Wong Swee Kee, a 16-year-old girl's diocese school student, vividly remembers her experience volunteering with intellectually challenged children through the Best Buddies Hong Kong programme, which she described as an “emotional journey”.
“When I first spoke to one of the children, he barely answered. But by the end of the term, we were able to communicate effortlessly, which was incredibly rewarding.
It was more than just a weekly commitment. It has been a year-long journey of growth and understanding. Sui-ki explained her approach to preparing teaching materials:
“A week before each session, we would brainstorm and design games. “At first it was a challenge, but it became a fun process,” she said, highlighting the positive impact these interactions had on her and the children.
SOTY 22/23: The Visual Artist category winner is a self-taught creator who uses art to understand the world
Sui-ki's commitment to social issues extends beyond her work with children. She also played a pivotal role in establishing Benevolence Hong Kong, an online platform dedicated to supporting breast cancer patients. Explaining the motivation behind this initiative, Swee Kee said: “My family has faced the challenges of cancer, and we wanted to focus specifically on breast cancer, which is an important issue for women’s health.” Through “Benevolence Hong Kong,” Sui-ki and her peers aim to draw attention to this crucial issue, especially within her school community.
Meanwhile, Sui Ke's achievements in the Chinese High School Essay Competition underscore her literary prowess. “The competition included writing and impromptu speeches. I wrote about my journey in table tennis, which symbolizes the pursuit of dreams – a shared experience for many. Her speech in the final round, which was delivered without any prepared text, touched on societal issues and the importance of understanding and addressing the concerns of young people.
Sui-ki wrote about her table tennis journey in her award-winning article. Image: Shutterstock
She put in a lot of effort to become proficient in Putonghua: “At home, I speak Putonghua with my mother, but for the competition, I needed to improve my level.” Sui Ke read poetry and other essays aloud in Putonghua to improve her fluency. Her essay, which won the Literary Star Award, touched on the experience of achieving her dreams amidst life's challenges, and resonated deeply with the jury and readers.
Sui-ki is the linguist (Putonghua) winner of this year's Student of the Year (SOTY) award. The competition is organized by the South China Morning Post and exclusively sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The 2024 nomination period is open until April 14.
Looking to the future, Sui Ke has a clear vision and hopes to become a teacher, saying: “I want to explore different cultures and languages and introduce traditional Chinese culture to a global audience.”
