Every year, we award $1,000 to five deserving students for their college tuition. This scholarship goes to students who have overcome obstacles to achieve extraordinary results.
Bao was born in Long An, Vietnam, and spent his early childhood exploring the vast culture. He says the best part about growing up there was the traditional Vietnamese food his mom would prepare. These meals provided Bao and his family a sense of home and security.
However, near the end of elementary school, Bao and his mother moved to College Station, Texas. Even though he could only speak broken English, Bao was determined to be successful in school. His ability to break through the language barrier and excel in academics earned him a spot as one of our 2024 Extraordinary Scholarship winners.
What Inspired Bao to Make a Change?
Bao’s battle to communicate fluently in English made him feel self-conscious and isolated from his peers. He limited interactions with his classmates as much as possible to avoid potential criticism and judgment.
Despite these challenges, he decided to make a change. Throughout middle school, Bao was enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. With the help of his ESL teacher, he started practicing every day to improve his speech.
He said, “I motivated myself daily to expand my vocabulary using flashcards with the hope of one day making my mother’s sacrifices worthwhile.”
What was the Outcome?
Giving immense praise to his ESL teacher, Bao tremendously improved his English. He was recommended for Pre-Advanced Placement English classes during his sophomore year of high school.
Continuing to work hard and push towards success, he was later recommended for Advanced Placement English and Literature classes. “Being a part of such an advanced English class was not a privilege granted to me, but a result of my hard work … and perseverance,” said Bao.
He was able to achieve success, which seemed like an impossible feat. Through this success, he has found a new confidence in himself, recognizing that he can achieve anything he sets his mind to.
What’s Next for Bao?
Bao will be attending Texas A&M University this fall and is excited to experience the rich Aggie culture and traditions. He will be studying Food Science and Technology with dreams of one day earning his PhD. Inspired by his childhood meals, his goal is to teach young adults the art of cooking.
Later in life, he plans to work with food companies to help them develop more high-quality, accessible food products while overcoming the food waste crisis. Eventually, he hopes to open his own fine-dining restaurant to bring decadent Vietnamese flavors to Texas.
Aside from his eagerness to study the art of making incredible food and flavors, he looks forward to experiencing college, making new friends, meeting new people, and building connections.
We wish you the best of luck, Bao. Keep chasing your dreams, we know you’ll achieve remarkable results.
Congratulations to our 2024 Extraordinary Scholarship Winners.
Daniel Stark will begin accepting another round of applications beginning early 2025.
If you are interested in applying, visit DanielStark.com.
