Co-President of Community Council Maeve Wong
Maeve Wong DP1A
Growing up, I’ve always been taught to be compassionate and kind, and to give back to society because it has given me so much. It’s because of this strong sense of duty to our society that I decided to start small when I first entered the secondary section of SISHK by joining the Community Council.
Having been part of the Community Council since Secondary 1, my experience has been one that is filled with its highs and lows. There were the times of joy when I had managed to aid in starting a new environmental campaign. There was also the disappointment when the campaign had not rendered the results we had hoped for. The project I had undertaken did not seem to be positively impacting upon our school community, and was being disregarded. At times like this, I teetered on the edge of giving up. Yet through these numerous setbacks and failures, I would think back to why I took part in the first place. I wanted to share my passion and love for solving environmental issues, and to lend a hand to the people that needed it. This dream of mine helped me push through. It serves as inspiration as I strive to ignite the same spark within my fellow schoolmates, helping them see that they could also impact the lives of many if they started with just one.
Over the years, I’ve seen the Community Council grow in several different ways. We had gone from a group of students that shared the same interest in serving the community, to, as cheesy as it sounds, a family. Not only did we bond over our shared love for the community, we acted as family and encouraged one another to seek out opportunities to improve upon the socio-economic and environmental issues in SISHK. I’d watch us go from awkward silences to loud, boisterous laughter. But that’s not the most important part. As a council, we managed to look past the age-bound barriers, learning to value the input of every member, no matter the age or experience. Through my seniors and peers, I learnt the importance of time management and organisation, the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between work and play. Through my juniors, I learnt the importance of creativity and letting go. I’ve always been a bit of a worrier, but I’ve learnt to accept that sometimes things won’t go as planned, and that letting go and enjoying it may even lead to better results. It is for these reasons that I am ever so grateful to the Community Council, because it’s given me a support system outside of my friends.
Ultimately, with time comes change. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be the Co-President of the Community Council this year, and hope to be able to bring about new initiatives for our school to undertake. Although we’re still in the midst of planning, we do hope to expand upon our impact on the local Hong Kong community, and hopefully, go beyond the geographical boundaries with participation in international projects as well. The future may seem uncertain, but we will always remember the laughter, the friendships and our happiness. Let that drive us to success as we aid in bridging our school to the wider community.
