Celebrating stellar achievements by Hong Kong’s outstanding secondary students
The award honours students for academic excellence, community service and innovative projects in various fields – more than 160 schools contributed 473 award submissions
Hong Kong’s reputation as a city of high-achieving students continues to be well deserved, with the results of the 2023/24 Hong Kong Outstanding Students Award released in a ceremony held earlier this year, on January 11.
Organised by the Youth Arch Foundation and supported by the Lion & Globe Education Trust, the Hong Kong Outstanding Students Award was established in 1985. To date, it has celebrated the academic prowess, involvement in extracurricular activities, and achievements in community service and morality-focused endeavours of more than 1,300 students. Nearly four decades on from its inception, the award remains one of the city’s most prestigious accolades for secondary school-aged students.
Yan-lung Wong, former secretary for justice for Hong Kong who now serves as the chairperson for the award’s assessment panel, was the evening’s guest of honour, with William Chan, chairperson of the awarding body’s steering committee, co-presenting the awards.
Wong highlighted how a student’s empathy accounted for one third of the selection criteria, with awardees often making outstanding contributions to community service, in particular to support the elderly as well as children with special educational needs. The other selection criteria were based on competitiveness, a demonstration of long-term care, and willingness to continue giving back to the community.
This year, more than 160 schools contributed 473 award submissions. Students underwent a lengthy selection process, which included written tests and an overnight assessment camp. Finalists also took part in a sharing session and a final round of interviews. Ten winners were then chosen by a judging body drawn from various professional backgrounds.
One of this year’s winners, Cherry Au Cheuk-yi, was awarded for developing a learning platform for the musical arts. Au used artificial intelligence to carefully study the• posture of a beginner cellist to provide tailored advice and support to improve the efficacy of their learning.
Au wasn’t the only awardee honoured for their contributions to the world of music. Jun Hung Kwan-kei was celebrated as a youth scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and the First Initiative Foundation. Hung spent his time offering free piano lessons to children from underprivileged backgrounds, hoping to inspire creativity through music.
Three students received awards for their commitment to ensuring a sustainable future. Chinny Kwok Yu-chin designed a recycling robot that used automated features to tackle Hong Kong’s growing problem as recycling rates continue to fall short of waste reduction goals.