Kaze Ho – Class of 2019, International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

  • Recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Prize Award
  • Recipient of SISHK Year Head Commendation Award
  • President, Student Council

University Offer: St George’s, University of London, UK (Medicine)

Home is where I feel most comfortable and so after 12 years studying in SISHK, it’s no doubt that the school, alongside the teachers and friends I’ve made, has become one of my homes.

Many people judge a school by their academic rank or sports achievements, undoubtedly these criteria are important, but what I love most about SISHK is the culture both within and between the teachers, school administrators and students.

The everlasting feeling of comfort and ability to lean upon one another, along with other reasons, is the reason why I decided to continue my International Baccalaureate (IB) journey in SISHK. IB was very tough for me personally due to the numerous projects, such as Internal Assessments and the Extended Essay (both components of the IB syllabus), alongside with consistent tests.

I had to learn how to manage my time efficiently whilst also developing other soft skills, such as teamwork and communication, in order to perform well. Luckily, my teachers were very understanding and provided me with a lot of support and guidance on both an emotional and academic-based level.

My cohort, regardless of occasional banter, would always unite to solve problems and bring out the best in one another. Thus providing me with a great sense of community and belonging. I was also very privileged to be the two years Student Council (SC) president during my 6 years in SISHK Secondary school. When I first joined the SC, I never imagined that I would be able to get to where I am today.

Through a series of trial and error, I learned, and am still learning, the essentials of being a good leader. Not only do I have to be encouraging, I also have to lead by example. Thus, I was motivated to better myself and set a good example for my juniors.

Besides leadership, SISHK and the IB program aided me in finding my passion for Biology and service work. As my interest in biology increased, I pursued in doing my Extended Essay (EE) for the subject of Biology.

Although the lab hours were long and it was not a smooth sailing journey, with the encouragement by my teacher and my fellow science EE friends, this experience became one of the highlights of my IB journey. Henceforth also becoming one of the reasons why I wish to pursue medicine and medical research in the future to serve my community.

Now that I’m graduating, I would like to thank my teachers and fellow schoolmates for making my journey one to remember. To all the SISHK newcomers, I hope that you will enjoy your time in SISHK as much as I do. Do keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to try new things. And regardless of what happens, know that you are you and you should never change who you are to satisfy others, just work on bettering yourself instead of comparing yourself to others because that’s all that matters.