The School of Business at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has partnered with a local drone company to light up Victoria Harbour with artwork created by children staying at Ronald McDonald House, offering the public a glimpse into the children’s inner worlds and dreams through a large-scale drone performance.
Around 50 HKBU students enrolled in a service-learning course organized by the School of Business visited Ronald McDonald House multiple times to connect with the children and listen to their wishes. Those conversations later formed the theme of the drone show.
Ryan Man, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) of the School of Business, said teachers and students first visited Ronald McDonald House a year ago and found that children with long-term illnesses rarely have opportunities to go out, while their families face immense physical and emotional stress.
This inspired the team to bring warmth and encouragement to the children by collaborating with an alumni-founded drone company to project the children’s paintings and dreams into the night sky using 1,000 drones. “The kids are happiest when their creations are seen,” he said.
The course provided students not only with training in drone technology but also with opportunities to participate in a drone performance at the recent National Games for hands-on experience. Art therapy experts were invited to teach students effective communication skills for interacting with children.
Samuel Lam, founder of the drone company and a part-time lecturer in the Department of Management, Marketing and Information Systems, said students guided children to express themselves through painting.
“Many things children want to express but can’t say can be conveyed through their art,” he noted.
Sham, a Year 3 student in the Bachelor of Arts, Science and Technology program, said that after speaking with the children’s families, she realized the situation was far more complex than she had initially imagined.
Alonso Meza Rodrigo, an international student from Mexico, said language differences did not hinder his communication with the children.
“A glance, a gesture, and the time spent painting together were enough to build a genuine connection,” he said.
Themed “Art Voyager • Wishes Upon Stars,” the drone show was held in January at the Hung Hom Promenade, featuring animations inspired by the children’s artwork, including lions, robots, penguins and dragons.
Man shared that a three-year-old child had long dreamed of visiting the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou but was unable to do so due to illness. The child drew a giraffe to represent that dream.
Rodrigo, who watched the performance with his sister, described the experience as incredibly meaningful and said he hopes to continue bringing warmth to the community through technology. He also expressed his wish to apply a similar approach to children’s welfare projects in Mexico.
