𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐍’𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑:

Dear Lifestart Foundation,

My name is Le Thi Kim Xuan and I’ve recently finished Year 9 at Le Ngoc Gia Secondary School in Dien Ban, Quang Nam.

I am writing this letter to extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for the invaluable scholarship you have so kindly given me and also to tell you more about myself, my family and my plans for the future.

My family has five members: my father, my mother, me and my two younger brothers. However, my parents have been separated for more than a year. Since that time, my mother has lived with the three of us in a rented room. She works as a room attendant at a hotel to earn money to support us and whenever she has time, she undertakes additional work elsewhere. I am deeply aware of my mother’s demanding and exhausting work and her dedication to her children.

My middle brother is about to enter Year 8. My youngest brother is now three years old and goes to kindergarten. Because he is still small, he often gets sick which makes things even harder for my mother. In my free time, I help take care of him and do household chores such as hanging and folding laundry and preparing vegetables so my mother can cook dinner.

Regarding my studies, I completed Year 9 in May which was a very busy year. In the mornings I studied at school and in the afternoons I attended extra classes until evening. On days when I came home earlier, I reviewed my lessons and also helped my mother take care of my youngest brother.

I have a particular passion for Chemistry, as studying Chemistry allows me to conduct interesting experiments and I experience a sense of anticipation and excitement while observing chemical reactions. In addition to Chemistry, Mathematics is an essential subject for me. Despite its abstract and challenging nature, I am not discouraged; rather, I am drawn to it. Mathematics provides me with opportunities for exploration and it is the subject that I am best at.

In Year 9, I mainly focused on Mathematics, Chemistry and English. The final month before the high school entrance exam was the busiest time as all of my classmates put a lot of effort into their studies and the teachers added many extra lessons. Although the schedule was quite demanding, I did not give up. On the contrary, I pushed myself even harder. In the months before the exam, I spent almost all of my free time, even the hours I usually helped my mother, on studying. Thanks to this, I achieved the title of Excellent Student with an average score of 9.6/10, ranking me first in my class. I felt very satisfied that my hard work brought good results.

At the beginning of June, after finishing Year 9, I took the entrance exam to the specialized high school. Although my study schedule was busy, it was also quite flexible since this was the final stage of preparation. During the exams, before the test papers were handed out, I was calm. However, when I received the questions, I became a little nervous. Even so, I took a deep breath, carefully read the questions and then focused on doing the tests. After more than two weeks of anxious waiting, I was overjoyed to learn that I had been accepted into the specialized Chemistry class at Le Thanh Tong High School for Gifted Students. My family was also very happy and my mother even treated me to a special meal to celebrate. For me, the examination was truly a major challenge, requiring a great deal of effort and perseverance from all of the candidates.

As I prepare for high school, I feel both excited and a little nervous, since I do not yet know what new experiences await me. Just thinking about it makes me anticipate the future with great interest.

In the coming school year, I plan to take extra classes in Mathematics, Literature, English and Chemistry. These lessons will help strengthen my knowledge of each subject and teach me additional information that is not included in the school curriculum. I feel very happy that I can attend extra classes and I will arrange my study schedule in a way that suits me best. My goal for the first semester is to once again achieve the title of Excellent Student. Looking further ahead, my dream is to become a doctor because I wish to help many people.

When I learned that I had been awarded the scholarship, I was extremely happy. All the worries and nervousness I experienced after the interview disappeared. At first, it felt as though I were in a dream, but the dream had become a reality and I was very happy. My mother also shared my happiness and my family and I are deeply grateful for your kindness and generosity.

I was especially delighted that, right before the new school year I received many books, school supplies and a full set of uniforms for Year 10. These gifts are very meaningful and will reduce a lot of the financial burden on my family. I am truly grateful for your support and I treasure these gifts.

Thanks to the scholarship, I no longer have to worry about tuition fees, owing money for extra classes or having insufficient supplies. My studies will now be more secure and my mother will also feel less pressure, allowing her to take better care of my younger brothers. For me, your support is not only financial assistance but also a great source of motivation for me to work harder in both my studies and my life. I believe that with your help, my future will be brighter. I will continue to put in my best effort to achieve good results in an effort to repay the kindness and support of you and Lifestart Foundation.

In closing, I would like to once again express my sincere thanks to you for awarding me this precious scholarship.

Kind regards,

Le Thi Kim Xuan