Create Your Own Story in WSCSS
A coincidence
Before I got into Wong Shiu Chi (WSC), I did not expect I would be joining this school at all, as there were only 4 quotas for students who did not study in Tai Po. I was competing for one of these rare places. I felt so lucky to get the offer and be assigned to WSC.
Whether a school is good or not can be demonstrated by the connection between the graduates and the school. It has been 4 years since my graduation from WSC, yet I still find it interesting and exciting every time when I come back to this familiar place. The old faces here, the students' laughs and the smell of the classrooms have all provoked my memories of WSC.
Meeting supportive teachers
One thing that I really appreciate about WSC is the hardworking teachers who are passionate about their job as educators. I still remember Miss Yuen, my Chinese teacher for form 3 and form 4. She set up a “Chinese Culture Enrichment” class after school, aiming at providing more diversified insights into Chinese culture to the students. The class content included Peking operas, dramas and classical Chinese articles. Through this successful class we had opportunities to explore areas that were not in the textbook. In addition, Miss Yuen’s effort inspired my interest in Chinese and made reading one of my most enjoyable leisure activities.
I would also like to express my gratitude to Miss Ngai, my Geography teacher during senior form. Through the elective selection process in form 3, I struggled to choose between Geography and other electives, as I was told that the DSE Geography exam could be difficult. In the end, I decided to follow my heart and interest, going for Geography. Fortunately, Miss Ngai is a conscientious and patient teacher, willing to explain the complicated concepts repeatedly to us and mark our extremely long and clumsy essays and provide constructive comments. She also recommended that I participated in an enrichment programme, in which I met a lot of people from other schools and had the opportunity to learn more about social science. Not only did she care about our academic performance, she also encouraged us to widen our exposure in other fields.
Fun days in WSC
Besides studying, WSC offers students many different options for extra-curricular activities. I was one of the members of the drama club, which created a lot of special and memorable experiences for me during my time at WSC. For example, I had to put on a dress in one of the shows which was about gender issue and stereotype. Sometimes we had to stay at school until 11:00 p.m. for rehearsals in the few days before the performance. It was tough yet interesting, as everyone was working so hard and was dedicated to the show. There are sometimes limited chances to experience working as a team in secondary school life because there is an absence of projects or team tasks in the curriculum. Therefore, the experience of staging a production in drama club was quite precious, as it made me realise how satisfying it is when you finish a huge project with your teammates. I received not just the audience’s applause but also the strong bond between the club members.
Apart from interest groups, there is a wide variety of volunteering programmes and I took part in two during my secondary school career. The first one was a service programme in which participants were asked to take care of people with intellectual disabilities. We visited a special school in Tai Po and played games with the students there. It was a big challenge as we needed to design games that were safe and suitable and figure out how to interact with the students. The second one was an education programme which targeted teaching primary school students how to get along with blind people in society. This one was a more complicated project because we had to set up everything ourselves, including the proposal, the financial budget and the communication work. I learnt a lot from this programme. As an organiser, there was a lot to consider when holding the activities. We had to come up with practical ideas, prepare for safety issues and emergencies and deal with numerous administrative tasks. These volunteering programs have taught me that it is no easy task to organize an event. Now, when I participate in any programmes, like o-camp or some charity events, I feel more thankful to the helpers and staff who have devoted a lot of time and effort to ensure the success of the events.
My favourite activity in WSC was definitely the leadership camp. It was held at a campsite outside Tai Po by several professional trainers. There were a lot of games and tasks requiring team spirit and confidence. For instance, we had to hike a trail at night and jump into the sea from a 3 metre high pier. The final and also the most challenging activity was that all the participants had to climb over a high wall. The people on the top of the wall had to pull the climbers to the top while the people on the ground had to anchor the climbers and support them if they fell. I felt intimidated when I heard the rules but things worked out in the end with everyone’s support and the courage to give it a shot. This affected me a lot subsequently, as I am now more willing to accept challenges and try out different possibilities in my career.
A simple yet exciting school life
WSC has always encouraged us to step out of our comfort zones and widen our exposure, not just by words. Some of my classmates went on an exchange trip to New Zealand; some volunteered in mainland China, and some enrolled in the university summer programmes for advanced study. I am glad that I was exposed to so many opportunities during my time at secondary school, instead of solely immersing myself in books and DSE exams. After all that was the only period that we are allowed to explore and have fun without the concerns of reality. All the experiences I acquired in WSC have shaped me into a more well-rounded person.
I guess the most attractive characteristics of WSC would be the simplicity. People here are friendly and get along with each other even though they are from different classes. The learning environment is harmonious and supportive. Students are allowed to develop their strengths and explore different interest in a safe environment. The simple life in WSC is what I treasured the most. This is also the reason that I enjoy visiting here since my graduation. This is not just a place that I stayed temporarily in my life but a place that stores my delightful memories and more lighthearted moments.
I was quite surprised when I visited WSC again this year as there have been quite a lot of changes: a new fish tank with plants growing on top, a rock-climbing wall and a School History Gallery. Teachers now use iPads to teach in class and do the roll call. It is so warming to observe these improvements and see how WSC has continued to become a more interesting learning place over the years.
