Nguyen Nhat Minh, a grade 12 student specializing in Math 1 at Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted in the former Ba Ria - Vung Tau region, secured first prize in the city-level Informatics competition with a perfect score of 20/20. The student completed three problems in 80 minutes, 40 minutes ahead of the allotted time.

This result surpassed the school's expectations, according to Nguyen Van Thanh, the Informatics team coach, and Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy, the homeroom teacher for the specialized Math 1 class. Both teachers had anticipated that the first gifted student competition in Ho Chi Minh City after the merger would be more competitive than in previous years.

"The teachers all thought Minh would win an award, but we weren't sure about first prize, especially a perfect score," Thuy said.

However, for Minh, this outcome was "certain" as soon as he left the exam room.

"The exam didn't have any overly difficult questions; I calculated I would get a perfect score right after finishing without needing to check answers," Minh stated. "But when my teachers asked, I still said 'I did well'."

Nguyen Nhat Minh, specialized Math 1 class, Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Provided by subject

Minh first learned about programming informatics in grade 8 through online forums. Intrigued by the unusual effects in simple programs and software, he began copying code to run tests. Each successful execution made him feel that programming was truly "magical." However, he did not delve deeper at that time due to his focus on preparing for the grade 10 entrance exam.

After gaining admission to a specialized Math class, Minh shifted his focus to Informatics and was selected for the school's provincial competition team. According to Minh, Math and Informatics are closely related and mutually supportive. Although not in a specialized Informatics class, he independently studied online, through community groups, and with guidance from his team's teachers. He dedicated 3-4 hours daily to Informatics, stating it did not affect his regular schoolwork.

In grade 10, Nhat Minh earned third prize in the provincial student competition in Ba Ria - Vung Tau (old area). The following year, he won second prize at the provincial level and third prize at the national level. The student planned to "change the color of his medal" at the national competition in grade 12, aiming for direct admission to the Computer Science department at the University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City.

Despite his dedicated preparation and high expectations, Nhat Minh developed a fever just before the national team selection exam. Consequently, he did not achieve a high enough score to qualify for the national team.

"This incident left me very disappointed and disheartened for a long time," Minh recounted. He decided to continue participating in the city-level gifted student competition to "partially regain self-confidence." Minh explained that typically, after extensive preparation for the national selection exam, students, regardless of their results, must immediately return to their regular studies to catch up on knowledge and accelerate preparation for the high school graduation exam.

"My teachers and friends all felt my decision was somewhat risky," the student shared.

During his preparation, Minh easily solved past provincial exam papers, which fueled his confidence in aiming for first prize with a maximum score. In grade 11, he had "missed" first prize due to a single bracket, prompting him to focus on improving his meticulousness to avoid unnecessary point deductions.

Despite his rigorous preparation, Minh considers himself not a student who "grinds" day and night. His philosophy is to study less but with high concentration to achieve the best results.

"Some days I spent 3-4 hours practicing Informatics problems, but some days I didn't study at all," Minh said.

Nhat Minh receiving an award for third prize in the national gifted student competition in Informatics in 2025. Photo: Provided by subject

As Minh's homeroom teacher for three years, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy was impressed by her student's bright smile, intelligence, and unwavering determination.

"Minh is determined in whatever he decides to do, and no one can sway him," Thuy observed, adding that the student is also well-rounded, actively participating in the school's extracurricular activities and sports.

After achieving his goal of winning the city-level award, Minh is now focusing on catching up on his studies to prepare for the high school graduation exam, with the aim of pursuing a Computer Science degree at the University of Natural Sciences.

Le Nguyen