Jointly reported by:
Sr1ScB Chloe Phang Zi Ying
Sr2ScB Yee Sue Wei
Sr2ComB Ho Chia Chien
Photography by:
Kuen Cheng Newsletter Club
A huge congratulation to Law Wing Hey, student of Sr1ComA, who achieved 2nd Place in the recent Young Hospitality and Business Leaders Competition 2024! We are honoured to interview Wing Hey about her journey to success.
Firstly, we asked Wing Hey about her experience in the competition. She said that she was not familiar with the field at first, as she had just started to learn business and had no clue on how to make a business proposal. Therefore, she conducted many surveys on articles, referred to other people’s experiences, and took inspiration from them. During the preparation for the competition, she was so stressed by the time constraints, as the submission date for the business proposal in the preliminary round clashed with her school tests schedule. However, she still persuaded herself to submit whatever she had completed. During the competition finals, she was, again, stressed by the limited time given to prepare for the interview. She had to be interviewed in front of the judges using her second language, English. Therefore, she has had to practise her presentation skills for an hour every night.
Then, we asked Wing Hey about her reason for joining the competition. She said it was because she wanted to try new things and take up challenges. Furthermore, several scholarships and college applications also focus on the competitions applicants engage in, as they can help develop fundamental skills. Moreover, this involvement could also provide her with the experience needed for future competitions.
Later, we asked Wing Hey for advice or tips she could share with students who aspire to participate in this type of competition. She emphasised that students intending to join should be innovative in how they present their ideas, express personal views on current public issues. Additionally, they should make their slides presentable to the judges and appreciate the intrinsic value of competing. She encouraged students to let passion be their driving force and to understand that winning and losing are not that big of a deal.
When asked to share a humorous or surprising moment from her journey, Wing Hey recalled the time she didn’t anticipate completing all ten pages of her proposal and was in disbelief when she finally did. While using Google Forms for her surveys, she received an unexpectedly funny response from a friend. Despite her initial uncertainties, she was pleasantly surprised to gather a total of 20 responses.
We also inquired about her biggest supporters and how they have helped her. Wing Hey mentioned her previous tutor, who now acts as her mentor, and a friend who eased her anxiety by listening to her rants. Both provided supportive advice when she needed it, emphasising that the experience was the best prize of the competition and helping her realise that winning and losing are just bonuses. Her friends were very supportive of her submissions, while her family members were sceptical about the grand prize, which involved attending a summer camp.
When asked how she felt after winning the competition, Wing Hey shared that she was surprised, as she didn’t expect to be in the top three. This result is impressive given that it was her first time joining a business pitching-style competition and she had to juggle exams throughout the process. “It really incentivized me to join more challenging competitions in the future!”
The best things Wing Hey has gained from this competition are expanding her pressure-withstanding capability and becoming a more resilient individual as a whole. “I have gained better time management skills, finishing all my schoolwork during recess so that I could focus on competition preparation after school.” Additionally, Wing Hey witnessed an improvement in her English proficiency by having acquired complex vocabulary skills. Learning how to use Google Scholar to sift through academic papers was also a valuable skill gained.
Last but not least, we again thank Wing Hey for letting us have the opportunity to interview her! Wishing Wing Hey the best in all her future endeavours!
(Photo 1 & 2: Group Photo of Wing Hey, the prize winner and the Interviewers)
