How Bao Quyen (BQ), Year 10 found her voice at BVIS HCMC

When BQ first heard about the opportunity to join the MIT trip in Year 10, she didn’t think she had a chance — and she wasn’t planning to try. 

“Just the thought of going to that trip was already really scary for me… I wasn’t even going to participate in the first place,” she said. “But my parents really pushed me, and then I got in…” 

 
The project brief asked students to design something under the theme Hack the Tube. BQ created a concept for a rolling bridge made from bamboo — a material commonly found in Vietnam — designed to be deployed in rural areas across the country. It was practical. Cultural. Ambitious. 

 
“The project itself required a lot that I did not know before,” BQ said. “I learned a lot about engineering and about researching.” 

The experience was part of Nord Anglia Education’s global collaboration with MIT — a partnership that gives students hands-on opportunities to explore STEAM in real-world contexts. 

But it wasn’t the academics that challenged her most.  

“Then getting there was a completely new journey,” she said. “I had to interact with people from a lot of different walks of life… and I had to communicate exclusively only in my second language.” 

BQ was the only Vietnamese student in the group — and someone who had never seen herself as particularly outgoing. 

“As someone who isn’t always the best at social interactions… that trip really showed me that it’s not really something I should be afraid of, and connecting with people is a lot simpler than I think it is.”  

A voice that keeps growing

B
Q’s journey didn’t end at MIT. It helped unlock a confidence that continued to grow through her daily life at BVIS. 

“All my friends here are great,” she said. “I’ve grown up in this school and all my closest friends are here… Just getting to go to school every day, seeing them is such a great pleasure.” 

She also discovered a love for English Literature — something she hadn’t expected — thanks to the way her teachers supported and challenged her to think deeply. 

“Mr. Moroney… he’s really helped me find my passion and love for English literature,” BQ said. “Originally, I never would have thought to choose this subject for A levels… but this past year especially, I’ve really grown to love it.”  

She credits the subject — and the way it’s taught — with helping her strengthen her voice.  

“It forces us to present our own ideas with careful analysis. That really helped me strengthen my voice and find confidence in presenting my ideas.” 

It’s a skill that served her well at TEDxYouth, where BQ was selected to speak as a student representative. Looking back, she sees a clear connection between the way BVIS is structured and the kind of person she’s becoming. 

 
“At BVIS, I think in terms of helping me with my identity, it comes down a lot to our Vietnamese lessons,” she said. “I’m someone who’s really scared of losing my culture… and having these Vietnamese lessons every week, I find that it’s actually brought me closer to my culture… every lesson just makes me proud to be Vietnamese.”

Personalised support, lasting impact 

According to Mr Toby Bate, Head of Secondary, BQ’s story reflects something fundamental about how BVIS supports every learner.  

“Personalised learning gets more important as students get older,” Toby said. “They learn what they are good at, they learn their strengths, and they learn where they’re going to need help.”  

“We want to make sure that they’ve got the guidance, they’ve got the support… They know what they’re going to go and study, they’re interested, they want to study that.” 

At BVIS, personalised learning is about more than academic success — it’s about helping students become confident, compassionate individuals, ready for the world.  

“They’re going to help the world improve just by being who they are,” Toby said. “And BVIS is going to help them do that.”  

Ready for the future 

From building bridges at MIT to presenting ideas at TEDxYouth, BQ’s journey shows what happens when students are encouraged to try, explore, and step outside their comfort zone.  

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities that I never thought I’d have,” she said. “I’ve been able to meet people, to go places… and to really find out who I am.”  

For BQ, the confidence she’s built at BVIS isn’t just something she’ll take to university. It’s something she’ll carry for life.