SOTY 2023/24: Best Devotion to School winner talks about his leadership journey
King Ling College student Yiu Chi-yan highlighted the importance of teamwork in running his school prefect team.
Yiu Chi-yan from King Ling College is the latest Best Devotion to School award winner at the Student of the Year awards. Photo: Handout At 17, Yiu Chi-yan has already embarked on an inspiring journey of leadership at King Ling College.
His path began in junior secondary school when he became a prefect. By Form 5, the school’s vice principal selected him to become head prefect. His role not only provided him with opportunities for personal growth but also deepened his commitment to his school community.
“The head prefect position gave me a lot of freedom to do things that I wanted to accomplish,” he said, describing how it allowed him to help his fellow students and engage with people beyond the school.
One of Chi-yan’s most memorable experiences occurred during a visit to a sister school in Japan in January 2024, when he had a chance to meet other prefects. “We were a group of student leaders who didn’t know each other very well,” he said.
Despite the language barrier, Chi-yan was impressed by the warm hospitality of the Japanese students. “They were eager to get to know us, even though we were strangers from Hong Kong,” he said.
This experience deeply impacted Chi-yan, especially his peers’ civic education and attention to detail, such as the cleanliness of their school environment.
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Inspired by what he observed in Japan, Chi-yan wanted to create a similar environment at his school. He took action by enhancing the campus patrol system, aiming to promote self-discipline among students.
However, being head prefect wasn’t without its challenges.
He was in charge of around 50 students, coordinating their duties and ensuring they maintained order within the school.
Chi-yan developed training activities to help his fellow prefects become more outgoing and better prepared for unexpected situations. Drawing inspiration from The HKFYG Leadership Institute, he incorporated role-playing and interactive elements to make the training more engaging. “I wanted to change the perception of the prefect team and make it more approachable for newcomers,” he said.
Chi-yan learned valuable lessons about leadership along the way. “Initially, I hesitated to delegate tasks and often took on everything myself,” he admitted. However, feedback from teachers encouraged him to share responsibilities, fostering a more collaborative atmosphere. “I learned the importance of teamwork and passing on knowledge,” he said.
Chi-yan also worked on the editorial team of the school magazine Landscape. Working on the magazine taught him the value of respecting different roles and understanding the unseen efforts behind every project.
Although Chi-yan has stepped down from his head prefect role, he plans to remain active at King Ling College. “I want to continue helping with the prefect team’s event planning and evaluations,” he said, eager to share his experience and inspire future leaders with the philosophy that “with great power comes great responsibility.” Chi-yan envisions a future career in healthcare, particularly in physiotherapy and occupational therapy, where he hopes to positively impact people’s lives.
Chi-yan’s commitment to his school and community won him the Best Devotion to School award at the renowned Student of the Year awards. The awards were organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
For Chi-yan, the recognition symbolises his dedication and provides a strong foundation for his future endeavours.
“This award reflects my contributions and marks a significant milestone for me,” he said.