Students, parents, the Board of Directors, and the teaching staff, True North International School showcased vibrant opening performances. During the event, our Head of School, Michael Lambert, could not hide his pride as he announced over 30 awards presented to exemplary students, along with 14 individual awards for teachers, voted on by the students themselves. Mr. Michael Lambert stated, “The 2023-2024 school year has ended with so many great achievements for both teachers and students at True North International School. The accomplishments we have achieved together are not just medals or awards but also a testimonial to the solidarity, resilience, and outstanding capabilities of the TNIS community!"  

The ceremony concluded with the "Water Gun Splash Game," an annual cultural highlight at the school. The ceremony came to a close, ending a memorable school year and setting an exciting summer in motion for the students at True North International School.  

Notable Achievements in the 2023-2024 School Year  

To host a meaningful Closing Ceremony today, True North International School went through a challenging, yet remarkable school year, closely following the four pillars of education set by the school:  

Character Development Pillar  

Character is the life-long companion of every student on their future journeys. Before giving students knowledge, True North International School prioritizes nurturing and developing students' character, helping them remain Resilient, Innovative, Sincere, and Empowered (RISE).  

The activities and achievements of True North students in the past year have clearly demonstrated these values. The Aquastride and Walk for Water charity run by True North students raised over 20,000,000 VND to build a water filtration system at Y Ty Kindergarten. Class 10A of the bilingual program completed a charity trip to Vo Tranh Secondary School to organize the “When I Grow Up” project, sharing knowledge about sex education and personal hygiene, along with charity work and donating a small library to Vo Tranh School. In addition, the monthly Zero Waste activities at the school canteen, initiated and organized by True North students, received positive feedback and significantly reduced food waste. These practical activities by True North students have contributed to changing and developing the surrounding community, helping us  win the Second Prize in the prestigious AIA Healthiest School Program 2024 in Vietnam.  

Academic Rigor Pillar  

True North International School has demonstrated its educational quality through competitions in various fields such as Debate, Mathematics, English, STEAM, and the Arts, at both national and international levels.  

True North students achieved numerous accolades in Mathematics, most notably silver medals at the national TIMO competition and a bronze medal at the 2023 International HKIMO competition, won by Nguyễn Huy Thiện Hải. Alongside Thiện Hải, more than 30 other primary and secondary students also won medals in these two competitions. The school's Debate field also reaped much success, with the TNS Midnight and TNS Turquoise teams winning the championship at the Vietnam Middle School Debating Championship in November 2023.  

In STEAM competitions, True North International School competed at the VEX Robotics for two consecutive years, achieving third place in the elementary division with a score of 251 at the 2023 World Championship, and winning the national championship in 2024, which qualified them for the World Championship held in Texas, USA, in May. The image of the Vietnamese flag at the VEX Robotics World Championship made history on the international stage, and True North International School mascot was honored to be part of this historic event, placing sixth in a field of 100 international teams.  

True North students are also international artistic talents. Kim Minso, class 7I, won three international violin awards in the 2023-2024 school year. The competitions Minso participated include the World Grand Prix International Music Contest, the Vivaldi International Music Competition, and the UK Elizabeth International Music Competition.  

Next academic year, TNIS will offer Spanish, Mandarin, and 13 AP courses, ranging from the sciences, 2-D Art, English and social sciences.  

Global Citizenry Pillar  

Thanks to learning and training in a multinational, multicultural environment, True North students are open-minded and have diverse experiences, with the ability to positively influence communities worldwide, starting from Vietnam.  

In the past school year, True North students have won several notable international cultural awards. Students Trần Phạm Bảo Châu and Ngô Gia Nghĩa won full scholarships totaling over $10,000 from the Global Citizens Initiative 2024 (GCI) program. The school's Debate team also participated in the World Scholars' Cup - Hanoi Skittles round and won four silver medals and two gold medals in team challenges, individual debates, individual challenges, and team debates. The Hanoi Skittles round engaged more than 100 teams and 300 contestants from schools across Hanoi.  

True North International School is also proud to announce that we attended the Model United Nations event in New York City for two weeks, allowing 19 of the TNIS students to visit universities and embrace the NYC culture.    

Fitness and Wellness Pillar  

True North International School always prioritizes students' fitness & wellness and encourages them to pursue a healthy lifestyle. True North International School believes that good mental and physical health will help students overcome any challenges ahead.  

Physical activities and sports competitions are routine events at True North International School. With two clubs grouped by age — IronKid for elementary students and IronTeens for middle school students — led by CEO Danny Hwang -  students participate in the most meaningful and physically demanding activities. Events like the Tràng An Marathon 2024, Hanoi Midnight Marathon 2023, and Đền Hùng Marathon 2024 saw great participation from True North students. At the Đền Hùng Marathon, 11 True North students completed the 21km milestone, and 32 students completed the 10km milestone. The school also has a group of 15- 20 students who join the Early Birds for fitness training, three days a week, beginning at 6:30am.  

These challenging sports events help students push their boundaries and make room for deeper connections between teachers, students, and families, as True North International School always encourages teachers and parents to participate alongside the students.  

Ending the 2023-2024 school year, True North International School saw 184 out of 200 students participating in Debate, Mathematics, English, and Arts competitions, with a minimum award rate of around 72%. Alongside group activities and projects, TNIS students consistently maintained excellent individual academic achievements. Ngô Gia Nghĩa, a 10th-grade international student, scored 1550/1600 on the SAT. Phạm Trần Bảo Châu, Gia Nghĩa's classmate, also finished in the SAT with a score of 1570.  

These accomplishments result from passionate learning and training at True North International School, where students participate in 100% English-taught classes and receive support and guidance from subject teachers for participation in national and international projects and competitions. Additionally, students study IELTS as a core subject from grade 9 and receive personalized university application support based on the Advanced Placement (AP) subjects, recognized globally as preferred university credits. Besides academic activities, True North students are empowered to actively participate in over 20 clubs and extracurricular classes, ranging from basic to advanced levels, in various fields such as debate, sports (basketball, volleyball, swimming, football and running clubs) and the arts (music, fine arts, fashion, journalism).  

Most outstanding Achievements in 2024  

Notably, True North International School is immensely proud to have received certification from the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC) as an accredited international school.  

The ACS WASC is a globally renowned accrediting association that champions and validates ongoing school improvement efforts. It provides support to its member institutions, both private and public, at elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Through a meticulous self-evaluation and peer review process, WASC emphasizes equity, inclusivity, and access to high-level, rigorous learning opportunities for all students. Accreditation by ACS WASC ensures that schools meet high standards of educational quality and effectiveness, marking them as credible and excellent institutions recognized both nationally and internationally.  

TNIS is proud to be granted a 6-year term, effective until June 30, 2030. This is the highest accreditation term awarded to international schools by ACS WASC.  

Students enjoy various benefits when attending a WASC accredited True North International School. The greatest benefit is the advantage on their pathway to university. Many top universities worldwide prioritize applicants with diplomas from WASC-accredited high schools. A diploma from a WASC-accredited school strengthens the college application process and increases the likelihood of receiving scholarships from higher education institutions. In addition, students who completed their education at True North International School can transfer credits. Credits earned at a WASC-accredited school like True North International School are likely to be accepted at other schools within the WASC system, as well as at domestic and international universities. This is a significant advantage for students transferring schools or planning to study abroad.  

Achieving WASC accreditation is a highly significant accomplishment for True North International School, especially considering that other international schools in the Hanoi area have taken nearly a decade to achieve this. True North International School has worked tirelessly to provide high-quality educational programs, enhancing students' academic records. The school’s four educational pillars—Character Development, Academic Rigor, Fitness and Wellness, and Global Citizenry—have laid a solid foundation for this achievement. WASC accreditation is a significant milestone, effectively demonstrating the dedication to enhance the learning experience by the school's teachers, committed to the educational philosophies set forth.  

With numerous achievements in various academic areas and the four foundations of character development, academic rigor, global citizenry, and fỉness&wellness built over the past two years and the upcoming years, we expect to proudly welcome its first graduating high school class and to be an exceptional graduating class with prestigious diplomas from the top-tier educational environment at True North International School. With WASC accreditation, TNIS students are well-prepared to conquer not only top universities in Vietnam but also prestigious universities worldwide, fulfilling Principal Michael Lambert's commitment to educating the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators in Vietnam.