Concordia International School Hanoi is committed to a learning experience based on critical inquiry, rigorous research, and authenticity—empowering students to be producers rather than consumers of knowledge.

Two Concordia student historians, Hyo Lynn (Concordia ’24 - University of Pennsylvania) and Wynn (G12), presented their recent scholarship at the National History Day Finals, held at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland (USA) this past June as part of the 50th anniversary of National History Day (NHD) - a proud first showing for Vietnam’s first-ever NHD delegation.

NHD is a yearly international competition that challenges middle and high school students to examine history through the lens of an annual theme. Last year’s theme was “Turning Points,” which inspired Hyo Lynn to publish a research paper on the significance of changes to the Korean art gallery world in the late 20th century, while Wynn created a website to illustrate society’s changing attitudes towards porcelain dentures, illegal body snatching, and transhumanism following the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Their final products won in the Research Paper category (Hyo Lynn) and placed in the Individual Website category (Wynn) in the “Rest of the World” category hosted by Singapore American School in February. Their work beat out student historians from around the world, including top international schools in Turkey, Finland, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Canada.

The Bolt asked both students about their experience:

Hyo Lynn

How did Concordia prepare and inspire you for this paper?
“My National History Day (NHD) paper was written as part of Concordia's higher-level humanities course, Independent Social Science Research (ISSR). After Mr. Creek outlined the research methodologies and framework, we selected our own topics—ranging from linguistics to civil rights—and developed papers with his guidance. I investigated Chun Kyung Ja’s Beautiful Woman forgery controversy and its effect on Korean art appraisal practices.

“I think ISSR succeeded because of the strong mutual trust between teachers and students. Mr. Sanders and Mr. Creek respected my intellectual curiosity, and I felt confident in their advice to venture into a lesser-known topic. As a result, many judges remarked how interesting they found my paper.”

What did you learn?
“That my love for the humanities lies in their resistance to definitive answers! Throughout my research, I was intrigued by how conflicting views of stakeholders such as artists, museums, and politicians have perpetuated the forgery controversy. Seeing multiple projects on the same historical topic at the DC conference reinforced this. With annotated bibliographies, I also learned to take information with purpose rather than consuming it as given.”

How will it help you in university and your career?
“While Concordia offers rigorous and structured Advanced Placement (AP) programs, I believe flexible and self-directed classes like ISSR are equally important. The class goes beyond lectures for knowledge acquisition; it focuses on life-long skills development, such as critical thinking, information literacy, and time management.

“As I build on this NHD paper, I will be taking (at the University of Pennsylvania) a first-year writing seminar called Art and Crime. It covers topics like looting, forgery, and art theft—which aligns perfectly with my interests! I spoke with the instructor about my research, and she mentioned exploring the Beautiful Woman controversy and incorporating it into the seminar. I also plan to research at the undergraduate level. As such, my experience taking ISSR will prepare me for Penn. Research will be integral to my prospective job at galleries, too. Whether I study artist biographies, artistic movements, or market trends, I will have the skills I need. ISSR is one of the most formative parts of my academic experience.”

Wynn

How did Concordia prepare and inspire you for your NHD website?
“Though much of my research was independent, my achievement in reaching the NHD podium was undeniably the result of the collective efforts of all my humanities teachers. Their seminar-style debates with me on my work not only prepared me but also inspired the creation of my NHD website.”

What did you learn from your NHD journey?
“My NHD journey taught me that history is more than just facts about the past; it's a rhetorical and Bayesian tool we can use to better understand this paradoxical world.”

How will it help you in university and your career?
“As a senior planning to pursue neuroscience and philosophy, I believe that NHD, and history itself, will fuel my inquisitive nature and guide me toward the truth I’ve always sought.”
 

Mr. Andrew Creek’s Independent Social Sciences Research course provided the framework and feedback to support both students’ success. The collaboration between teacher and student creates a profound sense of accomplishment for all involved. Mr. Creek mentioned, “Seeing Hyo Lynn and Wynn excel at the National History Day competition has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me as an educator.” Noting our students’ success on an international stage, Mr. Creek added that their “growth in their understanding of comprehensive research and their achievements in the NHD competition are a true testament to the value of project-based and inquiry-based learning.”

Outside of the competition, Concordia students, chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, were able to interact with history lovers from around the world on the University of Maryland campus and explore Washington, DC. Highlights included a question-and-answer session with Ken Burns, famed documentarian of “The Civil War” and other films. On the steps of the Capitol, Wynn and Hyo Lynn also had the rare honor of speaking with two US senators, Senator Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) and Senator Cory Booker (NJ). Exploring DC’s extensive museums, the Georgetown University campus, and the National Mall’s many famous monuments made this a trip of a lifetime.

Thank you to Concordia History teacher and NHD trip chaperone Mr. Sanders for contributing to this article

Learn more about Concordia’s high school program.