Mount St. Joseph Academy is proud to announce that Huy Chu has been named the student of the month for January. Huy is a sophomore from Vietnam, participating in MSJ’s International Student Program. This is his second year attending MSJ.
Huy was selected as student of the month for a variety of reasons. MSJ faculty cited his work ethic and politeness as key factors in his success. He was described as being polite, talented, self-demanding and analytical about his work, as well as exceptionally respectful and helpful to others.
“Huy has been a wonderful addition to the MSJ learning community. He is extremely bright and motivated, and an enjoyable person to spend time with. Huy’s teachers spoke highly of his academic intensity and commitment to excellence. We are very proud that Huy is being recognized - it is certainly well-earned,” Assistant Principal Phil Hall said.
Huy said the atmosphere in Vermont is much different than his experience in Vietnam. Rutland is a much smaller town than his hometown.
“It’s pretty different. It’s a much smaller town here and also the school is smaller - and the cultural differences. The atmosphere is different,” Huy said. “Moving from a big city to such a small town, everything is more calm and quiet.”
He also prefers the cooler Vermont weather to the hot climate of Vietnam and is enjoying his time at MSJ.
“It’s more like a community than a big school. People are really easy to talk to and it's a different experience. Everyone is new and English speaking,” Huy said. “The MSJ curriculum is good and the classes push you to do better. The classes are really small and the teachers can focus on you, and they provide a lot of help.”
Huy competes with the MSJ rock climbing team and is also learning to play the piano.
Huy plans to attend college in the United States after he graduates high school. He is undecided on a major but is leaning toward the engineering or architecture fields. He is now getting an early start on his college search by exploring which colleges may be the best fit.
About the MSJ International and Diversity Program
The Mount St. Joseph Academy Diversity Program seeks to attract diverse students that encompass a wide range of characteristics, including geographic origins, social and economic backgrounds, race and ethnicity, viewpoints, special talents, and personal achievements. The program serves 17 students in the 2018-19 school year, including students from Spain, Haiti, Vietnam, Japan, and New York. In recent years, students from South Korea, China, Honduras, Germany, Norway and Sweden have also participated in the program.