Just last week, we were grateful to have supported Mercury - the reigning National Champions - alongside NYTRA Racing at the Tran Quoc Toan Workshop. For Vielox, this was a unique and enriching opportunity to set aside team affiliations, and devote ourselves to a greater purpose: germinating a lifelong passion for STEM within the younger generation.

Upon arrival, the students were ushered into the DT rooms where they were briefly introduced to the aims and structure of the workshop. What felt daunting yet invaluable was that the entire session took place in Vietnamese - a language that felt familiar yet distant in practice. Coming from an international school, we were taught to be ‘global citizens’; yet this often comes at the expense of our own cultural identities.

Thus, one of our team’s guiding cornerstones is to reclaim our heritage and integrate seamlessly into all aspects of our team identity. By plunging ourselves outside of our comfort zone and practising our own mother tongue in the workshop, we were able to take a small yet meaningful step towards this goal, moving closer to reconciling with the culture we pride ourselves on representing.

However, despite the initial obstacles faced, our members were greeted with enthusiasm from the Tran Quoc Toan students as they were ready to immerse themselves in the construction of their miniature cars.  Each team had listened keenly to our suggestions, and pitched their meticulous design choices. Not only did this enable them to understand the concepts behind the physics of crafting an aerodynamic car, but also the strategies behind establishing a strong brand identity.

Looking back on the experience, the most rewarding aspect of the workshop was knowing that we were able to influence the next generation, and create an environment for them to ignite their own innovation. Not only this, the workshop offered us a rare insight into Vietnam’s best, allowing us to witness Mercury’s relentless ethos of self-improvement and resilience. It truly propelled us to question how Vielox might emulate such persistence and rigour within our own operations.

Ultimately, the event unveiled a holistic understanding of STEM Racing and what the competition truly entailed; we were reminded that success cannot be defined through accolades alone, but rather through the impact we leave upon our broader community. After all, to nurture a culture of creativity and curiosity is to shape a future where STEM and the pursuit of progress are inclusive for all.