The Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a time for reunion but also for sharing. Under the full moon of the eighth lunar month, when city streets sparkle with lanterns and the rhythmic sounds of lion and dragon dances fill the air, there are also quiet journeys carrying love across long distances to reach disadvantaged children in remote areas.
For many years, Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School (Ha Noi) has organised the “Bright Moon at Luong School” festival, spreading warmth, care, and encouragement to schools facing hardship in Na Ngao (Tuyen Quang Province); Hu Tru Linh (Lao Cai Province); and Hang Kia A and Bac Phong Schools in Phu Tho Province.
Sharing the joy of Mid-Autumn has become a unique cultural tradition in the school’s educational journey. This year, nearly 50 million VND was raised through the auction of paintings created by students themselves, under the theme “A Loving Mid-Autumn Festival.”
The innocent strokes of students carried messages of joy, dreams, and compassion from Ha Noi students to their peers in the highlands, who have yet to enjoy a full Mid-Autumn celebration.
Alongside the funds raised, teachers and students of Luong The Vinh School also hand-made nearly 500 traditional mooncakes to gift to schools in remote areas—places where children still lack adequate learning conditions, and where Mid-Autumn is sometimes only a story passed down by adults.
In addition, 50 scholarships were directly awarded to disadvantaged students at Hang Kia A Primary and Secondary School (Pa Co, Phu Tho), encouraging them to continue their education despite difficult circumstances.
The school also took part in the “A Wish for Children” programme at Bac Phong Primary and Secondary School (Phu Tho), offering books, learning supplies, gifts, and heartfelt encouragement to resilient students who strive to overcome hardship to study and grow.
Vice Principal of Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School Van Thuy Duong shared emotionally: “Mid-Autumn comes every year, but what moves me most is seeing our students learning to think of others. Though still young, they do not stop at enjoying their own joy, but choose to send that joy far away, to children who may never experience a full moon festival. Every mooncake, drawing, letter, and card in the celebration carries the warmth of kindness. I believe that when children know how to share and to love, that is when educational messages spread most effectively.”
Touched by her students’ reflections on caring for children in remote areas, she added: “We always remind our students: learn to grow, live to share. It is no coincidence that the school has nurtured this spirit for so many years. To be truly grown, one needs not only knowledge and skills, but also a heart that resonates with the hardships of others. The Mid-Autumn gifts that students and parents send out today are the light of knowledge, love, and faith, showing us all that anyone can make life warmer and more compassionate.”
The Mid-Autumn gifts sent today by our students and parents are truly the light of knowledge, love, and faith, reminding us all that anyone can help make life warmer and more compassionate.”
Van Thuy Duong - Vice Principal of Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School
In a festive space awash with vibrant colours and the sweet fragrance of jasmine-infused sugar and glutinous rice, the little hands of students worked with skill and dedication, shaping each mooncake with care. Each mooncake held the eager anticipation and quiet pride of Ha Noi students, as they offered their humble share to a faraway festival beneath the full moon.
When the gift boxes were sealed, many children slipped inside handwritten letters and greeting cards bearing the heartfelt message: “Though far apart, the moon always shines.” The celebration was made warmer still by the wholehearted participation of teachers and parents.
The festive space was enriched by the joint efforts of parents and teachers.
As night fell, trucks loaded with parcels of love departed from Ha Noi, travelling hundreds of kilometres along winding mountain roads. The mooncakes, carefully wrapped in boxes marked “Sending the Moon with Love” and accompanied by handwritten notes, carried not only sweetness, but also affection.
At every stop, everyone was moved to witness the wide-eyed gazes and innocent smiles of highland students as they received the gifts. Some carefully tucked the mooncakes into their pockets to bring home as presents for their parents and siblings. These simple gifts became a source of encouragement, nurturing the children’s love for school, their aspirations in learning, and their belief that, far away, there are always people who care for them.
What is most precious is that these programmes are not spontaneous activities, but have been maintained for many years, becoming a tradition of the school named after the great scholar Luong The Vinh. Each year, students from both Yen Hoa and Thanh Liet campuses join in contributing, baking mooncakes, writing letters, drawing pictures, and preparing gifts. Accompanying them are parents, alumni, and charitable organisations.
Through such activities, many children have learned to love and care for their peers in the simplest ways: choosing not to ask for new toys, but instead wishing to donate money to help children in the highlands; spending their time and effort making toys and mooncakes as gifts.
Alongside gift-giving and scholarships, Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School also organises online exchanges with schools in remote areas, helping to connect students in the capital with those in other regions. These exchanges open a space for them to converse, share dreams, and enjoy poetry readings, singing, and dancing together.
Though separated by distance and living conditions, the children’s hearts draw remarkably close through these exchanges. From this bridge of love, the school continues to develop meaningful initiatives, including welcoming highland students to Ha Noi during summer holidays and traditional festivals, to play, experience, and interact in the school environment and with host families. Teachers believe that in these very moments, the seeds of compassion truly sprout in students’ hearts.
By linking the Mid-Autumn Festival with charitable journeys, the school has offered students lessons in solidarity and compassion—among the most cherished values of the Vietnamese people.
From such deeply meaningful programmes, confidence grows in the vision of a young generation that is kind-hearted and willing to live for others. This is the journey of holistic education, where knowledge goes hand in hand with ethics. It helps students cultivate not only intellect, but also the spirit of maturity through love and sharing with the community.
