Closing 2024, Welcoming 2025

The Year of the Snake is just around the corner, bringing the warmth of spring to the entire PennSchool community. As we eagerly welcome the new year, it’s also a moment to reflect on the remarkable achievements of the past year.

For the #HomeOfTheEagles, 2024 was a meaningful journey filled with valuable lessons, cherished memories with teachers and friends, and significant personal growth. As we step into the new year, the PennSchool community looks back on all the efforts and accomplishments made over the past year.

For Bryan Hoang, 2024 marked an important milestone in his personal development. The past year provided him with opportunities to expand his circle of friends and significantly improve his academic performance.

“When August rolled around, I was eager to get back and learn more from the wonderful teachers of PennSchool. Although the guilt of not having my friends from last year pained me, it opened up opportunities for new friendships to blossom. I strived to make as many new friends as I could, my conviction blazing with flames that burned blue. I brought others with me to the central parts of my life, making what I thought to be fiction a reality. Additionally, under the night, I studied diligently for my exams and got better marks than I previously attained. I believe these 2 to be my greatest achievements of 2024: making lots of new friends and getting high marks.”

For Tran Huu Trong Toan, 2024 was a year marked by memorable experiences, especially through the competitions he had the chance to participate in.

“2024 was a year full of unforgettable experiences for me, where I met new teachers, learned new lessons, and continued to enjoy the companionship of old friends from Elementary School. It was also the year I worked hard to prove myself through various competitions: from the Youth Drone Racing Challenge, TEDxYouth@PennSchool, Global English Language Olympiad of Southeast Asia (GELOSEA), Golden Bell Challenge, and Spelling Bee to the exciting sports competitions during November’s Sport Week. The most memorable for me was TEDxYouth@PennSchool 2025, where I presented my thoughts on environmental issues to my teachers and friends. Despite feeling a little nervous, the event was an invaluable experience that helped me improve my public speaking skills.”

For other #HomeOfTheEagles, the most cherished memories of the past year were the opportunities to participate in fun activities with teachers and friends.

“Although I have studied at PennSchool for 4 years, each year I have had a lot of memories with my friends. Christmas Festival was one of the most unforgettable memories. On that day, we wore skirts and shirts with Christmas characters like reindeers, Santa Claus, and Christmas trees. Then, my friends and I went to the Christmas Fair organized by our school. In the afternoon, I watched movies with my friends.” – shared Le Nguyen Thuy Anh.

“Apart from competitions, 2024 was unforgettable for me because it was a year filled with exciting trips, events, and entertainment activities organized by PennSchool. One of my favorite memories was the Mid-Autumn Festival trip in September. I will never forget that festive day at the City Park – a vast park where I enjoyed both cultural performances and playful moments with my friends, along with delicious food. The Halloween event was equally exciting, giving us a chance to dress up in themed costumes and say “Trick or Treat?” to our teachers while collecting candy.” – shared Tran Huu Trong Toan.

Alongside impressive achievements from competitions and unforgettable moments with friends, 2024 also holds cherished memories of meaningful community activities that #HomeOfTheEagles had the opportunity to participate in. These activities left a lasting impression on Vo Phuoc Hanh Nghi.

“I had the chance to join the Avant_Charite Community Service with my friends and teachers at school. Together, we engaged in meaningful activities such as donating books and toys as well as organizing interactive sessions with underprivileged children. Each time I participated, I deeply felt the value of kindness, sharing, and love for the community. This activity not only brought joy to others but also helped me grow, teaching me to view life with a compassionate and positive heart.”

Stepping into 2025, #HomeOfTheEagles also shared their heartfelt reflections and aspirations for the new year, directed both at themselves and their teachers.

“In 2025, my goal is to study even harder, work on improving my weaknesses, and further enhance my strengths. I also hope to participate in more activities to expand my knowledge and skills. Most importantly, I wish to continue learning and having fun with my beloved friends, creating even more unforgettable memories.” – shared Ma Ngoc Kim Thu.

“Looking ahead to 2025, I have set greater goals for myself. I hope to maximize my achievements and engage more in academic and extracurricular activities to refine my skills. I also aspire to contribute more to the community, continue participating in charitable projects and spread the positive values I can share. Above all, I will strive to excel in my studies and continuously enrich my knowledge to become a valuable citizen, contributing to a better society.” – shared Vo Phuoc Hanh Nghi.

“I bid farewell to the peaceful year of 2024 and welcome 2025 with trust and wonderful wishes! In the Year of the Snake, I wish my teachers abundant health to continue their journey of imparting knowledge to generations of students. I also wish them lots of luck and great success in both their personal lives and their noble careers in education.” – shared Vu Thao Nguyen.