LI Ho YeungScience High-achiever: International Olympiad Top Gold WinnerMusic Enthusiast: ABRSM Grade 8 Pianist

Introduction

LI Ho Yeung is a graduate of PKXYS's 2024–2025 Hong Kong Curriculum cohort. After nine years of compulsory education in the Mainland of China, he joined PKXYS to pursue the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) programme. Under this diverse educational environment, LI has demonstrated both resilience and creativity, striving hard to excel in both academic studies and international competitions. His talents shine both on and off campus. He has earned various international honours, embodying the school goals of nurturing well-rounded individuals grounded in both science and the humanities.

·Top Gold Award, British Physics Olympiad 2023

·Silver Certificate, UK Chemistry Olympiad 2023Gold Certificate, UK Chemistry Olympiad

·2024Roentgenium Award, Cambridge Chemistry Challenge China 2024

·Gold Award, Hong Kong International Mathematical Olympiad Final Round 2024

·ABRSM Piano Grade 8 (Highest Amateur Level)

As he graduates, LI shares his hopes for the future: "I aspire to become a scientist to explore the fundamental nature of the world or be an engineer to use technology to improve human livelihood."

Face the Challenge: Growing Up in a Multicultural Environment

Against the backdrop of the Greater Bay Area's development, more and more young people are navigating unique educational and cultural pathways. LI Ho Yeung is a shining example. He was born in Hong Kong and completed nine years of compulsory education in the Mainland before joining PKXYS in 2022 to study the HKDSE curriculum.

Though based in Shenzhen, LI often travels back to Hong Kong during holidays. "Hong Kong is where I feel most at home," he says. "I love Hong Kong's diversity while I enjoy following Shenzhen's rapid development. In the future, I hope to live or work in both cities. When I learnt about PKXYS's unique integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong education, I applied right away."

Reflecting on his early days at the school, LI admits it wasn't always easy. "English was really difficult at first. My electives – Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics M2 – were all taught entirely in English. I had to build up subject vocabulary while also adapting to an all-English classroom environment." To overcome the language barrier, he developed two personal strategies:

1. Separate input and output. "When I read textbooks, I don't take any notes. I focus only on understanding the concepts. During lesson preparation and class learning, I focus on understanding. Only after I fully understand what I have learned than I will start working on practice papers. This method helps me learn more efficiently." He even showed us his textbook — almost entirely free of handwritten notes.

2. Not to translate English into Chinese. "When I come across a new word, I don't use a translator pen. I try to understand the term in its English context, looking at the diagrams and explanations in the textbook. It helps me grasp the concept more deeply." LI adds, "I spend most of my time on lesson preparation. It was slow at first, but once I got used to it, I sped up."

LI credits his progress not only to his strategies but also to the school's multicultural learning environment. "Our teachers and classmates come from diverse backgrounds, and we're used to switching between English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Language can be mastered naturally when you use it every day." Thanks to this immersive experience, LI adapted fully within six months. Looking back, he's glad he made the leap: "If I had let my fear of English stop me from learning these EMI (English as the Medium of Instructions) subjects here, I would never have achieved what I have today."

Hands-On and Minds-On: Learning Through Practice and Creation

The Hong Kong curriculum places strong emphasis on practical learning. In science subjects, students attend lab sessions nearly every two weeks — something LI Ho Yeung finds unforgettable. "There's often a big gap between textbook knowledge and real-life application," he laughs. "Code that looks perfect on paper might clash when you run it; chemistry experiments don't always go as expected; and in physics labs, equipment might suddenly fail." Through these real-world challenges, LI developed the critical thinking and calm mindset needed to tackle problems. "I like to take action and just give things a go," he explains. "Even if new problems arise, unexpected discoveries might come too."

Because of this attitude, LI quickly accepted his subject teachers' invitation to join gifted and enrichment classes, exploring university-level material. From Monday to Friday, his after-school schedule was packed with lessons — but he never felt tired of learning. His effort paid off: he has achieved outstanding results in a range of international competitions, winning the Roentgenium Award in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, a Super Gold Award in the British Physics Olympiad, Gold Awards in the UK Chemistry Olympiad and the Hong Kong International Mathematical Olympiad.

LI's interest in computing began with a self-study book on Python. He found it fascinating and soon started creating projects of his own. This sparked his lasting passion for programming. In Grade 6, he wrote a random number generator to help classmates exchange gifts at graduation. In Grade 11, he built a Student Union website to share event posters and gather student feedback. "Science subjects are all about hands-on work," he says. "When you use what you've learnt to solve real-world problems, it becomes truly meaningful."

To further explore his passion, LI attended summer programmes at the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In a lab at HKU, he and his teammates used YOLOv5 (a computer vision model) combined with cloud computing to design a gaming assistant that could automatically identify and target opponents. The project — although designed for entertainment — showed strong potential for wider application and won the Most Creative Award in the summer programme.

"It was a rare and valuable experience. What keeps me moving forward is endless curiosity." He shows us a diagram illustrating how a Ph.D.'s knowledge evolves, reflecting: "We start by learning broadly, but as we grow, we refine just one small fragment. The world is vast — as long as we keep going, we'll keep discovering new joys."

Grace and Vision: In Pursuit of a Better Life

LI Ho Yeung's relationship with the piano began in a rather unexpected way — quite unlike his passion for programming. In Grade 4, he simply thought, "People who play the piano look cool," and he took the initiative to learn playing the piano. That spontaneous decision has turned out to be a profound journey of perseverance.

"Learning an instrument is really tough at the start," he recalls. "You just keep repeating boring exercises over and over." He admits that those early days were a mental struggle. The turning point came once he had mastered the basics. "It wasn't until I could play pieces I like that I really began to enjoy it."

Although he has reached Grade 8 in the ABRSM piano exams — the highest level for amateur players — LI still approaches music with a light-hearted mindset. "I practise less than others — only four or five hours a week — but over eight years, I've still managed to achieve good results." This experience has convinced him that perseverance always pays off.

When facing challenges, LI has developed a flexible mindset: tackle problems head-on when possible, but if the breakthrough doesn't come, take a step back and don't let frustration drain your passion. "You'll go further that way," he says. To him, facing challenges is part of the journey — what truly matters is never letting them defeat you.

As the piano's melodies flow, each piece carries a story — of human emotions, of change across generations. Alongside his rational mind and passion for technology, LI's artistic sensibility brings a softer dimension to his personal growth.

When asked about generative AI tools like ChatGPT, LI responds with a level of insight beyond his years: "It's an impressive technology, and it will definitely replace many repetitive jobs. But technology should be used to improve life. I want to think more about how humans and machines can work better together. It doesn't have to be one-way — there's so much potential in how they interact." This broader, human-centred view of innovation reflects the thoughtful mindset of a new generation of tech talent — one that looks not just at what technology can do, but at how it can serve people better.

Closing Remarks

In this ever-changing world, it is the young people who can embrace diverse educational opportunities, cross disciplinary boundaries and stay curious will ultimately discover their unique platform to perform and shine. As he graduates, LI Ho Yeung offers this encouragement to younger students: "If you still don't know what you truly want to do, try different things. When you find what you're passionate about, you should keep doing it — and it will change your life."

We once chased currents through magnetic fields,

uncovering truths that science yields.

We studied the table of elements with care,

Seeking the secrets hidden there.

The glow of the screen lit our eager faces,

as knowledge led us to new places.

A fleeting moment may plant the seed

from which a future dream may lead.

The era of algorithms may unfold,

from one brave attempt, firm and bold.

And passion, steady and unconfined,

will break the bounds of every mind.

The world is wide, and the truth runs deep.

To every graduate, brave and bright:

Stay true to your heart — and chase the light.

Author: Communications Department