As IB students sit for their final exams this month we catch up with final year student Ben Stasney about some of his most impactful learning as a student at Hong Kong Academy.
How long have you been a student at HKA and what are your plans after graduation?
I joined HKA in Grade 9, and I’m graduating this May. Next year I'm going to go to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in the United States and I plan to get a degree in mechanical engineering.
When you think about your time at HKA, what learning experiences stand out to you?
Finishing my DP Extended Essay was a big achievement, and I benefited from the patience and support of our coordinator on such an important assessment. I also appreciated that in my Grade 11 DP Language and Literature class, one of our units was based on a topic I had suggested. I think this helped students enjoy the unit because we could develop our analytical and critical thinking skills by engaging with texts that were really interesting to us.
How have you engaged with the wider community through earning the Global Citizen Diploma (GCD) Certificate?
For the past two years, I have been leading ImpactHK Kindness Walks. Every Monday I take a group of five or six people around an area in Mongkok to serve food and distribute items of necessity to the homeless. It's easy to take what you have for granted, and you might accept it without understanding other people’s experiences. Through these kindness walks, I have gained an important perspective on power and privilege and learned to appreciate both what I have and how I can contribute.
What do you think this experience has taught you about yourself?
I’ve built my communication and leadership skills in many ways. I am usually leading people who are older than me, and I’m able to hold informed conversations with them about homelessness in Hong Kong. I have also learned a lot about body language and how to build trust. Many people on the street don’t want to accept gifts because they feel like we’re taking pity on them. Once they start to see you each week, they realise that we’re not taking pity. Instead, they begin to open up and smile and understand we want to offer support without asking for anything in return.
As you think about your experiences as a student, what word do you think best describes HKA?
I would say participation, because the teachers and staff push you to do the best that you can in whatever areas fit your passion and skills. I've always felt like the teachers care about us as students and cater to each person’s needs. At HKA, it’s not about who became valedictorian, it's about what you can achieve and how far you can go.
Hong Kong Academy is one of only eight fully-authorised three programme IB World Schools in Hong Kong and the only one that offers the Global Citizen Diploma programme. Their students have achieved a 100% pass rate for the last two years and go on to study at prestigious universities all over the world. Contact them today at admissions@hkacademy.edu.hk
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Hong Kong Academy
Address: 33 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR
Tel: +852 2655 1111
Website: www.hkacademy.edu.hk
Email: office@hkacademy.edu.hk
