9 years ago, Ha Anh described herself as a shy girl with limited English skills and a fear of public speaking. However, after 7 years of secondary school at The Dewey Schools, she earned a scholarship in Liberal Arts Education at Waseda University in Tokyo (ranked #8 in Japan). Looking back on her journey, now a second-year university student, she realizes that the real transformation came from an educational environment that encouraged her to try, fail, and discover herself.
Starting out as a student from a public school with very few opportunities to express herself, Ha Anh lacked the confidence and dynamism of her peers. Yet, the learning environment at Dewey gradually helped her overcome psychological barriers, opening up opportunities for her to reflect, change, and grow. Through hands-on classes, interdisciplinary projects, and diverse cultural experiences, she slowly overcame her fear of self-expression, building confidence and a proactive learning mindset. “For me, Dewey has always been an ideal environment for students to explore their strengths and expand their thinking.” This transformation became the inspiration for Ha Anh to pursue Liberal Arts Education, with the hope of creating similar learning experiences in the future—so that students who are shy and insecure, like she once was, can also shine.
The skills Ha Anh developed at Dewey have given her significant advantages in university. Early exposure to essay writing, poster design, and teamwork in completing and presenting projects has helped her quickly adapt to the interdisciplinary, research-based learning approach of Liberal Arts education. She has even taken on leadership roles in group projects at university. Beyond academics, her objective thinking, listening skills, and empathy have been maximized in a multicultural environment. “I’m truly grateful for my experiences with projects at Dewey, as they have helped me integrate easily into an international university environment,” Ha Anh shared.
What Ha Anh treasures most is that even after graduating and studying abroad in Japan, she still carries with her meaningful friendships and continues to receive support from the Dewey community. She expressed, “I am always grateful and proud that no matter how far I go, I began my journey as a TDSer.” Currently, Ha Anh is also participating in volunteer activities in Tokyo, continuing and preserving the positive values she gained during her time at Dewey.
As a Dewey alumna, Ha Anh believes that future generations will continue to shine on their own journeys of growth. She hopes that her story and experiences will inspire the Dewey student community to go further and achieve even greater milestones in the future.
