Dy Valerie Moreno is a people connector who creates initiatives to support and connect students passionate about healthcare.
In 2023, she was excited to volunteer with the Hong Kong NGO Crossroads Foundation, where knowledge of Cantonese was not a prerequisite for participating in their community service activities.
“They assigned us to different parts of the warehouse so we could help with specific tasks, mainly inventory duties,” recalled the 17-year-old, who is now in Grade 12 at the Australian International School Hong Kong.
“Meeting people I wouldn’t normally talk to made the sessions enjoyable. It’s the idea of connection that motivates me.”
Valerie said that volunteer opportunities for students who only speak English are limited in Hong Kong.
As a student aspiring to a career in healthcare, she searched for a first aid course but struggled to find one accessible to her.
“First aid courses in Hong Kong were often taught in Cantonese, held far from school or scheduled at times that clashed with students’ timetables. Several friends faced the same barriers,” she explained.
Empowering students’ futures
To address the issue, Valerie collaborated with her school’s nurse, who also teaches first aid to staff, to bring certified English training to her school campus.
She made the programme affordable and scheduled it immediately after classes to enhance accessibility for students.
“I first consulted the school nurse to learn about the provider’s certification, lesson structure and costs, then coordinated with teachers and extracurricular staff to set up student registration, parent communication and payment, and scheduling,” she said.
Implementing the programme was a challenge: the provider set a minimum quota for the number of students that needed to sign up, and although Valerie actively promoted the initiative through assemblies and personal conversations, students’ schedules complicated recruitment efforts.
“At first, only about 10 students from Years 9 to 12 signed up, but interest grew. By the following year more than 100 students from Years 8 to 12 had earned their certificates,” she noted.
Through these programmes, Valerie helped create a space where students could connect, learn and grow.
“The practical sessions were serious – we had to learn techniques like CPR – but they became more comfortable and even fun because of the people around me whom I had become familiar with,” Valerie said.
Healthcare mentorship initiative
In addition to the first aid classes at her school, Valerie also launched a peer mentorship programme focused on careers in healthcare after noticing the lack of accessible information for students about pathways into this field.
“I first heard about the UCAT [University Clinical Aptitude Test] for medicine programmes in an assembly. It made me realise I needed clearer information to consider healthcare seriously,” she said.
Researching options across different regions felt overwhelming, and discussions with other students showed that many shared similar questions.
A career adviser connected her with a senior student, and together they established a mentorship group to share practical information and make the field feel less intimidating.
“My senior friend and I prepared presentations on different careers and pathways, including many options beyond becoming a doctor,” Valerie explained.
As the group matured, it invited students studying medicine at local universities to join. “Having speakers who had just gone through the application and study process made their advice especially practical and relevant,” she said.
Valerie also invited healthcare professionals to share their experiences.
“They shared insights into what it’s actually like to work in the field, interact with patients, and what day-to-day life looks like,” she recalled.
Leading the group demanded significant effort.
“I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into at first; it began as an idea to make healthcare knowledge more accessible to students. Leading the group proved demanding, but my passion and the number of students involved kept me going,” Valerie said.
She noted that leading the group has also boosted her confidence, making it easier to organise events and secure speakers.
Valerie evaluates success by the number of students who have flourished through the programme.
“One younger student who arrived unsure about healthcare grew into a confident leader after attending our sessions and talking with me. She’s pursued healthcare and service, and she’s helped us start new projects at school,” she said.
In Valerie’s view, healthcare is a way to help others: “I view healthcare as a vehicle through which I can help people reach their potential and live authentically,” she said.
Valerie’s efforts to share knowledge with her peers earned her an award in the Best Devotion to School category at the 2025/26 Student of the Year Awards. The event was organised by the South China Morning Post and sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
