[Young Leaders at PennSchool] The Journey of Growth through Leadership

At PennSchool, leadership is not just a title – it is a journey of growth, where students learn to understand themselves, walk alongside their peers, and gradually shape their own leadership style. This journey is beautifully reflected in the inspiring story of Vu Truc Anh, who has taken on many important roles within the PennSchool student community.

As one of the students who has been with PennSchool since its very early days, Truc Anh has always shined as a role model embodying the school’s core values. Today, even as an alumna, the leadership experiences and opportunities she embraced at PennSchool remain invaluable stepping stones, empowering her with confidence and resilience as she continues to shine on her study abroad journey.

“At PennSchool, I have had the opportunity to be Secretary in the Student Council and as the leader and drummer in the Majors & Minors band. These roles taught me that leadership is not simply about giving instructions, but about listening, empathizing, and creating an environment where everyone feels they belong.

While preparing for band performances at school, everything was challenging – balancing everyone’s ideas while keeping the performance cohesive required patience and decisiveness. At times, my heart told me to comfort my bandmates when they felt nervous, while my mind reminded me to stay disciplined and keep us on track. It was in this balance of empathy and rationality that I discovered my true leadership style: playful when possible, serious when necessary.

In the Student Council, I experienced something similar. Working on big events like Prom meant dealing with deadlines and responsibility, but also with the excitement and creativity of my friends. I realized that leadership is not about standing above others, but about standing with my teammate – encouraging, and sometimes making tough choices for the good of the whole.

Looking back, these experiences gave me not only pride but also a sense of responsibility to continue leading with both heart and mind. Leadership is the art of balancing reason with compassion.”

That is also the very spirit PennSchool strives to nurture in every student: a leadership journey that begins with compassion, is empowered through opportunities to take on challenges, and, when combined with the aspiration to reach further, helps them grow with confidence, resilience, and the readiness to make a difference through empathy and wisdom.