Operation Santa Claus: Cumberland Presbyterian Church Yao Dao Secondary School combines charity and creativity
The school in Yuen Long used charity booths and games to raise funds for the campaign co-organised by South China Morning Post and RTHK.
Teachers and English ambassadors sell candygram cards to raise money for Operation Santa Claus at Cumberland Presbyterian Church Yao Dao Secondary School in Yuen Long. Photo: HandoutCombining learning with charity proved a winning formula for Cumberland Presbyterian Church Yao Dao Secondary School in Yuen Long as it partnered with Operation Santa Claus (OSC) for the first time.
The school won the 2024 “Most Creative School Fundraiser” award from OSC, an annual fundraising initiative run by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK. The prize honoured the ingenuity of the school’s fundraising activities last November.
Organised by the school’s English teachers and “English Ambassadors” – students charged with helping with English-learning projects – the events were open to students and staff. The highlight was a charity funfair held from November 19 to 21.
“Our school joined OSC for the first time by turning our semi-annual English Speaking Week into a charity funfair,” said English teacher Keith Yan Tsz-him.
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English was spoken at the event held in the school playground. It featured charity booths, with proceeds going to OSC, and innovative game booths that fostered language skills.
“The game booths were inspired by books our students had read during the first term, including Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, and A Christmas Carol,” Yan said. “Each game was designed to be fun and engaging while also testing students’ knowledge of the story.”
“Our economics students also ran a booth selling handmade lip balms, which enabled them to gain practical business experience while supporting a charitable cause,” Yan said. The school also sold candy grams before the funfair.
The school puts a premium on creativity, said English panel head Ivan Luk Ming-kei.
“The school gives teachers and students a lot of autonomy to try different things ... to think outside the box. We encourage students not to be scared of failing,” he said.
Luk said the idea of working with OSC came from a student who had read about the campaign in Young Post. The school management embraced the proposal.
“We are a Christian school. We try to serve the community and those in need. Partnering with OSC is a perfect opportunity to do that,” he said, adding that OSC fit in with the school’s theme for 2024, “Thankfulness”.
School principal Wai Chun-ho added: “OSC is very famous, [and] fundraising is very meaningful. We hope our students can learn a lot through participating.”
The campaign’s “Everyday Heroes” theme and “#EveryoneCanBeASantaClaus” tagline resonated with the school. “We think everyone can be an everyday superhero and a Santa Claus,” Yan said.
OSC has raised HK$383 million for 353 charitable projects since its launch in 1988. It is currently funding 11 projects of worthy causes.