Among her achievements is third prize in the national painting contest “Colors of Vietnam’s Olympic - 50 Years of Pride and Aspiration”. She was also awarded at three other national-level competitions, building confidence and strengthening her determination to pursue art.
Thiên An began competing nationally in March, when she won a consolation prize in the “Initiatives for safe and efficient water use” painting contest, organized by the Department of Water Resources Management under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in collaboration with UNICEF Vietnam.
Two months later, she received another consolation prize in the “Uncle Hồ with Children - Children with Uncle Hồ” national painting contest, organized by the Central Team Council in collaboration with the Young Pioneers and Children’s Newspaper.
Her strongest result came in the Olympic-themed competition. After nearly four months, organizers received 2,572 entries from primary and secondary school students nationwide.
Thiên An was the only student from Gia Lai to have two paintings selected for the final round, eventually winning third prize.
The Young Pioneers team of Nguyen Van Troi Primary School also received a collective award for submitting the largest number of entries.
For the Olympic contest, Thiên An painted athletes competing in shooting, athletics, swimming, martial arts and football.
The composition also featured an Olympic torch, trophy and medals, while children in red shirts with yellow stars cheered the competitors.
She used oil pastels and spent nearly a week completing the work, dividing the painting into sections and repeatedly revising details she was not satisfied with.
She blended different colors to create what she described as a lively and festive sporting atmosphere.
“I drew it section by section, fixing any parts I wasn’t happy with. I wanted the painting to be full of colors and to convey a joyful sporting spirit”, Thiên An said.
She continued her winning streak at the “We Are Young Pioneers” contest, which attracted around 6,000 entries nationwide, receiving the “Creative Young Pioneer” award.
Her entry portrayed the “Grandparents Tell Us Stories” activity of Team 2/4, depicting young pioneers visiting and giving gifts to war veterans while listening to their stories about the struggle for independence and freedom.
“After receiving the theme, I came up with ideas and completed the piece. I found the story very meaningful”, Thiên An said.
The four national awards have become important milestones for the young student, giving her additional motivation to develop her artistic skills.
“Receiving these awards has made me even more passionate about painting. I will try my best to improve and participate in more competitions”, she said.
Family and teachers nurture her artistic talent
Thiên An’s passion for painting has been encouraged by her family. Her mother, Bùi Thị Kim Nhi, said her daughter often spends long periods drawing and sometimes gets up as early as 5:30 a.m. to work on her paintings.
The family initially enrolled Thiên An’s younger brother in art classes. After seeing her strong interest in painting, Nhi decided to enroll Thiên An in 2025.
“At first, I let An’s younger brother take art classes. Seeing her interest, I decided to enroll her in 2025. Doing what she loves has made her more confident and motivated to learn,” Nhi said.
The family has also received support from teachers, who recognized Thiên An’s talent and encouraged her parents to provide opportunities for her to further develop her skills.
Lê Thị Trà, an art teacher at Nguyen Van Troi Primary School, said the school works with its Young Pioneers team and homeroom teachers to organize competitions in individual classes. The activities encourage students to express their ideas confidently while developing observation, visual thinking and creativity.
Students at the school have recently taken part in painting competitions covering topics including water conservation, school violence prevention, “Uncle Hồ with Children – Children with Uncle Hồ,” “We Are Young Pioneers,” and “Colors of Vietnam’s Olympic – 50 Years of Pride and Aspiration.”
The results have provided further encouragement for students to develop their artistic abilities and creativity.
Principal Bùi Thị Phương Hoa said Thiên An had demonstrated an aptitude for art from an early age and was diligent and active in extracurricular and experiential activities.
The school regularly recognizes her achievements at flag-raising ceremonies, class meetings and special occasions, while giving her small gifts to encourage her studies and creativity.
Inspired by Thiên An’s achievements, the school is continuing efforts to identify and support students with artistic talent. It has established an art club and maintains regular activities for students.
One of the club’s first extracurricular activities in September will be a mural-painting project at the newly renovated stairwell in Area A.
