For more than two decades, the Vietnam Australia International School (VAS) has not only been a place where generations of young global citizens are shaped through knowledge and skill, but also where compassion, integrity, and social responsibility are nurtured as essential values for the future.
In an age shaped by rapid technological advancement, global competition, and an overwhelming flow of information, innovation has become the hallmark of progress. Yet, not all innovation brings positive change. Recognizing this, VAS has chosen a different path — one that fuses innovation with kindness. Its message for the 2025–2026 academic year captures this ethos: “Be the VAS Changeneration – Innovating with Kindness.”
At VAS, kindness is more than a moral ideal. It is a compass that guides young leaders to make the right choices in an increasingly complex world — to question not only what they can do, but what they should do. It encourages students to pursue not merely efficiency, but righteousness; not just novelty, but meaningful creation. When kindness serves as the foundation of innovation, every action becomes a reflection of both intellect and empathy.
Cultivating kindness across generations
Throughout its 21-year journey, VAS has cultivated an educational culture where creativity and compassion go hand in hand. Its students — affectionately called VASers — are continuously inspired to create, contribute, and act for the good of the community, driven by warm hearts and a strong sense of responsibility.
That spirit has flourished through numerous meaningful programs, such as VAS Talk, a series of talks on sustainable development; VAS Community, where student-led projects drive positive change; and 3Rs (Reduce – Reuse – Recycle), which promotes waste reduction and environmental innovation.
In the 2024–2025 school year alone, VAS students across six campuses launched 36 community projects spanning diverse areas — from education and environment to social care — with a combined contribution of nearly VND2 billion. Each project reflects the creativity and determination of students who not only conceive ideas but also take ownership of execution, from production and fundraising to delivery and impact.
Student-led projects that touch lives
Among the hundreds of initiatives that have taken root at VAS, some stand out for their enduring impact and heartfelt vision.
The Vietnam Australia Bridge 2 project in Kien Giang Province, built by students from VAS Ba Thang Hai Campus, and the Vietnam Australia – Sala Bridge 2 in Hau Giang Province, led by VAS Sala Campus students, have helped local residents and schoolchildren cross rivers safely, especially during the rainy season.
At the same time, a group of young innovators developed Lebin, an AI-powered smart trash bin capable of automatically sorting waste — a creative step toward smarter, greener living.
Projects like HP91 – Wings of Dreams extended support to orphans and children affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, while The Gardeners raised funds by planting and selling vegetables and organizing charity concerts and art exhibitions using natural materials.
One particularly touching initiative, Touch Colors, Painting Dreams, designed “sound and tactile color kits” to help visually impaired children experience colors through texture and sound — a moving example of how empathy can inspire invention.
Other ongoing efforts such as Em!Project, Wellclean, and Journeys of Kindness bring students directly into communities — visiting orphanages, assisting children in remote areas, cleaning public spaces, and building connections through compassion.
From school projects to life lessons
Over the years, VASers have launched more than 300 community projects, impacting thousands of families and disadvantaged children nationwide. These efforts go beyond charity — they are powerful lessons in empathy, responsibility, and shared humanity.
Students learn to identify real-world issues, propose creative solutions, and take meaningful action — all while discovering that kindness itself can be a form of leadership. Many projects have been sustained and improved across multiple school years, evolving with new generations of students who carry the same flame of compassion forward.
The VAS community — teachers, students, and parents alike — takes pride not only in the tangible outcomes of these projects, but in the values they instill. Through consistent practice and reflection, kindness becomes a habit, a mindset, and ultimately, a legacy.
Building a generation that leads with heart
As education increasingly emphasizes innovation, technology, and achievement, VAS reminds its students that the truest innovation lies in doing good. The school encourages them to see creativity as a tool to build a better world — to question, to empathize, and to act responsibly.
This philosophy of “innovating with kindness” nurtures a generation of changemakers who lead not only with intelligence but with conscience. They are future scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders who understand that progress without compassion is incomplete.
In its 21st year, VAS continues to reaffirm its founding belief: that education is not merely about acquiring knowledge, but about cultivating the heart. It is about empowering each student to become an agent of positive change — one act of kindness at a time.
