2022-2023

The Art of Tea: A Journey into Chinese Culture In the afternoon of June 19, 2023, teachers of Shung Tak gathered in the School Hall for a workshop on the art of tea. Hosted by Tea Together (藝茶薈), an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the traditions of Chinese tea culture, the workshop promised to be an informative and relaxing experience. Ms. Chong Sin Hang Jamie, the instructor of Tea Together, first introduced the history and significance of tea in Chinese culture. She explained that tea had been an integral part of Chinese life for thousands of years, and that the preparation and serving of tea was considered an art form in its own right. Through her engaging presentation, teachers gained a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of tea. Next, Ms. Chong and her team demonstrated proper techniques for brewing tea. She showed the participants how to select the right tea leaves, measure them, and steep them in hot water. She also explained the importance of water temperature and brewing time in achieving the perfect cup of tea. After the demonstration, teachers had the opportunity to try brewing tea. Under Ms. Chong and other tutors’ guidance, teachers carefully lifted the plate of tea leaves, placed them in the cup and poured the hot water over them. As they waited for the tea to steep, Ms. Chong taught them about the proper etiquette for serving and enjoying tea. She explained the importance of using the right teaware, and how to hold and sip the tea in a respectful and appreciative manner. As the participants sipped their tea and enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere, they discussed the various flavors and aromas of the different teas they had tried. They also exchanged stories and insights about Chinese culture, creating a sense of community and connection among the group. In conclusion, the workshop on the art of tea was a wonderful experience for all involved. The participants gained a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and traditions, and had the opportunity to try their hand at a time-honored art form. By the end of the workshop, they had not only learned about tea, but had also formed new connections and friendships. The workshop was a testament to the power of tea to bring people together and to help us appreciate the beauty and richness of the world around us.

English Public Speaking Workshop 4M Marcus Kong, Yoshi Law On 30th May, a group of S4 students made our way to HKBIU CIE to attend an entertaining and informative public speaking training programme. The aim was to hone our public speaking skills so we could be more effective communicators. What did we expect When we first heard of this training programme, we were expecting a very serious lecture with strict teachers. Turns out, we were completely wrong. This programme was not at all what we expected it to be. The Lecture The workshop was separated into 2 parts. For the first 35 minutes, we listened to a professor on the skills of presentation and becoming a better public speaker. The tip of the 3 C’s stands out in our mind — that of connection, confidence, and clarity. We need to make our presence known through establishing a connection with the audience. Having confidence and being clear come with the right mindset and skillset and these would give you the power to delivering an impactful speech. A good first impression, a confident entrance with good posture and a smile goes a long way. Remember it only takes 7 seconds for people to form an impression of you. Public speaking is not just about spoken words. In fact, it’s way more than that. Public speaking also involves our body language and tone. This made us realize that during public speaking, we need to care about a lot of things like our appearance, the control over our voice, and even how to give a great first impression to attract people to listen to what we say. The workshop shared fun facts about public speaking and important life skills, in an entertaining and simple way. We got to practice our English-speaking skills in a light-hearted way. Putting what we learnt into practice The second part of this programme was the practice session, which lasted 30 minutes. We went to a smaller classroom with students from other schools along with another professor who mainly taught us about the importance of ‘pause’ and ‘stress’. As we practised together as we read a script, we got to really put what we had just learned into action. Also, a fun session for us. Our Impression A great learning experience. We took away with us many useful skills for public speaking and we also experienced what it was like to be a student of a university. Definitely an entertaining and informative experience. An afternoon well spent.

As the end of the academic year rolls to an end, what better way to end than with a cooking competition bringing together the four houses of St. Patrick, St. Peter, St. James, and St John? The culinary arts are a great way to showcase each house’s cooking and teamwork skills and the 29th May is when we had that treat of seeing the houses come together. The competition involved teams of four members from each house working together to cook a main dish (Southeast Asian) and a Chinese style dessert using only locally sourced ingredients. The teams had an hour and a half to prepare their meal and dessert, with judges from the school’s faculty including the Principal and five other teachers assessing each dish based on presentation, taste, and creativity. The teams worked collaboratively to ensure that their dish was prepared on time and to the highest standard. The competition offered a great opportunity for students to showcase their teamwork and culinary skills, as well as enhance their language and presentation skills as they had to introduce their dishes and desserts to the adjudicating team. Truly a yummy way to end the year!

By Haidee Lai On the 10th and 11th May 2023, my participation in a two-day glass painting workshop organised by the Catholic Society in the Prayer Room at lunchtime, was an eye-opening activity and one that I am so glad that I decided to be part of. During the workshop, we first were given a glass pane. Then we were asked to choose a pattern to draw on it. We had to draw the outline of our chosen pattern with a black paint outliner. It required a lot of patience because we needed to be very exact as we drew the outline. It had to be perfectly precise. That is not all —- we also needed to leave it to dry overnight. Another 12 hours of waiting. The next day, it was dry and we were ready to move on to the next step. We picked the colours of paint we wanted and with those colours we had to fill in the outline. As I was spreading the paint around, I had to use a toothpick to pop bubbles in the paint and my hands got so sticky! But that was also the fun part of the workshop. The music that we listened to as we worked also added to the wonderful ambience of the workshop. This was a meaningful activity as I learnt something new and I could make a glass painting for my mom as a Mother’s Day gift, a reason why the workshop was organised which is to give us a task from the heart and a way to also remember our Blessed Mother, Mother Mary. Making stained glass would certainly be one of the memories to be treasured from my secondary school life. The look on my mom’s face when I gave her my creation from the heart makes it even more memorable.

By 4L Raymond Liu On 4th May 2023, the marching band of our school was in the spotlight as we were given the chance to be participants of the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square. The ceremony was a significant event marking the 104th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement. Band members arrived early in the morning, dressed in their crisp uniforms with instruments in hand. There was a strong sense of pride, patriotism and excitement as they awaited their showtime. The Ceremony began with a parade with the band playing a rousing rendition of ‘Ode to the Motherland’. which echoed throughout the square. The students’ performance was flawless, and their dedication and hard work were evident in every note they played. The Ceremony and being representatives have given us all a great sense of pride as we showed our love of country and school. We will cherish the memories of this day for years to come as it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Lessons of patriotism, hard work, and dedication were what band members returned to our school with. We have all a renewed sense of pride and a deeper appreciation for our country and its rich history.