Hanoi, September 5, 2026 – Joining schools nationwide in welcoming the new academic year, Wellspring Hanoi Bilingual International School held its Opening Ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year, officially entering its 16th year and continuing its 15-year journey of building and developing a bilingual international education environment in Hanoi.

The Opening Ceremony was held both in person and online, connecting with the nationwide Opening Ceremony organized under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), while also featuring ceremonies unique to Wellspring’s identity.

This combination reflects one of the School’s consistent educational directions: Developing bilingual international education while remaining connected to the broader landscape of Vietnamese education; expanding students’ global competencies while nurturing their cultural identity and sense of responsibility to the community.

Growing Together with Vietnamese Education

At Wellspring, the spirit of “Togetherness makes Happiness” extends beyond the relationships among the School, students, and families. It is also rooted in the broader educational journey of Vietnam and the world.

From the 80th Anniversary of Vietnam’s Education Sector and the Opening Ceremony of the 2025-2026 academic year to the Opening Ceremony of the 2026-2027 academic year, this spirit of togetherness has continued to be reflected in the way Wellspring teachers and students join the nationwide Opening Ceremony organized by MOET. 

Together with more than 26 million teachers, students across the country, the Wellspring community shared the moment of welcoming a new school year and listened to messages from the General Secretary, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Minister of MOET.

At Wellspring Hanoi, the Opening Ceremony took place across multiple spaces. Grade 1 students and newly enrolled students attended the ceremony in person at school, while students from other grades joined remotely from their classrooms. At the same time, Wellspring Saigon and Wellspring Saigon South, two campuses within the Wellspring Bilingual International School System, also came together to share moments from the first day of the new school year.

Technology did not replace the school experience; instead, it expanded the possibilities for connection. Geographical distances were bridged, allowing learning communities across different locations to be present together in one shared moment.

For Wellspring Hanoi, this also reflects the School’s approach to technology in education: Not merely as a learning tool, but as a means of expanding the educational space, strengthening connections among people, and bringing the School closer to the wider community.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Vinh Son, Vice President of the Board Wellspring International Bilingual Schools, shared his perspective on togetherness in education and the ultimate goal of every student’s journey: Happiness.

He noted that teachers and families hope their children will learn many things, but beyond knowledge, they hope children will learn how to think and make their own choices. They hope their children will achieve good results, but beyond achievements, they hope they will understand who they are and recognize their own value.

“Above all, we hope our children will be happy. But happiness does not mean that they must always be cheerful or that adults should clear every difficulty from their path. Happiness goes deeper than that. It is knowing that even on difficult days, when they have not succeeded or feel that they are not good enough, they still have a place to return to, people who are willing to listen, and a community that will not leave them behind. Perhaps that is the deepest meaning of togetherness,” Dr. Son shared.

On the same morning, from schools in urban areas to mountainous regions, border areas, and islands, a new academic year began across the country. For Wellspring Hanoi, this shared moment reaffirmed an important point: an international bilingual school remains an integral part of Vietnam’s educational journey, sharing the responsibility of preparing young people for the future.

A Bilingual International School Rooted in Vietnamese Identity

Following the nationwide program, the Opening Ceremony at Wellspring Hanoi continued with ceremonial activities that reflect the School’s distinctive identity, including the Procession of the Vietnamese National Flag and the Wellspring Flag.

While the Vietnamese national flag represents the pride and responsibility of every citizen, the Wellspring flag represents the values shared and embraced by the School community.

Together, the two flags symbolize Wellspring’s commitment to nurturing generations of students who are deeply rooted in their Vietnamese identity while being ready to step into the wider world.

The flag procession was followed by the Torch Procession and Passing of the Flame, a signature Wellspring tradition. Passed from one generation to the next, the flame symbolizes a spirit of learning, the aspiration to grow, and the School’s core values of C-A-R-E: Curiosity, Advocacy, Resilience, and Empathy.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong, a representative of the Wellspring Hanoi parent community, expressed his hopes for his child to gain more than knowledge and academic results, but to learn in an environment where they can explore themselves, ask questions with curiosity, and receive answers with genuine care.

“What I believe in and entrust to Wellspring today is this: Wellspring understands that the essence of education does not lie in textbooks or blackboards, but in people and in the way we stay close to one another as one big family,” Mr. Gia Phong shared.

Following the passing of the flame, the ceremonial drums rang out to officially open the 2026-2027 academic year.

A common thread ran throughout the ceremony: From the nation to the school; from identity to global integration; from the shared values of a community to the qualities of each individual; and from generations who have grown to a new generation taking its first steps.

When “Togetherness” Begins with an Act of Sharing

The spirit of community was also translated into action from the very first days of the new academic year.

Across all three school levels, Wellspring teachers and students took part in a book donation initiative as part of the Spring In My Hands Fund. More than 2,000 books donated by teachers, students were collected, organized, and displayed before being passed on to new readers in the coming academic year.

Each book given away carries more than knowledge. It also offers students an opportunity to practice sharing and to understand that responsibility toward the community can begin with simple, everyday acts: a book they have already read, something they have, and the choice to give it to someone else.

From joining the entire nation in welcoming the start of a new academic year, to the flag procession, the passing of the flame, and the sharing of books, the activities of the Opening Ceremony came together around one common value: Education is not only about preparing students to step into the world, but also about helping them understand who they are, where they belong, and what value they can create for the communities they are part of.

This is also how Wellspring brings the spirit of “Togetherness Makes Happiness” to life: Not simply by being present together, but by sharing values, passing on a sense of responsibility, and building a community where every student can grow with confidence and forge their own path.

From Wellspring Hanoi to Wellspring Saigon and Wellspring Saigon South, one education system across three campuses, Wellspring is gradually expanding a connected bilingual international education community from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

Throughout this journey, Wellspring remains committed to a consistent educational direction: grounding students in Vietnamese identity and values, expanding their capacity for global integration, and creating learning environments where every student can develop their own character, values, and pathway as they step into the world.