“Student Times” Magazine (1974 -1986)
Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association started up as the “Student Times Press” in 1974 and had then started to publish a monthly youth magazine named “Student Times”.
In 1970s, students’ movements were very active and in a state of turbulence in many parts of the world. At that time, many young scholars had a common dream which was to make positive contribution to their society by what they had learnt and gained from their studies. A group of academics who then just returned to Hong Kong from their overseas studies decided to launch a youth magazine, the “Student Times”, in the hope of widening Hong Kong young people’s window to the outside world and allowing students the exposure to new knowledge that are outside their school curriculum. The launch of the “Student Times” made the dream of these young academics come true.
Since its launch, the magazine, “Student Times”, with its enriched contents, multi-facet layout and creative design, had soon become a very popular and influential reading material among students. The magazine’s special column, “Focus, Topic” was very enriching, each issue of which focused and gave in-depth analysis on a topic that was of great concern to students. “School Report” was a section dedicated to stories of the multi-disciplined but fun-filled lives of teachers and students. “Science Window”, “School Work Tutorials”, Lively English”, “Drama Writing” were all eye-opener for students at that time to view the world through a kaleidoscope.
A successful integrated students’ magazine cannot go without creative literature and the “Student Times” had two sections dedicated to creative literature. One of these sections was provided for professional literary writers to publish their short stories, such as “Walking With The Trio” which was the work of Ah Lung, Siu Sze and Cheung Sze-wun. The other section was for students to submit their own literature with professional critics giving their comments on them. Both of these two sections were very enlightening to readers.
In order to fulfill the needs of the readers, “Student Times” had held various educational activities, study tours and exchange programs regularly including ‘IQ Quizzes’, which helped to enhance students’ thinking skill; ‘The Communicator’, which is a program for students to act as ‘young news reporters’ and the ‘Mainland Study Tours’, which gave students first-hand experience in understanding the lives of mainland people and provided these young readers with an opportunity to see the sights and sceneries of our beautiful motherland. The “Student Times” had also formed the “Friends of Student Times”, a group of young people who had been continuing to strengthen their friendships and relationships through these programs.
During the 12 years from 1974 to 1986, the “Student Times” gained a great deal of valuable experiences through our sincere services to our readers; our care given to the wide variety of needs from our students; the most up-to-date news and information provided to our readers; the best assistance and advice we gave regarding our readers’ enquiries, which were all part of our most valued mission in our work. These principles in our organization were passed on from generation to generation. Back in those early days, all our founders had their own full-time career and were not generally highly-paid So it was particularly generous of them to give their utmost support, both financially and personally, to the publication of “Student Times”. In the tight schedule and busy workload of editorial board, our founders had tried their best to unite the students in friendships and provide them with opportunities of academic exchanges. This paved the way for a new generation of young people to become the caring and responsible good citizens of the future.
TOP“Hong Kong New Generation” Bi-weekly Magazine and Monthly Magazine (1986 – 1989)
Since its launch in September 1974, 143 issues of “Student Times” have been published. In March 1988, the “Student Times” was transformed into a bi-weekly magazine named “Hong Kong New Generation” and became a monthly magazine. Until May 1989, a total of 52 issues of the magazine had been published.
Continuing from the success of “Student Times”, “Hong Kong New Generation” has also provided many opportunities for direct dialogues with our readers. In particular, the “Hong Kong New Generation” covers issues concerning current affairs and the cultural aspects of Hong Kong as an international metropolis. It aims at providing a reading material for our young people that encompassed cultural knowledge with news and information and enriching our Hong Kong young readers’ quest for knowledge. In terms of contents, “Hong Kong New Generation” has continued many traditions of “Student Times” including sections on current affairs, school news, interests and hobbies, specialist columns, music, art, science, sports and movies. The wide variety of topics made the magazine a very suitable reading material for young people.
“Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association” (1986 - now)
In 1986, due to the social change in our community, “Student Times Press” decided to take on a major re-structuring and change its name to “Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association”. In addition to the publication of “Hong Kong New Generation” bi-weekly magazine, we also strengthened our work in nurturing young people through a variety of programs and activities. These programs included popularization of science, creativity education, leadership training, national education, research and survey, liberal education, exchange visits and joint school activities.
Our activities had received widespread support from students and the public. These activities included “The Top 10 News of the Year voted by Hong Kong Secondary School Students” co-organized by our association in 1991; the “Hong Kong New Generation IQ Contest” hosted by us for 8 consecutive years from 1990 to 1998; the “Hong Kong Youth Invention Competition” beginning in 1997; the “9th China Adolescent Invention Contest cum Science Forum” held in August 1998 in Hong Kong and undertaken by us; the first “Survey on the Creativity Education of Hong Kong Youth” hosted by us in 1998; and the over 100 exchange study tours held by us since 1986. In our silver jubilee year (i.e. January 1999), our association was granted the non-profit charitable status, which had set an important landmark in the development of the new generation!
To fully promote science and creativity education across the community, we launched the “New Generation Youth Invention and Environmental Education Program” in July 2000 with the full financial backing from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and the Quality Education Fund. Between 2001 and 2002, we held a number of discussion forums on creativity education for primary and secondary school principals and teachers throughout Hong Kong. Apart from providing support to teachers’ training, we had also organized science & invention competitions for Hong Kong students. Since 2002, our annual competition had been renamed “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Youth Science & Technology Invention Competition” with the main sponsorship coming from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Intel Corporation had also began their partnership with us by funding our most outstanding science students to compete in the annual “Intel International Science & Engineering Fair” held in the USA. Our association is now the sole organizer of various national and international science competitions and is responsible for selecting and leading the top students to participate in these events every year. These competitions include “China Adolescent Science & Technology Invention Contest”, “Little Scientists of Tomorrow Reward Scheme”, “China Adolescent Robot Contest” and “Intel International Science & Engineering Fair”.
In 2006, the Hong Kong SAR Government supported us in setting up the education centre named “Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association Science Innovation Centre” at the former site of the Sai Kung Outdoor Field Studies Centre. This is the first centre of its kind in Hong Kong for students and teachers aiming at promoting science and creativity education. Science lectures, workshops and various science related activities are organized for students, teachers and parents. The Centre continues to host the various local, national and international science and invention competitions.
In promoting national education and liberal studies, we have over the years built up a series of reputable programs which are hugely successful and popular. We have been organizing the “My Motherland: Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Students Exchange Camp” since 1994 which takes place in Beijing every summer. We have also been hosting the “Tsinghau University National Education Program for Future Leaders” since 2001. Between 2002 and 2004, we held the “Mainland Internship Exchange Program for Hong Kong University Students”. Since its launch in 2002, the “New Generation Civic Education Ambassadors Training & Promotion Program” has been running for 8 consecutive years. In 2005, we began the first “Amway China Education Aid Program” which had been successfully held until 2007. We partnered the National Education Services Centre and started to co-organize the “Liberal Studies Training Program – Pearl River Delta Study Tours” and “Ethnic Minority Cultural Program” in 2008. All these programs had aroused wide public interest and were highly praised by those who had participated in these programs.
In addition, we have given full support to secondary school teachers in the training for Liberal Studies Education. With the generous sponsorship from the Quality Education Fund, we held the “Tsinghau University Liberal Studies (National Education) Training Programs for Teachers” for six times in the 3 consecutive academic years from 2005 to 2008. Over 800 secondary school teachers and principals had benefitted from the Programs. In 2009, we launched the “National Education Study Tours for Hong Kong School Teachers” with the funding from the “Association for Celebration of Reunification of Hong Kong with China Charitable Trust”. Over the next 3 years, this scheme will provide professional training for Hong Kong primary and secondary school teachers to enhance their understanding on national issues.
Over the years, with the development of our association, we have altogether formed seven sub-organizations, including the “Hong Kong New Generation Friends”, “Hong Kong Tertiary Student Forum”, “Hong Kong New Pulse”, “Hong Kong Science & Creativity Society”, “Hong Kong Science Talent Society”,“Tsinghua Alumni Association of Hong Kong New Generation” , “Hong Kong Liberal Studies Organization” and “Hong Kong Prospective Teachers Association”. These specialized groups help enhance the work and services of our association and provide closer network for our members.
In the 35th anniversary celebration of our association, Mr. Peng Tsing-hau, Director of Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government; Mr Henry Teng Ying-yen, Chief Secretary of HKSAR Government and Mrs Rita Fan, Standing Committee Member of the National People's Congress, have accepted our invitation to officiate the celebration banquet. Their presence reflects fully the recognition and concern of all parties for our association which is a great encouragement to us.
The number of youths and teachers who had participated and benefitted from our services over the years has amounted to over 700,000 and is still growing. This has shown that our mission and direction in cultivating a new generation of youth in Hong Kong are well supported and welcomed by all. Through our activities, young people can gain greater exposure to the world, demonstrate their creative and obtain more knowledgeable, enhance their personal quality and develop their sense of responsibility. This has given us great encouragement to our work.
Looking into the future, we will continue to uphold our motto, “Vision, Creativity, Erudition, Responsibility’. With the support from all parts of the society, we will continue to provide all-rounded and high quality services to young people and give support and professional training to teachers. We will work hand-in-hand to build up a new generation of talented leaders for the future of Hong Kong.