Erath Middle School’s Tovy Tran is the Vermilion Parish Middle School Student of the Year. She is joined by Erath Middle Assistant Principal Jackie Devenport and Principal Wendy Stoute (right).
Tovy Tran is joined by family and members of the Vermilion Parish School System after being named Vermilion Parish Middle School Student of the Year.
Erath Middle’s Tovy Tran is Parish Middle School Student of the Year
Erath Middle School student Tovy Tran said she was shocked and excited with winning Parish Middle School Student of the Year. Though she found out sometime in January, she won’t get her award until the end of the year at the award ceremony.
“I’m okay with that because it is an honor in itself to be selected to represent the parish,” Tran said, “but I did get certificates throughout the process at each level”
Her favorite subject? Social Studies. Tran said that Social Studies are critical in our futures, so to learn the history so that it does not repeat itself, it very important, in her opinion.
“Since 5th grade, I have been a 4.0 student, so accomplishing something like this was a very proud moment for my family and me.”
Tran says her parents, who moved to America when she was in the first grade, were very proud of her, “Of course they speak to me in Vietnamese, since that’s where we are from, Vietnam. They like to speak to me in Vietnamese so that I never to forget my roots,” she said.
In her early years, she went to school at Eaton Park. Tran said it took her about a year to learn the English language and that once she entered her second-grade year, she had the language down to a ‘T’.
“Once I knew the language, that is when I began to thrive,” she said.
Tran said that is the baseline of anything, whether it is a language, a goal, a dream, anything.
“As long as you are true to yourself, the process may seem scary, but show them who you really are and how capable you are of getting this far, and actually, that is what I would want to let students know if ever they want to follow in my footsteps,” she said.
Tran said that when she directs her audience or whoever is listening to her speech, she is sure to project her voice and make eye contact. “If you do that, the audience will know you mean business. This could be for a job interview as well, if you want something, let them know that you can get it.”
Other than being a very intelligent and driven young woman, Tran says that in her free time, she enjoys swimming, hanging out with her friends, as well as family time. “Family is really important to me, so yes, I love hanging out with them. And other than focusing on them, I do like to focus on my education because that is very important.”
Not only are her parents proud of what she has accomplished in school, they are also proud of her dreams and goals for the future. Tran plans to attend college and Major in Optometry because she says she wants to help those who cannot see.
“My grandmother is blind, and that inspired me to help others like her, plus I have glasses and contacts. Having a career like that can also support my future family.”
Undoubtedly, Tran has a bright future ahead of her in whatever she decides to do with her life. She said she never really loses focus on anything because once she sets her mind to it, she is determined to finish.
