With a unique initiative rich in educational value and community spirit, confident presentation style, and flexible adaptability, the “Donut” team, consisting of two students, Do Phan Truong An and Pham Duy Anh (Grade 9), excelled in making it to the Top 3 teams at the National Finals of the “FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge 2024.” They proudly advance to the Asia-Pacific Regional Finals.
The inception of the WaterBox project
Do Phan Truong An and Pham Duy Anh shared that, according to research, about 3 million parents in Australia are currently facing difficulties in educating their children and finding educational materials to raise their children’s awareness about water conservation and protection. Recognizing that the habit of wasting water among children in Australia could lead to a wasteful mindset in the future, potentially causing a water crisis, the “Donut” team introduced the idea of designing the WaterBox product – a unique educational kit aimed at raising water conservation awareness among Australian children through fun and practical activities. This product consists of three main parts:
- Card Game: Similar to the game Heads Up, this game allows players to guess water-related clues to score points. Designed for multiple participants, this game is an ideal activity for families to learn together and raise awareness about water conservation.
- STEM Science Experiment: The mini water filter guides children on how to create clean water from contaminated water. This experiment is not only educational but also sparks curiosity and encourages children to engage in outdoor exploratory activities.
- Picture Book: This engaging picture book introduces the culture of Indigenous Australians and their traditions of valuing natural resources, including clean water, on the continent. With vivid illustrations, the book not only conveys a love for Australian culture and history but also raises children’s awareness about water conservation, encouraging habits of water-saving usage.
With creativity and a spirit of community benefit, Do Phan Truong An and Pham Duy Anh have created a product that is not only highly educational but also helps address the urgent societal issue of water wastage and the clean water crisis. Their initiative contributes to raising awareness and educating the younger generation on the importance of protecting this precious resource.
“We spent over a month researching and developing this project. There were times when we had to read through 20 to 30 websites and consult various sources to understand customer profiles, the market, and consumer preferences in Australia. We also started familiarizing ourselves with marketing concepts and terms such as the 4P model and how to create a thorough communication plan to enhance the project’s effectiveness and professionalism. I want to express my deep gratitude to Mr. Trong Tung and my teammate Duy Anh for their support and collaboration in this competition,” shared student Do Phan Truong An.
Lessons learned from participating in the competition
To reach the finals, Truong An and Duy Anh surpassed nearly 100 teams from High Schools across the country. Duy Anh noted that through the competition, they gained valuable experiences and lessons, such as research skills, presentation skills, teamwork, and more. The competition also provided an opportunity for them to engage, exchange ideas, broaden their social understanding, and build strong relationships with other teams.
This is the 5th time The Dewey Schools have had contestants in the National Finals and the 3rd time a team has reached the Asia-Pacific Finals (2020-2022 and 2024). In all three times of participation, the representatives from Dewey have been the youngest contestants, known for their positive spirit, proactive approach, and creativity, which the regional organizers highly appreciate.
The outstanding achievement of Do Phan Truong An and Pham Duy Anh clearly demonstrates their effort, dedication, and talent showcased in this competition. The success of the “Donut” team is not only a source of pride for themselves but also a motivation for TDSers to steadfastly pursue their passion for innovation and contribute positive values to the community.
Congratulations to Do Phan Truong An and Pham Duy Anh! We hope you continue to shine and achieve further success in the upcoming international competition in August!
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*FedEx Express/JA ITC (International Trade Challenge) is an annual competition organized by Junior Achievement (JA) to foster business spirit and skills among students. The competition takes place across 10 member countries of JA in the Asia-Pacific region, including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Each country selects 3 outstanding teams to participate in the Asia-Pacific ITC Finals, providing them an opportunity to interact with international peers. In 2023, a representative from Vietnam excelled by surpassing talented teams to win first place at the Asia-Pacific Finals.
