Sunny Sun Wat-ching embraced her role as Chairperson of the Student Association (SA) at NT Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School with enthusiasm. Known as a proactive and outstanding contributor to her campus, the role gave her a sense of purpose.
“Part of the SA’s responsibilities is to convey students’ suggestions and opinions to the school management,” Sunny explained. “Principal Yuen and our teachers are always eager to listen and support us. They aim to unlock students’ potential and foster a holistic learning experience for all.”
The 17-year-old’s deep commitment to her school has shone through in her efforts to build a vibrant campus community, driven by both initiative and gratitude for the unwavering support from school leadership.
Sunny was recognised in the Best Devotion to School category of the 2024/25 Student of the Year Awards, organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
One of the most memorable projects under her leadership was the teacher-student basketball match. Sunny recalled the electric atmosphere vividly.
“Students and teachers packed the verandas, cheering loudly for their teams,” she said. “Even the principal joined the fun. It was such a special moment.”
Her leadership extended beyond student governance. She has balanced ceremonial discipline with a strong sense of identity as Commander of the School Flag.
“Raising the national flag is a solemn ceremony that demands dignity, respect, precision and teamwork,” she shared. “We’ve built team spirit through rigorous foot drills and practices. Our school even holds inter-class flag-raising contests to further enhance students’ sense of national identity.”
Outside the school gates, Sunny made her mark in the annual Inter-Government Secondary Schools English Debating Competition Championship. The student led her team to victory in 2024 and 2025.
Sunny said she valued debate for its demand for sharp thinking and close collaboration.
One particularly challenging moment came when her team had to oppose the motion, “Schools should have subjects dedicated to students’ emotional well-being.”
“This was tough,” she admitted. “Many schools already offer such subjects, and I personally believe in their importance. It was difficult to argue the opposite convincingly.”
But the experience proved to be transformative.
“We learned to examine issues from multiple angles,” Sunny reflected. “Even if we did not truly agree with the stance at first glance, we collaborated closely, thought critically and used creativity to build a valid, persuasive argument under intense time pressure.”
Sunny’s compassion has led her to explore social issues beyond the classroom.
She and her classmates earned first runner-up in the PolyU Igniting Social Innovation Competition 2024 hosted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Their project involved field research and interviews with residents of subdivided units in Sham Shui Po, supported by PolyU and social workers.
“It was more than a competition,” she said. “We wanted our solution to genuinely help. It showed us that young people can use imagination to design practical solutions for those in need.”
The Form Six student was also quick to credit her teachers: “We’re grateful for their guidance. They gave us valuable feedback on our slides and helped refine our presentation.”
