From deposition to the emotional explosion during the showcase made by grade 10 & 11 students

The pure white of lilies has been blooming in April, signalling that the summer is coming, bringing with a youthful and powerful energy. This is also the time when parents come to Olympia Theater and enthusiastically watch the performances of the High School Olympians’ final project showcase. Saturday, 22nd April was the day of the interdisciplinary showcase for all Olympians in Grades 10-11.

The showcase was an illustration of the concept of "Identity and Integration", a part of the learning and evaluation activities series in the interdisciplinary learning project of Language Arts - History - Art – Music named "Who am I among my ethnic roots?" in Grades 10 and 11. This is the crystalization of the knowledge and experience that Olympians have accumulated throughout the school year to confidently stand on Olympia Theater’s stage and shine in front of hundreds of audiences. To have a successful 1-hour performance on stage, Olympians had undergone extensive practice over many months. Their goal is not for high scores but to go beyond their limits, discover the beauty of traditional culture, and prove their bravery.

SECTION 1- IDENTITY

The Grade 10 Olympian theme "Rowing to the Roots" (Cheo ve nguon coi) was to show the quintessence of folklore. With an ingenious name, the program of Grade 10 was likened to a journey "Rowing to the Roots". The opening performance was the "Muong Folk Percussion Concert", which was inspired by Olympians’ practical experiences during the trip to Hoa Binh in February 2023. The rustic, ethnic sounds of this performance led parents to an unexpected folklore experience. 

Through the process of self-study through documents and a field trip to Hue, students were exposed to Hue culture, architecture, people and experienced the context of Tho Moi, such as "This is Vy Da village" (Han Mac Tu), "Say Goodbye to Hue" (Thu Bon) and the Hue autograph "Who Named the River ?"(Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong). Since then, Olympians have edited and created the musical "Huong Citadel of the Ancient Capital" and brought it to the stage of the Olympia Theater to the delight of the audience.

"Huong Citadel of the Ancient Capital" is the story of gentle, discreet people who have devoted their whole lives to the Huong Giang river - "the river of time resounding, of the epic written among the green grass" (Who named the river?, Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong).

Gentle, deep, and also majestic, the students showed their ability to dance, sing, and perform on piano and in the musical, through elaborate and well-invested art performances. "I realised how mature and united Olympians Grade 11 had become. When we didn't practice as expected, we are always united, motivated and reassured, so I felt even more emotional and proud to be a part of this program" Tram Anh (Grade 11) said.

 As someone who worked side by side with Grade 11 students throughout the musical "I am in the Middle of Poetry", Ms Tran Phuong Thanh - High School Language Arts Teacher shared: "I feel very proud and happy to accompany the students in this learning project where I saw students’ enthusiasm, solidarity and seriousness for the project.

Not only Olympians but also teachers have learned a lot of things when comprehending more about Gen Z’s thoughts when facing old problems and life stories. Witnessing the whole process of the project, I have more confidence in young people who can understand and preserve the beauty of national culture."

The product showcase on April 22nd has certainly become a proud memory of every Olympian and family, as family members witnessed their children gradually grow up in Olympia. Sharing after the show, many parents expressed their gratitude to the teachers, who not only meticulously built and trained their children, but also stood by Olympians during the whole process of the project.

Congratulations to all of the teachers and students for such a successful project! Let's take a look at some pictures in the proud showcase PART 1- IDENTITY of Grade 10,11 Olympians!

Please remember to catch the next news on PART 2- INTEGRATION with the debut of the impressive English musical from the Olympians Grade 10 International Diploma Program: "Les Misérables"!