Top 10: What is an unusual place that you would like to visit on a school trip?

Thomas Yu Tsun-yeung, 17, Law Ting Pong Secondary School: It would definitely be the school principal’s home. As the school head has a lot of experience with life, this would be a great opportunity for him to share his stories. We would be able to listen to what he has to say while sipping fruit juice. Not only will this draw us closer, but we can also learn something from him. It would be like going to a museum. I believe he would have some great tips to share with us.

Kala Lee Ka-nam, 12, Pope Paul VI College: Iceland. Firstly, the country boasts many geological wonders such as volcanoes, waterfalls, glaciers, and hot springs. You can also see animals in their natural environment – humpback whales, flocks of puffins and seals relaxing by the shore. At night, if you are lucky, you may even see the aurora – a spectacular, colourful display of lights in the sky. During the trip, teachers could talk about global warming. If we cannot stop it, all the beautiful scenery will disappear from our planet forever. We should cherish the Earth’s resources.

Top 10: What is the one thing that teenagers do better than adults?

Chloe Kung Lok-yan, 15, Carmel Bunnan Tong Memorial Secondary School: I would love to enter the world of Mario Kart, a video game series where players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. If we could all go there, it would be great fun because we could reduce our stress by playing with our classmates. You may think it is dangerous for us to enter the virtual world. No, we will not get hurt because there are NPCs (non-player characters) to protect us.

Howie Chang Chor-ho, 13, Kwok Tak Seng Catholic Secondary School: I would like to visit another secondary school. It would be good to know how other secondary students learn and the differences between their school and ours. It’s also a good opportunity to appreciate our own school.

Maggie Chen Yik-ki, 16, Christian Alliance SC Chan Memorial College: I would simply like to explore our own school. It is where we study every day and is our “second home”, but the campus is so large there are some places we haven’t been to. During this “trip”, we could organise different activities, for example, an escape room, hide-and-seek and haunted room. In addition, it would be fantastic to set up camp at our school playground and spend the night stargazing and chatting with my friends, like Harry Potter does at Hogwarts. I am over the moon just thinking about it!

Jodie Roberta Rocha, 15, St Paul’s Convent School: I would love to visit the battlefields of the first world war. You may ask, why visit such places that were once full of dead bodies and blood? I studied history in school, and I am horrified by the deadly consequences of human conflict. “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” former British prime minister Winston Churchill said. Therefore, visiting battlefields during a school trip will give us a better understanding of war and why we should never let it happen. I feel very grateful to be living in a peaceful environment because I cannot imagine the feeling of helplessness in the face of death.

Top 10: What is your favourite hidden spot in Hong Kong?

Claire Tam, 10, St Rose of Lima’s School: I hope schools can organise trips that help students learn about different living environments in Hong Kong. For example, I want to explore places where homeless people seek shelter. Then, I would be able to gain first-hand experience about their difficulties and the helplessness and loneliness they have to deal with on a daily basis. Most importantly, school trips can make the homeless feel better because they’ll know there are people who care about them. It will be a valuable learning experience when I become an adult.

Max Huang Lin-shuo, 14, Pui Kiu College: I would like to visit a hospital. Hospitals offer a unique environment which shows how fragile life can be. Visiting a hospital can be an educational as well as eye-opening experience for students. It can help them appreciate their own good health and encourage them to value their lives more. Witnessing the dedication of healthcare workers can also be truly inspiring and allow students to see the importance of compassion in the medical profession.

Teresa Lui Ching-yi, 15, CNEC Christian College: The notorious Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, where some 90,000 prisoners died of starvation and sickness. It was liberated by the US army in 1945, and was turned into a national memorial a few years later. I think visiting historical sites is the best way to learn about our past. Reading textbooks alone won’t help. This is why I would like to visit this concentration camp.

Zuniga Crissianica, 13, Ho Yu College and Primary School (Sponsored by Sik Sik Yuen): I would like to visit the Mariana Trench – one of the most dangerous places on the planet. I want to see what the deepest part of the ocean looks like. Even though I may drown, I still want to see the beautiful ocean scenery.