Celebrating Writing Creativity in the Age of AI: Inaugural Short-Essay Competition Award Ceremony
The Department of English and Communication (ENGL) proudly hosted the Award Presentation Ceremony for the inaugural Hong Kong Secondary School Short-Essay Competition 2025 on 19 September, celebrating creativity and critical thinking in the age of artificial intelligence. The competition, open to senior secondary students across Hong Kong and themed AI and Me, attracted an overwhelming 1,100+ submissions, reflecting students' insightful and imaginative responses to this timely topic.
The ceremony was attended by more than 70 students, teachers, families, and distinguished guests. Opening remarks were delivered by Professor Eric Friginal, Head of ENGL, followed by an inspiring address from Prof. Li Ping, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. Ms Jenny Yeung, Chief Curriculum Development Officer at the Education Bureau and member of the judging panel, served as Guest of Honour and presented the School Award to Delia Memorial School (Broadway) for the highest number of entries submitted.
This competition underscores ENGL's commitment to fostering young writers' voices, critical thinking, and ethical engagement with emerging technologies, with plans to grow this into an annual flagship outreach event for secondary schools in Hong Kong.
Additionally, ENGL's Prof. Phoebe Lin's feature on the competition is published in the South China Morning Post: Youngsters are cracking the puzzle of writing in AI era (https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3323720/young-hongkongers-are-cracking-puzzle-writing-age-ai)
An anthropology featuring the winning essays has been published by Poly Press. The e-book version is available at: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/polyupress/books/ai-and-me/
More than 70 students, teachers, families, and distinguished guests attended the Award Presentation Ceremony.
Ms Jenny Yeung, Chief Curriculum Development Officer at the Education Bureau, presents certificates to the Gold awardees.
