Henry Wanyoike and Joseph Kibunja, two inspirational warriors, visited our school and shared their experiences on October 17. Meeting an Olympic marathon runner face to face was an experience of a lifetime. Wanyoike, from Kenya, is a Paralympics gold medallist and record holder in both the 10,000 and 5,000 metres, with Kibunja as his seeing-eye shadow runner. Wanyoike told us how he went to bed one night and woke up blind the next day. He was only 19 years old. Although he lost his sight, he did not lose his determination to succeed. He has gone on to establish many records in the international athletics scene. His success on the track has been matched by his accomplishments in raising funds for charities that aid the visually impaired in Kenya and around the world. With Kibunja, Wanyoike led two pairs of students on a run round the school hall. In each pair, one student was blindfolded while the other acted as his seeing-eye guide. The blindfolded students said they were very impressed by the experience. They said they were at first nervous about 'running in the dark', but gradually learned that they had to trust their guide. At the end of the visit, our school presented Wanyoike with a souvenir made by two Form Six students and visual arts teacher. It was a 3D picture of an eye with thorns and bushes underneath it. The eye was in the form of a tunnel leading from darkness to light. It symbolised Wanyoike running from the dark to a world full of colour and hope. The eye was shaped like a handshake, representing the friendship and trust between Wanyoike and Kibunja. The thorns at the bottom represented the obstacles faced by Wanyoike in his quest for success. The motto 'Seeing is believing' was written on the exterior of the eye in words and in Braille. Before Wanyoike left, he wrote words of encouragement for our students. His visit was an inspiration to all of us. We will remember what he has experienced and live a full life like him. Persephone Yuen Tsang Pik Shan Secondary School Public speaking is becoming increasingly important to students. Schools are keen to help students improve their public-speaking and leadership skills. The Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) offers young people a chance to develop their potential. More and more schools are joining the YLP. It is conducted by Toastmaster International, a worldwide, non-profit professional development organisation which helps people with their public-speaking and leadership skills. Thanks to the enthusiasm of our principal, our school participated in the YLP on October 14. Twenty students and 10 parents joined the programme. Experienced toastmasters came to the school to conduct workshops and speech demonstrations. Students from another college were also invited to join the event. They gave a winning speech, and talked about their experiences. We learned a lot from each other and made many new friends. The toastmasters were very friendly and enthusiastic. They could have enjoyed their weekend at home, but instead they spent their precious time teaching us. After attending the workshops, we knew more about the toastmasters and how their meetings are conducted. Through the demonstrations, we learned from the best of the best. As the YLP continues, I believe our self-esteem and confidence will improve. These qualities are as important as academic results. Learning can be great fun! Florence Lam, Form Seven TWGHs Lui Yun Choy Memorial College The heats and finals of St Joan of Arc Secondary School's annual athletics meet were held on October 4 and 5, respectively, at Siu Sai Wan Stadium. After the opening ceremony officiated by school principal, Lau Pak-ling, every corner of the stadium echoed with cheers and chants. Thanks to the perfect weather and the full support of our guests, parents, teachers and students, the competition was full of joy and impressive results. Hundreds of students competed keenly in various track and field events. A spirit of sportsmanship as well as a competitive edge was evident among the participants. Students were busy preparing for the events or cheering and chanting for their classmates. The venue was adorned with colourful T-shirts, banners and flags specially designed by students to support their schoolmates. The atmosphere signified the unity among students and school spirit. After intense competition, the students from Form Five Faith grabbed the overall championship. Guest-of-honour, Carloas Chan Wing-cheung, who is also our school manager, congratulated everyone on the success of the sports day. He emphasised the importance of participating in sports to ensure health and fitness. In our ever-changing society, life-long sports is as important as life-long learning, Mr Chan added. He said sports help to cultivate persistence and sportsmanship, leading to the students' all-round development. Trophies and prizes were presented to the winners by our guests, including representatives from the Parent-Teacher Association and the Past Students' Association. Mr Chan's speech was followed by a vote of thanks from seventh former Leung Yau-ming, the chairperson of the student union. Yau-ming thanked all the guests and others who had helped make the annual athletic meet a roaring success.