The Hong Kong Prize for Secondary School StudentsThe Hong Kong Prize for Secondary School Students
The Hong Kong Prize, one of Asia’s premier high school contests, is a platform for students to showcase their academic prowess as well as encourage extracurricular participation. The competition requires participants to fulfil four sections (service, skills, physical recreation and expedition) as well as a residential project for Bronze awards, while Silver awards require an additional residential section and further community engagement.
The winner in each of the three main categories – astronomy, life science and medicine, and mathematical sciences – will receive a cash prize of US$1.2 million plus the chance to speak at an award ceremony. The HKAI also bestows special prizes, which carry a total of about US$100,000, on young scholars with an excellent track record and the potential for great research.
An independent panel of scholars will assess the entries to determine the winning book, manuscript, essay or paper, and journal article. The winning scholar will be invited to give a short speech at one of the Academy’s annual social gatherings, and the book and manuscript will be displayed at the library. The winner will be formally presented by the Chairman of the Selection Committee, Professor Richard Phelps.
In addition to the monetary prize, winners will be given the opportunity to attend an international conference and benefit from exposure to scholars in their field of study. In addition, they are encouraged to join the Academy’s network of alumni and keep in touch with fellow winners through networking events.
Each award category has its own final judging panels, which include senior researchers and experts of high standing, appointed by the HKAI. For example, the astronomy award is chaired by a leading figure in the fields of astronomy and cosmology, while the Life Science and Medicine award is chaired by a senior biomedical scientist and medical researcher.
The HKAI’s symbol, depicted on its logo and the trophy conferred to its winners, juxtaposes a pearl and a pierced jade amulet. It reflects the belief that knowledge should be celebrated and nurtured, just like these precious elements.
Hundreds of secondary school students, teachers and parents turned up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for this year’s Student of the Year awards. Diocesan Girls’ School (DGS) pupil Au Cheuk-yi won the grand prize for her all-round achievements and contributions to society. She said: “I believe that this honour is a recognition of all the hard work I have put in over the past few years.”