2010June - Department of Computing - The Hong Kong Polytechnic ...

Special Features 04
Together
We Give Back and Shine
“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve”
By Martin Luther King, Jr.
Every single contribution to the community adds up to an
extraordinary effort, which is capable of making a real impact
on lives. By participating as part of the whole community to
give back, we have had a rewarding experience, which could
be a source of inspiration for others.
Under the guidance of our computing teachers and students,
more than 200 primary and secondary school students and
their teachers participated in 11 community service and
entrepreneurial projects in the “Pilot Community Programme”
in the past few months. Sponsored by the Quality Education
Fund, the programme is part of the "Innovation Odyssey -
Entrepreneurial Challenge" project in collaboration with nine
non-governmental organizations.
On 27 March, the Pilot Community Programme Award
Ceremony was held in honour of those exemplary community
service projects, in recognition of the secondary school
students’ passion, contributions, and outstanding services.
The day fired up the motivation of all involved to keep up the
good work, by sending the empowering message that they
can make a difference.
Our journey did not end there. We went further to advance
technology education for the students in need. At the Hong
Chi Pinehill School, our students and teachers volunteered in
providing IT training and extracurricular activities for special
needs children. Moreover, our students worked with Christian
Action to provide care and support for refugee children
stranded in Hong Kong from South Africa and India. These
two undertakings won us the Merit and Bronze Awards in the
Community Service Learning Programme Competition
(CSLP), held by the Student Affairs Office at PolyU.
Extending our commitment beyond Hong Kong, we went a
long way to an impoverished village in Gansu Province,
bringing much-needed technology resources to orphans at
the Jubilee Cares Primary School, as part of our Community
Outreach Merit Programme. We taught computer skills, built
computer labs, upgraded network infrastructures, set up a
computer system to automate the school library, and even
gave remote e-classes from Hong Kong. This project also
won a Gold Award in the CSLP Competition. This summer,
we are going on a similar expedition as far as Cambodia, to
help with IT education in local schools.
These rewarding hands-on activities network our students
with real people, getting them to understand about the real
world”, to appreciate teamwork, and to improve their people
skills outside of a classroom full of hard-core technologists. In
addition, by spending the days working for a good cause, we
make each day count.
The Pilot Community Programme Award Ceremony at PolyU.
Secondary school students present their hard work to
the public.
Our teaching staff and students receiving
awards in the Community Service Learning
Programme Competition.