Friday, 30 October 20264J Nicholas Lau
On 10 October, I had the privilege of attending the Award Presentation Ceremony for the Campaign on “Promoting Positive Value and Attitudes through English Sayings of Wisdom” 2025/26, organised by the Curriculum Development Institute of the Education Bureau (EDB). The event was doubly special as it also marked the official kick-off of the 2026/27 Campaign, where we were introduced to the Scheme’s adorable mascot, Sowy!
Before sharing my own reflection, I would like to warmly congratulate my schoolmate, Jenifer Lam from 6L! She also attended the ceremony and received a Commendable Award in the Senior Secondary division for the “SOW Your Discovery” Multimodal Composition Contest. Seeing her hard work recognised was truly wonderful.
Originally, I expected to simply attend as a contestant receiving a Commendable Award for the Animal Photopoetry Creative Challenge. However, back in September, I received the unexpected news that I had been selected as one of the student emcees for the ceremony. On top of that, I was given the opportunity to serve as a student representative to welcome Dr Sze Chun-Fai, Jeff, Under Secretary for Education, and introduce my work to him. While I was deeply grateful for the trust placed in me, I was also quite nervous about taking on such an important responsibility.
To be honest, I felt anxious when I first learned about the role, as I had never helped out in an event of this scale before. During our Zoom rehearsals, I was in awe of the other student emcees. They spoke so fluently and confidently, with natural intonation and clear pronunciation. Rather than letting my insecurity get the better of me, I tried my best to learn from them—observing how they used subtle hand gestures and kept a smooth, natural rhythm. It made me realise how much I can learn through inter-school exchanges like this.
Beyond the public speaking tips, the most meaningful lesson I took away was learning to be kinder to myself. In the week leading up to the ceremony, self-doubt kept creeping in, making me worry that I would stumble over my words or make mistakes while talking to Dr Sze. But thanks to steady practice and support, the event went much more smoothly than I had feared. My conversation with Dr Sze felt natural, and I managed to deliver my emcee lines comfortably.
While I know I still have a lot to learn, this experience taught me that it is important to believe in my own potential rather than let fear hold me back. I am deeply thankful to the Education Bureau and my teachers for giving me this chance. Stepping out of my comfort zone was certainly daunting, but it turned out to be an unforgettable experience that I will always treasure.
