Page 15 - 順利天主教中學（校訊2018）

MIT Innovation Academy

What’s Worth it and What’s Not:
Write Your Own Life Stories

Yanton Chow Ngo Kiu 5B
To a secondary school student facing
his final year, “vacation” does not go after
“summer”. Summer is for revision. It is a Jimmy Chan Chun Yin 5A Chris Law Tsz Lam 5D
war zone. Students across Hong Kong will What else should a Secondary 6 “Targeting small things in daily life”,
seize every second to train themselves student do in summer vacation other an inspiring reminder from my mentor in
into exam-robots, hoping that by the time than attending extra classes and the MIT Innovation Academy has been
HKDSE comes, answering exam questions studying for HKDSE? Well, that is not resonating in my head.
can be a knee-jerk reaction. What is a better my choice. In the last summer vacation The ultimate goal of this two-week
time to do that than summer holiday, when in high school, I took part in my maiden programme was to design a prototype
one and a half month of time is at your summer programme – MIT Innovation of an innovative product to tackle real-
dispense, school-free, teacher-free. Academy. world problems. Our team planned
I am no different. I planned to revise Participants were divided into three to produce a smart lamp which allows
throughout summer, 9 to 8 every day until streams based on their abilities and users to adjust the amount of blue light
Ms. Elisa Wong approached me and asked characters – Hackers for programming, to boost productivity and alleviate sleep
if I am interested in a programme called MIT Hustlers for business planning and deprivation after hours of work. At the
Innovation Academy”, which is a two-week Hipsters for design. ideation stage, our team was trying to
long, immersive bootcamp held in Hong My team comprised some local be far-sighted and incorporated all the
Kong and Shenzhen for aspiring high school students from international schools elements and functions into our lamp,
entrepreneurs and hardware innovators. and US students from Phillips Exeter hoping that our product can stand out
“It’s a two-week immersion programme. Academy. We worked together to in the competitive smart lamp market.
I don’t have time for this”, I told myself. run a start-up business and designed In fact, we were short-sighted as our
“But you’re going to learn so much!” a prototype to address real-world ambition blinded our eyes to see the
“Well, what is the use of learning so problems. genuine needs of our prospective
much if you can’t get into college?” Our team created a smart pill clients. While we were still struggling
“Do you really think you will revise dispenser that targets families with kids. how to invent a perfect lamp, our mentor
throughout the whole summer?” Parents are busy working and they may in the Academy drew our attention
There were so many voices in my not be available to take care of their to the small things which can create
head. I could not tell which I should listen to! kids at home. What can parents do to huge impacts in daily life. His words
On one hand, I really wanted to spend my remind their children to take medicine on have enlightened me, not only in the
summer differently, but on the other, I do not time? That is how we came up with our concepts of entrepreneurship and the
have courage to work against the popular prototype. prototype-making process, but also in
trend of revising for exams. Being the Hacker and Hustler, life. Attention to details and sensitivity to
Back at school, I found that my I was responsible for coding and people’s needs are the key to becoming
supposed companions in the programme, financial planning. Thanks to Mr Pau’s a successful entrepreneur.
Jimmy and Chris, were having the same ICT lessons, which serve as a basis The MIT programme included a
struggle. Neither of us wanted to give up this for my computing techniques and two-day Shenzhen visit, which was
opportunity, but neither of us was ready to syntaxes, I could easily transfer what an eye-opening experience for me. I
forgo two weeks’ revision time. After rounds I have learnt from school to the MIT was astounded by the technological
of struggle, I joined the program, and so did programme. Arduino is the alternative advancement in Shenzhen. The place 15
Jimmy and Chris. coding language recommended by the we visited is Huaqiangbei, which is a
“Hold up, that’s the end? What about MIT Node staff. The prototype making major electronics manufacturing hub.
your experience during the camp?” Well, I process has enabled to learn more HuaqiangBei is depicted as “China’s
am sure Jimmy and Chris will tell you more about Arduino which can be connected Silicon Valley” of different types of
about our experience. I must say I find the to multiple electronic modules, such as electronic gadgets and software. When
struggles we had prior to attending the LCD display and buzzer. it comes to technological development
programme is as valuable as being in the During the two-week programme, and endeavor, Hong Kong stands no
programme itself. Back then, my greatest I invariably grabbed the opportunities comparison with China.
struggle was HKDSE. Now, I am no longer to have interactions with US students. Had it not been for the support from
intimidated by it. We have the choice of I used to think it would be uneasy for our teachers, I would probably have
choosing the right attitude to face it. Are me to speak with foreigners. However, spent my summer studying for exams
you willing to be enslaved by this challenge, with the same hobbies we share, we like other sixth formers; I would have
or do you have the guts to ask, “Should have become friends. Though we live forgone the thrill of seeing the state-of-
your life be defined by just one exam?” in different regions, we have ample the-art technology in Shenzhen, and I
Getting good grades and getting admitted to common topics for chats, ranging from would have lost the opportunities to be
university are important, yet let us remember memes to our opinions on current social enlightened by the innovative mindset
our worth should never be gauged by exam and political issues. and entrepreneurial skills of my peers
results. Beyond HKDSE, there is still so The world is boundless and there from Phillips Exeter Academy.
much to learn and explore. Remember your are infinite possibilities awaiting us to I shared the same struggles with
dreams. Remember your interests. discover. We should take the initiatives Yanton and Jimmy before we submitted
Three of us lost two weeks’ revision to keep abreast of global issues and our application to MIT, believing that we
time, but we have learnt a lesson we will approach people from different nations should devote our summer holiday to
never forget. When life goes on, there are and cultures to understand the world exam preparation. We are glad we made
different cages we put ourselves into – work, thoroughly. This programme has enabled the right decision in participating in the
money and power. You will have to make a me to identify my edge and most MIT Innovation Academy. The valuable
lot of sacrifices to get these – your family, importantly it unveils my shortcomings innovation skills, entrepreneurial spirits
your dignity and your dreams. Is it worth it? so that I know how to improve myself for and life lessons that we have gained
You have the answers. the challenges ahead. are beyond compare.