Artistic talent helps AVHS student break barriers Posted 5/25/01 by Brett Andersen Staff Writer Excellence is achieved with talent, dedication, support and perseverance. Vu Tran, Apple Valley High Schoolís Visual Arts Student of the Year, persevered a language barrier, a Hong Kong detention camp and a week aboard a rickety boat fleeing Vietnam with his family and 121 other refugees on his journey toward artistic excellence. Tran recently dedicated a wall mural in AVHS chronicling the 20th century in American history in a ceremony attended by Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland, Superintendent John Haro, AVHS principal Steve Degenaar and vice principal Steven Wells, among others. The mural depicts scientifically, socially and culturally important events and figures of the past century. Icons such as Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jordan and Bart Simpson share space in the mural. According to Vu, he got the idea during the Y2K craze. He said perhaps art can help teach history if something happened to computers. When Tran approached school officials with the idea, according to Degenaar, they replied they were open to anything, but wanted to see a plan prior to committing. The next day, Tran presented an overview of his plan. When the administration saw the commitment from Tran, they spoke to Roger G. McGaughey, AVHS visual arts coordinator, and decided to proceed. Tran spent numerous days during the summer and Saturdays and Sundays during the school year on top of after-school hours, all totaling 267 hours, creating the visual history. One thing to keep in mind is that Tran only tracked his painting hours. He carried a stack of history books and enlisted the counsel of AVHS history instructors researching which figures to include. "We could easily double (the number of hours)," said McGaughey about Tranís intensive research. In the high schoolís 25th year, Tran delivered a historic present to his ìsecond home.î "Unless that part of the building is demolished or remodeled," said Degenaar, "that will be there for a long, long time." The journey In 1991 Tranís parents decided to escape Vietnam attempting to find a better life for Vu and his brother. They spent seven days on the China Sea in a rickety boat with 125 people, including the Trans. The family landed in a refugee camp on an island off of Hong Kong. Vu said the camp held approximately 5,000 refugees, one television and no radios. High fences topped with razor wire contained the camp and watch towers were manned with snipers given orders to shoot anyone trying to escape. There was no room for personal items and the Trans entered camp owning only what they wore. At 7 a.m. guards would unlock the barracks and refugees would leave their cramped, wooden bunks for a breakfast of bread and milk. Food was cooked in large vats with "everything thrown in" and each day they received a bowl. Tran stated there were three different types of meals served over their three years in the camp. Since the camp harbored refugees from North and South Vietnam, tensions rose from political differences intensified with frustrations and resulted in a fight every day. In 1992, a large conflict killed 21 people in Tranís camp. Children were allowed to attend schools taught by other refugees. But Tran said learning was minimal, with teachers allowing too much free time. "They did not even teach," said Tran. "They just want to get the money." But missionaries from around the world would deliver books and paper on which to draw. Tran soon began creating art and at the age of 12 sold a painting to the Hong Kong press for the equivalent of 50 U.S. dollars. One Australian gave Tran a journal. Tran wrote in it from March to August 1993. "Iím glad I keep this book," said Tran. His journal contains experiences that he canít remember from that age and time. One experience in the book that Tran canít remember is witnessing an altercation between the North and South that resulted in somebody being stabbed to death. In the process of coming to America, the Trans needed a sponsor. Vuís aunt, who lived in Apple Valley, agreed to sponsor the family. In 1993 the family failed the first screening process, but passed an appeals process known as "mandate." In 1994 they landed in Apple Valley. Refugees who fail both processes and are unable to proceed to a new country and are returned to Vietnam with the equivalent of $360. Average yearly wages in Vietnam are about $200. Those returning are not met with open arms, according to Tran. "Now I realize freedom is very important," said Tran. The student McGaughey said Tran was perhaps the most popular student in the class of 2001. "Everybody knows Vu Tran." But he wasnít always Mr. Popularity. In 1994, Tran entered sixth grade at Valley Middle School. He didnít fit in with classmates due to his clothes, shoes and ó most importantly ó his language. A very limited knowledge of English isolated him during much of his first semester. Tran said he cried nearly every day because no one would sit by him during lunch periods. And during this time he visited the counselor almost daily as well. But eventually he broke the ice and discovered that through art he could communicate. "I had to show off my talent," said Tran. "That was only reason I can gain friend and to know people and they recognize me." Tran has come a long way since being the awkward outcast. He was named Mr. Picasso, a student-nominated and selected artistic award, in the yearbook. His art forms have been selected for inclusion in the St. Paul "Best 100," the "Art Attack" exhibit, the 5th congressional art exhibit, the University of Wisconsin Gallery 101 Art Exhibit and several others. Tran was also selected as one of 100 national finalists in the 2000-01 Imation Computer Arts scholarship competition. McGaughey said Tran is like a sponge, observing and learning from others. In the fall, Tran plans to attend the Minneapolis College of Art and Design to study computer animation. Ultimately, he hopes to work with Disney. A long-term goal of Tranís is to return to Vietnam and teach the lessons he has learned in America. McGaughey demonstrates unwavering faith in Vu Tran. "Anything he wants to do and be, he can. I think the doors are wide open now." ©Thisweek Newspapers