School Year Commencement Message

Date: 04/09/2024

Good morning, teachers and students,

 

It is a blessing to have you all coming back to school for a new academic year after the summer vacation. I’m glad to share the joyous news with you that our S.6 graduates performed very well and obtained excellent results in the 2024 HKDSE examination. The average subject pass rate was 99.9% and Level 4 or above average rate was more than 80%. Nearly 95% of them obtained a degree offer given by the local universities through JUPAS. You may also know that our former S.6B student, Jenny Iu, obtained 5** in 6 subjects and became one of the top scorers in Hong Kong this year. All their success was a result of their commitment, perseverance and discipline. All these tell us that you can also achieve your goals if you actively engage yourself in your learning, follow the guidance of your teachers and try hard. They can make it. I am sure that you can also make it.

 

Today, I would also like to kickstart the school year with our yearly goal-setting practice, “My Pledge to Act.” As with the previous years, the theme centres on “Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic,” and the sub-theme remains “Think from Others’ Perspectives, Foster Harmony and Be Respectful.”

 

Reflecting on the recent 2024 Paris Olympics, we can find incredible inspiration in the stories of athletes who embody these values. Let’s begin by exploring the idea of being grateful and treasuring what we have. Hong Kong’s own Cheung Ka Long, who won the men’s foil gold medal again, reminds us of the importance of gratitude. For him, success is never an excuse for vanity. Instead, he attributed his success to the efforts of those who came before him. As he humbly put it, his gold medal “proved that the tree we are harvesting today was planted by the previous generation” and he believes that his success was “the collective effort of every generation working hard.” His words teach us to appreciate and give thanks for what we have in life.

 

Transitioning to the importance of staying positive and optimistic, we can also learn from Ms. Vivian Kong Man Wai, who is known as the “Smiling Swordswoman.” Her victory this year is the living proof of the power of optimism. Despite her serious knee injury over the years, she stayed positive and soldiered on. She smiled through the challenges, saying that “overcoming injuries is [her] strength.” After battling her way back to the top and achieving her Olympic dream in Paris, she demonstrated that with optimism, setbacks can be transformed into comebacks. As she once said, “Both good and bad things are a kind of gift.” Her story encourages us to think positively in the face of adversity.

 

In addition to Mr. Cheung and Miss Kong, there are many other remarkable Hong Kong athletes who worked hard in preparing for the Olympic Games. They teach us valuable lessons. As we embark on this new academic year, let us embrace these qualities in our daily lives. Be grateful for the opportunities and support you receive. Stay positive when faced with challenges, and always strive to see from others' perspectives, fostering an atmosphere of harmony and respect.

 

The education theme in 2024-2025 is “Pursuing a purposeful life: Responsibility, Perseverance & Respect for Others”. I hope you would try hard and support one another to work through the difficulties ahead.

 

Lastly, I would like to introduce the new teachers to you. They are English teachers Mr. Yu, NET teacher Mr. Gates, Chinese teacher Miss Li, Mathematics teacher Miss Wong, Chemistry teacher Miss So, Chinese History teacher Mr. Lui, THS and BAFS teacher Miss Yiu, and Economics teacher Mr. Tsang. With these new forces and your cooperation, I am sure that you will have a fruitful year ahead of you.

 

Thank you.