In the eyes of her family, teachers, and friends, Vũ Kim Khánh Ngọc (12 Washington DC – The Dewey Schools Hải Phòng) is a student deeply passionate about literature, metaphors, and writing—something she considers an inseparable part of her life. Her 9/10 score in Literature in the National High School Graduation Examination, along with more than VND 4 billion in social sciences scholarships from international universities, may be the clearest evidence of that passion. So, what led Ngọc to what might seem like a completely different path: English for Science, Engineering and Technology at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST)?
Khánh Ngọc’s passion for Science, Engineering, and Technology was first “planted” during her secondary school years through STEAM classes at Dewey. She still remembers the excitement of being introduced to Design Thinking, designing a keychain based on her own ideas, and using a 3D printer herself to turn her sketch into a tangible product.
Those early experiences encouraged Ngọc to venture beyond the boundaries of the classroom. At Science Fair 2025, she and her teammates spent more than 200 hours researching, developing ideas, experimenting, building a website, and surveying 60 real users to refine their project, “Career Guidance 4.0.” Competing against nine projects across fields including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Psychology, the team advanced to the final round. For Ngọc, the experience helped her realize that Science, Engineering, and Technology are not distant from people’s everyday lives; instead, they can become powerful tools for addressing challenges that are surprisingly close to us.
In Grade 11, school-organized field trips continued to expand Ngọc’s “map” of exploration. During a visit to Hanoi University of Science and Technology and the Tạ Quang Bửu Library, she was particularly impressed by the sight of students immersed in their studies. A subsequent visit to Hải Phòng Cement Factory turned her curiosity into a bigger question: What if I could become a “bridge” that translates complex technical knowledge from English into Vietnamese in a simple, accessible way, making it easier for more people to understand?
Through conversations with Ms. Huyền, a Dewey Career Counselor, Ngọc gradually explored the field in greater depth, comparing it with her interests, strengths, and future aspirations. After much reflection, the familiar “writer” at Dewey Hải Phòng took the courage to apply for a field that had not originally been considered her strength—and successfully earned her place at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, becoming a freshman majoring in English for Science, Engineering and Technology.
Khánh Ngọc’s story illustrates how The Dewey Schools creates an environment where students can experience, explore their interests, and transform their passions into capabilities. At Dewey, students are not confined by conventional labels such as “Humanities” or “Natural Sciences.” Instead, they are given opportunities to explore across disciplines and discover abilities they may never have imagined they possessed. From there, they are empowered to step beyond their comfort zones, actively shape their own paths, and confidently adapt to any environment.
