A student from Ying Wa College who won the grand prize at the Student of the Year Awards was among 40 outstanding pupils recognised with top honours on Saturday. The event organiser also announced a significant expansion to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the awards.
Starting next year, the awards scheme will feature a new category for artificial intelligence (AI) literacy to underscore the importance of responsible use of the technology by students.
The initiative will also extend its reach to recognise student excellence beyond Hong Kong, such as elsewhere in the Greater Bay Area.
The awards are organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club with support from the Education Bureau. This year’s ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Running under the theme of “Leadership in Action: Shaping the Possible”, the awards received more than 900 nominations from 181 schools, a record.
The event honoured 40 students, who comprised this year’s winners and first and second runners-up.
“Over the years, the Student of the Year Awards have grown into one of Hong Kong’s leading youth award programmes,” Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said in his opening remarks for the event.
“It gives our students a platform to shine, and it pushes them to reach for even greater heights.”
Noting that 2026 marked the first year under the national 15th five-year plan, a critical moment for the city’s future, Hong Kong’s No 2 official emphasised the government’s strategic approach to youth development.
“We aim to nurture a new generation of young people with a global perspective, a sense of responsibility, and a deep affection for Hong Kong and our country,” Chan said.
“This vision requires all of us – the government, schools, families, and the wider community – to work hand in hand. Together, we will build a strong foundation for our youth to grow and succeed.”
Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said his organisation was honoured to have sponsored the awards for the past 13 years.
“Through these awards, we want you to achieve even more beyond academic success. We want to inspire you to work for the common good and for the betterment of everyone in our society – which is our purpose at the Jockey Club,” he said.
In a nod to the Year of the Horse, he added: “Just as the resilience, perseverance and strength of the horse inspires Hong Kong, I hope it will inspire you, and every young person, to strive for excellence and to lead with integrity, compassion and responsibility. This will ensure the preservation of the famous can-do spirit of Hong Kong.”
This year’s grand prize went to Jayden Tang, a Form Five student at Ying Wa College, for founding the NGO and student-athlete platform Health is Wealth.
Tang created the organisation to lead his peers in projects such as supporting refugees and the elderly through clothing drives and community outreach.
“It has been a real surprise to me, and I cannot thank my parents enough for their unconditional support,” he said.
The teenager said he aspired to study dentistry at the University of Hong Kong and hoped to continue contributing to his home city in the future.
Hailey Ting Tsz-kiu, a Form Five student at Shatin Tsung Tsin Secondary School, came away with the “best improvement” award, impressing the judges with her leadership roles at school despite facing life-threatening illnesses, including stage two thyroid cancer and an ovarian tumour.
“I am grateful for this honour to prove myself and to motivate me to transform my personal experience into purpose. It makes me a more empathetic person,” she said.
Ting said she hoped to serve the medical community in the future after experiencing the care and love of the staff in hospital wards.
SCMP publisher Tammy Tam said that when the awards were first launched, only one grand prize was handed out. The number has since grown to 40.
“The Student of the Year has grown with Hong Kong, recognising top students who excel in academics, sports, arts, scientific discovery, mathematical excellence, community service and personal development,” she said.
Tam announced plans to introduce an AI literacy category and expand beyond the city next year, to align with Hong Kong’s designation as an international education and talent hub.
Other honourable guests attending the ceremony included Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority chairman Bernard Chan and Kenneth Leung, vice-president of the All-China Youth Federation and vice-chairman of the Youth Development Commission.
A special sharing session also saw past award winners return for this year’s ceremony, which attracted hundreds of students, parents, teachers and community members.
“Through our education publication, Young Post – a quality read for schoolchildren – and our education unit, SCMP Learn ... the South China Morning Post strives to nurture open-minded, future-ready talent with a world vision,” Tam said.
