TWENTY-EIGHT of Hong Kong's top students gathered at the Hong Kong Overseas Bankers Club last week to receive their rewards under threat of disruption as Severe Tropical Storm Tasha prompted the hoisting of signal No 8 in the territory.
However, everything went smoothly and the recipients, all either nine or 10 straight As students, received their scholarships from the Standard Chartered Bank.
Cheques of HK$5,000 were presented to each of the 10As students, while the 9As achievers each received a $4,000 cheque.
At the presentation ceremony, Mr Philippe Paillart, Area Head of Personal Banking, North East Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, said: ''When I meet students like these who are here today, I know our belief in Hong Kong - having every confidence in the future of the territory - is not misplaced.
''In achieving their marvellous results, these young people have demonstrated the qualities of hard work and perseverance that keep Hong Kong the vibrant, economically successful community it is today.'' Mr Paillart said it was a privilege for the bank to be able to honour Hong Kong's top students for their diligence and talent, and to spur them on to even greater achievements.
Scholarship recipient Eve Ngan Kwai-ling of Heep Yunn School said that she did not expect to score 9As, much less to be awarded the scholarship.
''Without the encouragement of my teachers, father and mother, and the full support of classmates, I would not have such a good result in the public exam and the opportunity to win this prize,'' the 17-year-old arts student said.