This Christmas, Shung Tak Catholic English College transformed its campus into a vibrant hub of cheer, hosting a series of fundraising events that brought the spirit of the season to life. Continuing its nearly three decades of unwavering support for Operation Santa Claus (OSC), the school, its parents, and student leaders took the annual fundraiser to new heights.
A variety of fundraising events were held in the lead-up to the school’s highly anticipated OSC day on December 15 to ignite the spirit of giving and compassion among students.
The festivities began with voting stations where students could cast their votes for songs to replace the school bell, provided that the fundraising target of HK$75,000 was met. To participate, students made a minimum donation of HK$5 for a ballot. Passionate voters could nominate a song with a donation of HK$50.
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Meanwhile, students and the Parent-Teacher Association collaborated on stalls offering food, souvenirs, and games. These stalls allowed students to contribute by purchasing items or playing games, with all proceeds donated to OSC.
The event’s success was thanks to the dedicated efforts of the school’s OSC Organising Committee. Led by student leaders, this committed team brainstormed innovative ideas, meticulously planned every detail, and organised a diverse range of engaging OSC activities.
Yody Chan, joint-head of the OSC Organising Committee, said, “We were in charge of creating the floor plan and assisting the students in setting up, so we had to be familiar with our campus settings and consider different factors when arranging the stalls.”
The students poured their hearts into the event, going above and beyond to ensure that every aspect was perfect. Their dedication was evident as they infused creativity and humour into making a promotional video, which garnered around 1,000 views on Instagram.
Graham Manchester, the school’s English panel head, expressed deep gratitude for the parents’ unwavering dedication, stating, “We are grateful for the enthusiastic involvement of our parents, who also played a crucial role in supporting our OSC drive. They not only set up food booths for teachers and students to enjoy, but also made direct donations and contributed through online platforms.”
On the highly anticipated OSC main event day, students could make a difference while embracing their personal style with a casual dress day, where they could donate HK$20 to wear whatever they wanted.
Operation Santa Claus: Teaching Hong Kong children how to give back to those in need
Since 1988, Operation Santa Claus has raised HK$369 million to support the Hong Kong community through 338 charitable projects. This year, OSC is funding 15 charitable projects of worthy causes.
Each year, the college focuses on shedding light on one of the selected OSC charity projects to raise awareness for their cause. This year, Shung Tak Catholic English College chose Hub Children and Youth Centre Limited as the highlighted beneficiary, whose main objective is to help children living in poverty.
Reflecting on their experiences, the students emphasised the power of OSC. Crystal Poon, OSC Organising Committee joint-head, said, “As Shungtakians, we are fortunate to have the chance to study in an English environment, though many children in underprivileged families do not. I understand that with greater ability and opportunity comes greater responsibility.”
For more information on this year’s beneficiaries, please click here.
