Delta Global School (DGS) in Hanoi has granted 27 scholarships to Doan Thi Diem School students who have just completed elementary school and are preparing for middle school. The students will begin with an English course from October 3 before officially starting the DGS program in 2019.
DGS was established in Vietnam under a cooperation agreement between the US-based Riverdale Country School and Doan Thi Diem Secondary School in Hanoi. DGS is a middle school and high school teaching an international curriculum from Grade 6 to Grade 12 under an International Bachelor program. The school’s purpose is to train talent for Vietnam and give wings to talented children to successfully apply to top universities around the world, after which when they can become entrepreneurs or CEOs of large corporations and contribute to society.
The DGS campus is now under construction on the same campus as the Doan Thi Diem Secondary School in Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem district, which will be completed by 2019. DGS’s classrooms are designed by architect Ming Thomsons, who has broad experience in the design of private schools in the US. The average class size is 67 sq m for 20-25 students. All classroom and teaching equipment are in accordance with the standards of Riverdale Country School in New York City. All interior materials are provided by the Hunter Douglas Group and meet international standards.
Mr. Dominic Randolph, Head of Riverdale Country School, said the reason why the school is investing in Vietnam is that Mr. David Sonnenberg, Chairman of the Sunny Mountain Education Support Fund, which invested in Riverdale and DGS, recognized the potential of Vietnamese human resources. Mr. Sonnenberg also wishes to develop education in developing countries so they can approach modern education standards.
Mr. Nguyen Tung, a member of the DGS project in Vietnam, added that the selection process for the scholarships was completely different to other examination programs in Vietnam because Mr. Sonnenberg held one-on-one interviews with students. Each interview was filmed so it could be reviewed by a council in the US.
The scholarships are an opportunity for talented students in Vietnam in general and at Doan Thi Diem in particular to study the curriculum of the Riverdale Country School without having to move abroad.
Ms. Do Huyen Chi, Vice President of Doan Thi Diem Secondary School, said the scholarships bring plentiful opportunities for the school’s students to approach international study programs. “When children have both good education and good skills, they can easily apply to prestigious universities around the world,” she said.
She added that Doan Thi Diem Secondary School always cooperates with global schools to deploy updated curriculum and international programs. The school was established in 2005 and is now one of the most prestigious private schools in Hanoi. It has exchanged programs and cooperated with international schools in the UK, Singapore, Taiwan, and the US for many years.
Parents of students who receive a scholarship believe that this is a great opportunity for their children to improve their English skills and receive an education in a professional environment, which are important foundations for studying abroad.
Graduates of DGS are of the same quality as those graduating from Riverdale Country School and there will be a note on the certificate stating “DGS in Partnership with Riverdale Country School New York, USA.”
Riverdale Country School is a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent school in New York City committed to empowering lifelong learners by developing minds, building character, and creating a community in order to change our world for the good. It is located on two campuses covering more than 110,000 sq m in the Riverdale section of the Bronx in New York. Beginning as a school for boys, Riverdale Country School became fully co-educational in 1972. It currently educates 1,140 students. According to Niche’s 2018 Private School Rankings, Riverdale is ranked the fifth best private high school in New York City and 28th in the US.
