132 new Bosconians enter the society with full energy

By Br. Thien Phong, SDB

Dong Thuan, Vietnam -- On June 10, the Dong Thuan Private Vocational Training Center (Director Fr. Thomas Vu Kim Long), was held the closing ceremony of the school year 2016 – 2017 and graduation ceremony of 132 students. Among the guests was also Mr. Duong Ngoc Tan, Deputy Director of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, some representatives of enterprises and parents of our students.

The closing ceremony was held in a warm, solemn and emotional atmosphere of the 12th graders because they were about to leave their beloved school. The musical performance was magnificent with the concert held by our students with a great variety of musical instruments, well performed Vietnamese dances and the special greetings of the two brass bands: Don Bosco Duc Huy and Don Bosco Donh Thuan. This is a major achievement, since our VTC was able to train for the first time within one year 100 students with different music instruments! After the performance was the welcoming speech given by the VTC Director and the study result report given by the Head of the Training Department, Fr. Peter Nguyen Viet Quang Minh.

Then is the speech of Mr. Duong Ngoc Tan, Deputy Head of Government Religious Affairs. In his speech, he said: "Among vocational training of all religions, Catholic vocational training is asserting its place in the country and abroad. Among them, the Don Bosco VTC is leading in the vocational training field of our country with many vocational training centers nationwide.

He also noted the efforts to step up and step by step transformation of our VTC: "With the results achieved in the 2016-2017 school year, I would like to congratulate the Government Board on Religious Affairs for the achievements the school has made over the past few years," he said. I congratulate the students who have completed the school year, for their recognition and recognition of these results. This is a witness to their hard work and enthusiasm, dedication and creativity of the teacher team, especially Rev. Fr Vu Kim Long - Director of the center."

Then he stressed the social aspect: "I also expect the local authorities, civil organizations, families and the society would continue to care for vocational training and create better conditions, laws and guidelines for the VTC. With this law provisions religious organizations would be helped to set up vocational training centers and improve the quality of social protection and vocational training of the youth."

At the end of his speech, he added: "Today I attended the closing ceremony of this school year. I found that the Dong Thuan Vocational Training Center is developing very well. Especially the connection between the Salesian Congregation and the school, with the local society is growing very well. We hope that this relationship will grow more and more."

In the past school year, Dong Thuan Vocational Training Center also successfully organized smoking de-addiction campaign of 45 trainees. On this occasion, Mr. Duong Ngoc Tan on behalf of the Government Department of Religious Affairs presented special gifts to these students as a recognition of their efforts to excite themselves and encourage them to continue on their journey.

The Closing Ceremony was held well with the speeches, awards, and interludes. Before the end of the whole ceremony, Bui Thi Xuan Toan, the representative of all VTC students, thanked the Director, the Honorable guests, their teachers, parents, and fellow students. Also, he encouraged his friend graduates: "Dear 12th class friends, so after months of staying under the roof of the school, it's time to say goodbye. Stepping out of this gate, each one of us will start our own new paths. No matter what, we will always be friends. Each step of our journey, each look, smile, hours of fun together, learn together, the joyful days of our student days! Please, keep beautiful memories about each other, familiar classrooms, rocky benches, corridors, school grounds, conch shade trees, familiar faces of teachers and friends. We will remember each other, remember the memories named Don Bosco Dong Thuan."

At 11 AM, the Director of the Center declared the 2016-2017 school year ended and thanked the guests, parents and teachers. He had a few words to instruct our students about fruitful summer vacation as we use to do in our Salesian tradition.

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