Young Cambodian medal winners at the International Junior Science Olympiad in Indonesia. From Left to Right: Huoy Channaren (bronze), Dy Kuchsa (gold), Hun Vanasola (bronze), Mom Charya (silver), Ty Sovisal (silver), and Say Buntha (bronze, not appeared here). (Photo: RFA)By Phatry Derek Pan
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15 / 10, May 19 - June 1, 2006
Don't tell wiz-kid Dy Kuchsa that Cambodia's young scholars aren't ready for international competition.
The 16-year-old Phnom Penh resident has just returned from the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) in Indonesia with Cambodia's lone gold medal - its first at the prestigious annual event.
"My family is poor. My country is poor. But never underestimate the ability of our people, especially the students," Dy told the Post at his parents' one-bedroom home near the Tuol Slen Genocide Museum.
The IJSO featured grueling competition between 200 of the brainiest students from 36 countries including England, Russia, Thailand and Taiwan. Two separate committees evaluated each student's knowledge in the fields of physics, biology and chemistry through three rounds of testing.
The exhausting three-day examination featured a rigorous three-hour multiple-choice test, a writing analysis and a laboratory experiment on water absorption performed before a live audience. Dy scored a total of 79.75 points out of 100 possible and received one of only 20 gold medals awarded.
Fame has followed. Since winning the prestigious prize, Dy has been interviewed by Phnom Penh radio stations, featured in newspapers and has made several appearances on TV.
According to postings on the most-visited Khmer web site, Khmer Connection, dozens of Cambodians have stepped forward to praise the efforts of Dy and the other local students who competed in IJSO. Some overseas Cambodians are talking about establishing a foundation to support gifted students in their pursuit of education in Cambodia and abroad.
"Undoubtedly, we are proud of Dy's and the others' accomplishment at IJSO," said Puthearorth Kov, 24, a graduate student at the University of Washington's College of Education in Seattle. "Though early in the stage of dialogue, some of my colleagues have started brainstorming ideas on what to do next. Ideally, we want to foster their educational needs, even if that means bringing them to study in the US or elsewhere."
Though his family is overjoyed with Dy's achievements, and the prospect of support from overseas, Dy's father still lectures him about maintaining a strict studying regime.
"I do this to all my five kids, not just Kuchsa," said Dy San Thlang, 50. "Every day, I limit their television habits. They usually study for three to four hours after school, then read English, French and Khmer literature and do their homework. In their free time, I urge them to spend it wisely and productively."
Dy is now cramming hard for Cambodia's annual National Science Competition for incoming high school seniors.
"I am in the tenth grade, so I have over a year and a half to prepare myself for the competition - I can't stop now," Dy said.
"If I had the opportunity to study abroad, I would select Japan out of all the countries in the world simply because the country is so technologically advanced. When I grow up, I want to be an engineer."
The 16-year-old Phnom Penh resident has just returned from the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) in Indonesia with Cambodia's lone gold medal - its first at the prestigious annual event.
"My family is poor. My country is poor. But never underestimate the ability of our people, especially the students," Dy told the Post at his parents' one-bedroom home near the Tuol Slen Genocide Museum.
The IJSO featured grueling competition between 200 of the brainiest students from 36 countries including England, Russia, Thailand and Taiwan. Two separate committees evaluated each student's knowledge in the fields of physics, biology and chemistry through three rounds of testing.
The exhausting three-day examination featured a rigorous three-hour multiple-choice test, a writing analysis and a laboratory experiment on water absorption performed before a live audience. Dy scored a total of 79.75 points out of 100 possible and received one of only 20 gold medals awarded.
Fame has followed. Since winning the prestigious prize, Dy has been interviewed by Phnom Penh radio stations, featured in newspapers and has made several appearances on TV.
According to postings on the most-visited Khmer web site, Khmer Connection, dozens of Cambodians have stepped forward to praise the efforts of Dy and the other local students who competed in IJSO. Some overseas Cambodians are talking about establishing a foundation to support gifted students in their pursuit of education in Cambodia and abroad.
"Undoubtedly, we are proud of Dy's and the others' accomplishment at IJSO," said Puthearorth Kov, 24, a graduate student at the University of Washington's College of Education in Seattle. "Though early in the stage of dialogue, some of my colleagues have started brainstorming ideas on what to do next. Ideally, we want to foster their educational needs, even if that means bringing them to study in the US or elsewhere."
Though his family is overjoyed with Dy's achievements, and the prospect of support from overseas, Dy's father still lectures him about maintaining a strict studying regime.
"I do this to all my five kids, not just Kuchsa," said Dy San Thlang, 50. "Every day, I limit their television habits. They usually study for three to four hours after school, then read English, French and Khmer literature and do their homework. In their free time, I urge them to spend it wisely and productively."
Dy is now cramming hard for Cambodia's annual National Science Competition for incoming high school seniors.
"I am in the tenth grade, so I have over a year and a half to prepare myself for the competition - I can't stop now," Dy said.
"If I had the opportunity to study abroad, I would select Japan out of all the countries in the world simply because the country is so technologically advanced. When I grow up, I want to be an engineer."
4 comments:
Impressive achievement. It is important to note that Dy Kucha the gold medalist from Cambodia has a well-discipline regiment at home: 4 hours of studying after school, reading, and completing the homework. The result is evidently impressive. Even though his average score is roughly 80%, but it is considered the best rank in the international competition.
It is interesting to note also that he prefer to love Japan because that country "is so technologically advanced." It seems that every Cambodian just finds Japan and Japanese impressive in general. Hahaha. I just hope that the Cambodians will learn that in reality, the Japanese think that they are not Asians, but Whites instead. Hahaha. Like the Chinese, the Japanese can be the most racist people on this planet earth.
The Thai claimed that they smarter than Cambodian people and look what happened! Shame on the Thai for eating their own word.
Thai is a cruel people like Khmer Rouge or Viet Cong. They killed Khmer refugees without mercy. They treat us as a subhuman people. They think their government is superior and they're smart people because they never have any war in their country. Now look at the southern of Thailand. The muslim revolts against them to teach them how it feels to have a war. People have brain, so they're not smarter than us. We, Cambodian, are smart too. Remember their culture and language originated from Khmer kingdom or Khmer empire whose lands stretch up to Burma and central Vietnam. Go to look at the old map in Huntington library in southern California if you don't believe me. One day we need to claim it back especially Prey Nokor. Khmer people, don't call Saigon or Ho Chi Minh city. call Prey nokor. Because VC has changed all Cambodia provinces and capitol into their language and they even have a map also. If you want to know what Khmer provinces in vietnam called, go to www.khmerkrom.org. There's a list of 22 provinces and two islands that VC took. We need to support Khmer krom to fight for the land back. Don't count Hun sen or Sihanouk.
Bravo and Chei Yo Kmer roum samky komchat youn.
Go Dyyyyyyyyyyyyy Congrats to your achievement and effort. You are the role model that other students around the world should emulate. Knowledge is power and it is so sweet when you have a chance to show it off and get a recognition for it. Thanks for representing Cambodia. You are only 16 years old and already you are on the right track. Keep on doing a good job so that one day you can benefit Cambodia and the world. Out of its people, Cambodia will regain her majesty. As former LORDS and QUEENS of SouthEast Asia, we must let the people around us know that we are still here as the phoenixes that continue to rise from the ashes. The Cambodians are blessed with glorious genes. We are the descendants of the ambitious imaginative people of the world. It is in our blood, we just need to work hard at believing in ourselves and regrowing our potentials days in and days out until our eventualities are realized. Our arrogant predatory neighbors can brag all they want, but it is the gold medal granted to Cambodia that is sweetly remembered in history.
Second International Junior Science Olympiad Released Results
Gold Medal Winners
Cambodia: Dy Kushsa 81.85%
Vietnam: -------- ---------
Thailand: -------- ---------
Laos: n/a n/a
http://www.ijso-smp.org/default.php?mainfile=19
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