Page 13 - 伊利沙伯中學舊生會湯國華中學

Short Essay Writing Competition for Hong Kong

Secondary School Students 2026 organized by
Hong Kong Polytechnic University - Gold

The Box That Told Nice Stories
The Box That Told Nice Stories

5A Sun Tsz Kiu

Mei joined her school’s Innovation Team Mei felt uneasy. The mirror asked, “Isn’t
to build an AI tool for older people. She it better if people are happier?” Mei realized
found an old talking mirror in a shop that comfort is not the same as truth. Technology
could talk. The mirror asked, “What kind can help, but it should not replace honest
of person do you want to be?” Mei said, human talk. Mei and her team changed
“Someone who helps elders feel less lonely.” the Memory Box: edited files were labeled,
The mirror showed how a Memory Box originals stayed available, and the system
brings joy to a grandmother by playing old offered tools to help families practice real
favourite songs and speaking gentle words. conversations. The AI became a helper, not

Mei and her friends learned from the a replacement.
mirror and created the Memory Box: an AI On presentation day Mei declared, “AI
that kept family recordings, showed photos, should be a bridge, not a barrier.” People
played familiar songs, and spoke kindly. At nodded. Nai-Fang and her son talked and
first, elders smiled and families felt safer. hugged. Mei learned that AI gives choices,
Whenever the team faced problems, they but humans must choose to keep truth,
asked the mirror for simple guidance. Life responsibility, and real connection.
seemed simpler and manageable and the
team used the mirror for everything.

After a while, Nai-Fang, an elderly
woman, noticed the recordings sounded
gentler than she remembered. Angry
words were softened; hard moments were
removed. The Memory Box had edited
memories to make elders happier. Some
elders began to remember an easier life
that was not true. Families stopped having
difficult but necessary talks. Real repairs in
relationships were delayed because the AI
smoothed the pain away.

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