- For SOTY’s 40th anniversary, the focus will be on resilience and overcoming obstacles - essential skills during Covid-19
- The Student of the Year Awards is organised by the South China Morning Post and sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The 2019/2020 Student of the Year Awards grand prize finalists: Dylan Robinson of German Swiss International School; Katrina Liu Tin-nam of Diocesan Girls’ School; and Benjamin Chan of St Joseph’s College.Resilience, overcoming obstacles and pushing through hardships amid the Covid-19 pandemic will be the focus of this year’s Student of the Year awards, which are celebrating their 40th anniversary.
Hundreds of secondary school students are expected to compete for 11 awards in nine categories including science, languages, sports and performing arts, with students expected to demonstrate academic excellence as well as engagement with and contributions to the community.
Face-to-face classes at Hong Kong schools were suspended for most of last year due to the pandemic, with many students still learning online this year. Most schools have only been allowed to bring back one-third of their student population for in-person lessons.
Take a look at the SOTY 2019/20 Linguist winners
Different surveys by NGOs have shown that many students found it harder to concentrate and learn at home, especially underprivileged kids who lacked electronic devices and internet connections.
Advisory board members for the awards, organised by the South China Morning Post and sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said they expected shortlisted students to demonstrate resilience, passion and curiosity.
SOTY 2019/2020 ‘Best Devotion to School’ winners want to change the world - starting with Hong Kong
Gary Liu, the SCMP’s CEO and one of the board members, said he believed resilience was one of the most critical traits that young people should develop, pointing out the ongoing pandemic had presented “new and unforeseen challenges for students and teachers alike”.
Nominations for this year’s awards run until April 30, and shortlisted candidates are expected to be notified by the end of May. An award ceremony is planned to be held in summer. Self-nominations and ones from individuals, schools, NGOs and companies are accepted.
Winners and runners-up will receive scholarships between HK$2,000 and HK$25,000. You can find more information about sign ups and requirements for participating in the awards here.