ngoc has both undertaken teaching duties and actively participated in and organized Youth Union activities at the school.

Teacher Ho Bao Ngoc, Secretary of the Youth Union Branch of Long Tan Primary School (Nhon Trach commune), is honored as an Outstanding Young Teacher in 2025. Photo: Nga Son

Teacher Bao Ngoc shared that for many students, especially those in rural areas, English is not an easy subject to approach. To spark interest in learning English among her students, she has applied information technology in preparing lesson plans and teaching, creating opportunities for students to interact. She has also flexibly integrated games into lessons and organized activities such as “Ring the Golden Bell,” drawing, mind mapping, learning through songs, reviewing vocabulary with sticky notes, and recognizing vocabulary through action descriptions, helping students easily remember English vocabulary right in the classroom.

Not only creative in teaching, Teacher Ngoc has also proposed many new ideas in her role as Secretary of the Youth Union Branch of Long Tan Primary School. Among her proposals are several ideas related to digital transformation, such as a Youth Digital Library; digitization in managing work, records, documents, and lesson plans; and the application of artificial intelligence in teaching. Teacher Ngoc has also proactively coordinated with the school’s Young Pioneer Organization to implement the “Young Pioneer Flower Garden” project to educate students about solidarity, kindness, and mutual support in study and labor; participation in collective activities; and the responsibility of each member toward the class branch and the entire organization. In addition, there is the model of “Vietnam’s medicinal herb garden” planted and cared for by union members of the branch. The “Young Pioneer members’ Flower Garden” project and the “Vietnam’s medicinal herb garden” model also serve as places where students can experience nature, helping them better understand the importance of trees and traditional medicinal plants for humans, thereby fostering greater love for nature.

Each individual selected to receive the Ly Tu Trong Award represents a beautiful story of effort, dedication, and aspiration of youth people. Their contributions are a testament to the spirit of initiative, volunteerism, and creativity of the young generation in the new era, contributing to spreading positive values in the community and society.

By Nga Son – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha