INTRODUCTION
Be Better Foundation continued our mission of spreading knowledge by bringing the 26th and 27th Mentorship Programs to more than 250 students at Hieu Phung High School and 250 students at Vo Van Kiet High School on 11 and 12 October 2025. The programs were held respectively at the Hall of the Military Command of Hieu Phung Commune and at the Hall of Vo Van Kiet High School.
With the close coordination of the Board of Principals, teachers, and the support of local authorities, the programs took place in an atmosphere filled with warmth, smiles, and the excitement of students welcoming the Be Better team.
I. OBJECTIVES AND MESSAGE
The October 2025 Mentorship Program marked another step in the Be Better Foundation’s mission of “Sharing experiences, knowledge, and future orientation” with students preparing to enter adulthood. Beyond imparting knowledge through real-life stories, the program encouraged students to reflect on themselves, learn from the mentors’ experiences, and thereby identify the direction best suited for their future.
This year, the program introduced a practical situational challenge format, allowing students to take on roles, discuss, and debate scenarios drawn from real life. Through these experiences, they learned to develop critical thinking, teamwork, and the belief in themselves when facing future challenges.
II. MAIN ACTIVITIES
The program started with musical performances and warm-up games that helped students connect and started the day full of energy. The “A Person of Wisdom” competition once again became the centerpiece of the program, featuring four teams to solve four real-life scenarios. Each team then presented their ideas using a mind map to the entire hall.
The highlight of this Mentorship session was the sharing from two guest speakers who have went through diverse journeys and experienced various career and life lessons. They brought to the students authentic stories about distinguishing between real and superficial success, identifying the subject you are best at versus the job you are best suited for, understanding the difference between passion and interest, and embracing the message of the four pillars of holistic development: Body – Mind –Wisdom – Virtue.
III. RESULTS AND IMPACTS
The Mentorship program in October 2025 showcased Be Better Foundation’s commitment to financial support and knowledge sharing:
a) Scholarship grants:
11 scholarships worth VND 26,000,000 in total were granted to students in particularly difficult circumstances who have lost one or both parents.
| Support Level /student | Hieu Phung High School | Vo Van Kiet High School | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Amount | Quantity | Amount | ||
| Lost both parents (VND 3,000,000) | 3 | 9,000,000 | 1 | 3,000,000 | 12,000,000 |
| Lost a parent (VND 2,000,000 ) | 6 | 12,000,000 | 1 | 2,000,000 | 14,000,000 |
| Total | 9 | 21,000,000 | 2 | 5,000,000 | 26,000,000 |
b) Financial Support for Disadvantaged Students and Parents Attending the Program
A total of 15 support packages, worth VND 4,500,000 in total, were granted to parents in difficult circumstances who attended the program. The details are as follows:
| Support Level /household | Hieu Phung High School | Vo Van Kiet High School | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Amount | Quantity | Amount | ||
| VND 300,000 | 15 | 4,500,000 | 0 | 0 | 4,500,000 |
| Total | 15 | 4,500,000 | 0 | 0 | 4,500,000 |
c) “A person of Wisdom” competition
“A person of Wisdom” competition took place vibrantly at both schools, encouraging students’ critical thinking and presentation skills. The total prize value amounted to VND 33,300,000, distributed as follows:
| Category | Hieu Phung High School | Vo Van Kiet High School | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Quantity | Amount | Quantity | ||
| Warm-up activities | 1,000,000 | 10 | 1,000,000 | 10 | 2,000,000 |
| 1st prize – Teamwork | 5,000,000 | 1 | 5,000,000 | 1 | 10,000,000 |
| 2nd prize – Teamwork | 3,000,000 | 1 | 3,000,000 | 1 | 6,000,000 |
| 3rd prize – Teamwork | 4,000,000 | 2 | 4,000,000 | 2 | 8,000,000 |
| 1st prize – Individual | 2,000,000 | 2 | 1,000,000 | 1 | 3,000,000 |
| 2nd prize – Individual | 700,000 | 1 | 700,000 | 1 | 1,400,000 |
| Consolation prize – Individual | 0 | 0 | 300,000 | 1 | 300,000 |
| 1st prize – Special pair | 1,000,000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1,000,000 |
| 2nd prize – Special pair | 0 | 0 | 700,000 | 1 | 700,000 |
| Additional question | 300,000 | 1 | 600,000 | 2 | 900,000 |
| Total | 17,000,000 | 19 | 16,300,000 | 20 | 33,300,000 |
After each journey, the most valuable thing is not the number of programs we organize but the growth of the students – young individuals who dare to speak up, think independently, and believe in their own values.A few reflections shared by students after the program:
“That morning, I listened to every word and noted down every thought. In addition to knowledge, I gained new inspiration for life. I began to look within and reexamine the small things I used to take for granted. I realized that just a small shift in mindset can take us a long way on the journey to maturity. For the first time, I wanted to share, to take action, to do something that makes me better every day.”– Tran Thao Tram Anh (Class 12A2, Vo Van Kiet High School).
“From the program, I learned that everyone has their own journey, and only through effort can we ‘become a virtuous person’ before becoming successful. After the session, I received a book from Mr. Tony Tinh titled ‘Success and Virtue’. It was the first book I have ever read from the first page till the last, and it changed how I see myself. My family still struggles and I cannot afford many books, so this is the most precious gift I have ever received.” – Le Thanh Dat (Class 12A3, Hieu Phung High School).
“The lesson on ‘superficial success and living by values’ helped me see what I had been chasing. I used to feel down when I wasn’t recognized, but now I understand that success is not about praise but the peace that comes from living true to your values. I’ve started to slow down, listen to my family more, help my mother with housework, and talk to my father more often. Each family meal has become warmer, as I’ve learned to be grateful and to cherish every small moment.”– Truong Nhu Ngoc (Grade 12A13, Vo Van Kiet High School)
When a student begins to “want to share, to take action, to do something to become better every day,” when a single book becomes their first companion in self-discovery, or when a family meal becomes warmer because they’ve learned gratitude and appreciation — those are the true “fruits” that the Mentorship journey aims to cultivate.
The Be Better team will continue this journey, with the hope that at every new destination, seeds of knowledge and inspiration will keep being sown, take root, and flourish within each student.
V. OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE
The Be Better Foundation would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Board of Principals and teachers of Hieu Phung High School and Vo Van Kiet High School, the Military Command of Hieu Phung Commune, the guest speakers, benefactors, volunteers, and especially the students who accompanied and contributed to the success of the 26th and 27th Mentorship Programs.
We believe that every act of companionship represents trust, which serves as the driving force for Be Better to continue bringing the Mentorship Program to more schools and reaching even farther in the journey ahead.
VI. IMAGE
