Talent Development Scholarship

I enjoyed sports as a child and have always been a keen participant in different sports activities.  Football and badminton were my childhood favourites.  At the time, fencing was not at all popular in Hong Kong.  I was fortunate to get a taste of the sport during PE when I was at Primary 5.  Fencing is a very exciting sport.  The clashing of blades is something that endlessly fascinates me.  Before I know it, fencing has become an inseparable part of my life over the past decade or so.

Fencing has taught me a lot.  It builds me up physically and psychologically, and drives me to advance my technique and become a better team player, making me a better person overall.  I took part in various local competitions, scoring some wins and suffering some defeats.  Each match was a unique experience.  There were times when I lost a lead due to losing focus, and there were times when I was cheated out of a win because of the referee’s misjudgement.  Nevertheless, I believe that as long as I learn from these experiences, I could seal the win in the next bout.

In addition to being a competing fencer, I have been a part-time fencing coach since graduating from secondary school, hoping to train and pass on my experience to a new generation of athletes and contribute to the promotion of the sport.  Coaching, from a different perspective, promotes my personal growth, too.  Students are like a mirror in the sense that their responses lay bare my inadequacies.  Of course, I am happy to see students stay motivated and engaged, but there are always those who cannot care less.  Coaching the latter is a good opportunity for me to temper my resolve.  Only through constant reflection can I improve my coaching skills.  My biggest motivation as a coach comes from witnessing the growth of my students.  I intend to turn my passion into a career as a full-time fencing coach after graduation, so as to introduce more people to this elite sport.

The scholarship gives me encouragement and recognition, prompting me to devote myself to the sport.  Even though my achievements on the strip are less than spectacular, I hope to contribute to the sport in a different capacity.  Someday, I would like to say in retrospect that not only have my efforts not gone to waste, they have brought me appreciation and support of others.  To all those who have their eyes set firmly on their goals, be fully prepared so that you may seize the opportunities when they come.

I am delighted to be awarded the Talent Development Scholarship (TDS).  I would like to thank everyone who helped me through my secondary school years, especially teachers who had given me support and opportunities to pursue STEM education, thus making all of my achievements possible.

My robotics journey began in Form 2 when I was invited to join the school’s robotic team, a regular in the annual Hong Kong Robotic Olympiad.  Joining the team allowed me to learn a great deal about designing and making functional robots for competitions.  Building robots involves using not only my creativity to give the robots a cool look, but also my knowledge in mathematics to make the laws of physics work for my designs as well as my abilities in assembling and controlling robots.  My teacher taught me a lot of skills to facilitate my learning process.  I got numerous prizes from regional competitions in Hong Kong, and had the opportunities to participate in some international ones.  I was glad to share my robot designing experience with local and foreign students.  These experiences had a profound impact on my STEM learning journey.

I also took part in STEM activities involving science, programming and mathematics.  The quizzes and tests that came with these activities have helped me develop a broader knowledge base.  I have also expanded my horizons by exchanging ideas with others.  The Joint School Science Exhibition (JSSE), a signature event for science students in Hong Kong, challenges students from different schools to produce and showcase their theme-based inventions.  At the 51st JSSE, I, for the first time, presented our inventions to the attending public and judges, who were university professors, with confidence.  We won first runner-up in the end.  In short, I enjoyed participating in these activities because they were fun and they made my secondary school life enjoyable.

Ever since I was a child, I have been studying hard as my family is financially strapped.  With my good grades in STEM-related subjects, I applied for scholarships to help pay for my tuition fee and daily expenses.  I am glad to be awarded the TDS because it goes a long way to help me pursue university studies.  In order to focus on my study at the HKU SPACE Community College, I shelved my interest in robotics after I finished secondary school.  But I look forward to picking it back up once I start university and have more free time.

As an awardee of the TDS, I would encourage students to identify and develop their interests like I did.  Although I spent a lot more time on exploring my interests than on studying, I have no regret doing so because it is easier to develop your talent when you are a student.  As you grow up, study and work would take up more of your time, and erode your passion for learning new things.  In other words, the pursuit of dream and talent is just as important as that of study.

I am a final year associate degree student and hopefully will be an undergraduate soon. I plan to carry on conducting STEM research after obtaining a bachelor’s degree so as to align my interest with studies.  With the prominence of technology in today’s society, STEM has become a more familiar concept among the public.  STEM is no longer just an educational approach but a global movement.  Since every aspect of our lives has been shaped by new technology, I would like to further promote the application of STEM in everyday life.

When I started developing an interest in STEM, I was dissuaded by many from pursuing it as they thought it would affect my studies.  My secondary school life was wonderful, even though I did not get into university right away.  I have made a lot of new friends since then, and I do not regret my past choices.  After all, pursuing your interests will make your life more meaningful.  Don’t let yourself be drowned in regrets when you are older.