SOTY 2022/23: Grand Prize second runner-up recounts his humble upbringing
- Ng Pan-yu, 18, has remained resilient and dedicated to community service despite facing family challenges
- His father’s health struggles encourage him to envision a future in medical research
Ng Pan-yu won the second runner-up Grand Prize at last year’s prestigious Student of the Year awards. Photo: HandoutNg Pan-yu’s story begins at La Salle College, where he navigated the rigours of academic life while grappling with his family’s deteriorating financial situation.
“My parents, non-university graduates, faced mounting difficulties as my father’s electronic tool business went bankrupt,” Pan-yu, now 18, shared. This downward spiral led to a phase where both parents were unemployed, relying on their dwindling savings.
Pan-yu witnessed his family’s descent from a comfortable life in Tsuen Wan to a humbler existence in Kowloon Tong and eventually back to Tsuen Wan, each move signifying a step deeper into economic hardship.
“Each relocation brought us to smaller living spaces, a constant reminder of our dwindling resources,” Pan-yu recalled.
He found solace and purpose in his studies and extracurricular activities. His response to adversity was not one of defeat but of proactive engagement.
“I started tutoring during a school suspension period. Managing three to five students weekly, I earned some income while reinforcing my knowledge,” he said. This experience was more than a means to a financial end; it was a time of self-discovery and growth.
His passion for writing led him to participate in a poetry competition, where he explored the theme of social stratification.
“I wrote about the different social layers, comparing them to the layers of a drink – the privileged floating effortlessly at the top, the middle struggling to support both ends and the bottom, weighed down by density, unable to rise,” he explained.
One of the most challenging periods in Pan-yu’s life was when his mother temporarily left due to familial tensions, and his father struggled with health issues. Pan-yu had to take on the role of carer and provider.
While others enjoyed relative affluence at La Salle College, Pan-yu faced a starkly different reality. He found purpose and growth as the Editor-in-Chief of the school’s 500-page yearbook.
“Leading a team of 60, I learned the essence of trust and effective communication. It was about bringing together different talents and perspectives,” he reflected. The project was not just an editorial undertaking but a journey in leadership and collaboration.
Pan-yu’s commitment to helping others shone through his tutoring efforts for students in the Philippines, conducted via Zoom. He recalled being confronted with the stark contrast in learning environments. “Their study spaces were often dark, hinting at electricity issues. It was a reality check for me,” he shared.
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He won the second runner-up Grand Prize at last year’s prestigious Student of the Year (SOTY) awards, organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).
The judges recognised Pan-yu’s unwavering spirit, stating that despite facing family challenges, he has remained resilient and dedicated to community service.
HKJC also provided an undergraduate scholarship for all three SOTY Grand Prize winners in 2023, which covered their tuition fees and offered a living allowance and overseas learning subsidies.
Pan-yu has conquered the Diploma of Secondary Education exam and is now pursuing medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His father’s health struggles, particularly a condition that caused arm paralysis due to prolonged computer use, deeply influenced his career aspirations.
“Witnessing my father’s ordeal steered me towards neurosurgery, a field that intertwines the intricacies of the human mind and body,” he said.
However, his ultimate ambition extends beyond the operating room. Inspired by his mentor’s advice, Pan-yu envisions a future in medical research. “While surgeries can save individual lives, developing a medication, especially for neurological regeneration, has the potential to impact many more.”