“I can’t promise I’ll do everything perfectly, but I promise to see through everything I’ve started.”
That was the closing statement in the nearly 70-page proposal submitted by Đỗ Gia Linh (Grade 11 Atlanta) when applying for the position of President of the Dewey Student Council (DSC) for the 2025–2026 academic year at The Dewey Schools Hải Phòng.
Today, when people mention Gia Linh, many teachers and students at Dewey Hải Phòng immediately think of a confident young leader behind numerous Student Council initiatives. Yet few know that just a few years ago, Linh described herself as an “ordinary” student who had never imagined taking on a leadership role.
The turning point came when she decided to join the Dreamory Sound Volunteer Club, encouraged by her friends. Through projects such as the 2024 Donation Campaign and the relief program supportingresidents of Cát Hải after Typhoon Yagi, Gia Linh had the opportunity to work alongside the club’s founders – Châu Anh, Bảo Liên, and Ngọc Minh. Their passion, dedication, and commitment to creating positive social impact inspired Linh to realize: “Dewey students are fully capable of making meaningful contributions to the community through their own actions.”
That realization motivated Gia Linh to apply for the position of Student Council President. Driven by her passion for creativity and design thinking, she and the Student Council team brought to life a series ofmemorable events, including the Halloween Haunted House, the Teachers–Students Badminton Tournament celebrating Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20), and activities honoring InternationalWomen’s Day. For Linh, every event begins with listening carefully to students’ needs and ensuring that every participant feels like an essential part of the experience.
Through these leadership experiences, Gia Linh gradually developed a deeper understanding of what leadership truly means:
“To me, a leader is not just someone who gives directions or makes decisions. A leader should also recognize the untapped potential in every team member. When we give people the right opportunities, they gain the confidence to challenge themselves and shine in their own unique ways.”
Every opportunity to lead a team and every idea brought to life has helped Gia Linh better understand herself. She discovered a genuine passion for developing ideas, designing meaningful experiences, andcreating positive value for the community. These experiences have become her guiding compass, giving her the confidence to pursue her dream of studying Design and Creative Communications.
At The Dewey Schools, every student is empowered to explore different versions of themselves. Through authentic learning experiences, students not only build knowledge and skills but also develop theirown unique personal stories—stories that distinguish their university applications and shape their future journeys. Because when students truly understand who they aspire to become and the value they wantto create for their communities, they gain the confidence and resilience to thrive wherever life takes them.
