May 19, 2012

I am just one of many thousands of Ms. Ngoc Quoi’s students at Gia Long HS class 1959 - 1966.  She not only taught us the English language, but with her U.S. earned degree, she motivated us to open our mind to new ideas from abroad such as “aiming high” and “the honor system”.  In addition to teaching English at school, she did her best to educate her students about the Catholic religion and how to live a Christian life.  In 1965, she established the Gia Long HS Catholic Students Association.  Thanks to her, the association provided many students (Catholic or non-Catholic) like me with opportunities in leadership, in caring for those less fortunate than ourselves, and volunteering with orphanages.  She opened opportunities for students to travel to many of Vietnam’s famous resorts in Da Lat,  Vung Tau and to visit the Da Lat Military Academy.  She knew that these travels and summer camps were considered luxurious, seemingly unaffordable and inaccessible to the majority of students. She made these travel arrangements much more affordable and accessible with her connections to churches, convents, and military officials.

On behalf of the Gia Long HS Catholic  Student Association  and students of the Gia Long HS, we are grateful to Ms. Ngoc Quoi for her talent, her dedication to her chosen profession and for implanting our young minds with ideas from abroad.  We are grateful for her knowledge to empower us with women’s rights, for teaching us to live unselfishly, and for taking us to places we would never see without her. Throughout her life, she has made a long lasting positive impact on young girls’ lives.

Very grateful,

Phuoc T. Tran
GiaLong HS class 1959-1966