Good morning, teachers and students!

Today is the graduation ceremony for Cheng Chi Secondary School in Hang Hau District, Sai Kung, New Territories for the 2022-2023 academic year. Congratulations to all the students from Form 1 to Form 5 who have successfully completed a year of study, and some of them have even won awards!

I took office as the school principal on January 3, 2023, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye. My first task on my first day was to greet the students entering the school at the main gate with a nod and a "Good morning!" This task, or habit, has been with me for over 20 years. The campus environment in the morning, with its fresh air and especially on a good day, is invigorating! Greeting each other is a joy! For me, it's also a morning exercise, a way to recharge myself by absorbing the energy and spirit of everyone, the young people! It's a great start to my workday. Conversely, for the students, it might be a different story. They might not be fully awake and yet see the principal at the gate – it could be a bit stressful! Next school year, I hope everyone will follow my habit: be well-prepared in the morning, and greet each other with a "Good morning!" at the gate to begin our day of learning.

The first three letters of Zheng Zhi Middle School's English abbreviation are all C, so I'm giving you three Cs: Courtesy, Courage, and Cooperation. Those of you who attended last week's Form Six graduation ceremony and received awards may have already heard this; I hope you'll be patient. Today, I'm adding two more S's, making it CCCSS, which I'm giving to you all today.

Greeting someone in the morning is a basic and essential part of daily life, and can even be considered a life skill!

In your future studies or employment, you will be facing people who have not witnessed your growth and will not know you at first. Please fully demonstrate the courtesy you have learned here. In your appearance, actions, and speech, consciously display the sunny demeanor that young people should have. In this way, even in difficult environments, you will not easily lose your composure.

After the summer vacation, you will be moving up a grade, and you will have the opportunity to face new teachers and classmates. Please fully demonstrate the courtesy you have learned at Zhengji. From your facial expressions, speech, and actions, consciously display the sunny disposition that a young person should have. This way, even if new classmates are unfriendly, you will not be easily affected and can face the challenges with ease. Courtesy can bring light to difficult or seemingly hopeless situations, adding color to a gray environment. I encourage everyone to try putting it into practice.

In our studies, we may sometimes encounter difficulties, such as being afraid of English, not being able to find the answer when counting, being afraid of physical education or music class, etc. However, school is the best environment to give us the opportunity to try and learn from failure. So we should be brave enough to face difficulties, not be afraid of failure, and have courage to do things!

The school has always been a protective place for everyone. As you grow up and face different environments in your daily lives, you must have the courage to take each step forward, to bravely face challenges, and not to easily back down. If you encounter difficulties, please tell your beloved teachers. We believe that the teachers at Zhengji will take good care of you and share your burdens! Especially for high school students, don't be shy. As you grow older, sometimes you become more withdrawn. Have the courage to actively face and solve difficulties, and even more courage to seek help. Your teachers at school are your best partners.

Cooperation: In your future studies or work, you will inevitably need to cooperate with others, even if they are strangers or people you don't like. With the rapid development of information technology, it may seem that human contact is less necessary—for example, meetings can be conducted via Zoom. However, there are still communication and cooperation skills required even without face-to-face interaction; face-to-face cooperation also requires corresponding communication and collaboration skills. The principal believes that your future academic or professional progress and prospects will largely depend on your willingness to cooperate with others, your emphasis on communication, and your commitment to learning and cultivating collaborative skills and abilities.

Please remember these three Cs.

CCCSS ends with two S's: Self-Management and Self-Study.

In secondary school, students are required to learn self-discipline, time management, health care, mood control, leverage their strengths, and strive to improve their weaknesses. They are also encouraged to overcome psychological barriers, proactively ask teachers questions, and actively work harder to achieve progress. These are all self-management methods involving planning, regulation, management, and correction, enabling students to learn better in secondary school! Those who can manage themselves often excel and stand out from the crowd!

Self-study is not just about memorizing notes, books, and what teachers say; it's about integrating and applying what you learn, gathering more information online or from classmates, and adapting it to your own understanding, transforming the content into your own knowledge. Self-study also means learning without supervision, setting your own goals and pace, and motivating yourself. Only those who can learn independently can engage in lifelong learning. I hope that all of Zheng Zhizhi's students will continue to learn and improve throughout their lives, contributing to society!

Having spent the past six months with them, I can see that the junior and senior high school students at Zhengzhi Middle School are all lively, energetic, and quick-witted. I am honored to become your principal this year.

The key developments of the school in September, which will be introduced to you at the opening ceremony on September 1st, will be discussed with you all.

Finally, I hope all students will always be peaceful and joyful, maintain a cheerful mood, and have a good rest during the summer vacation.

Wishing you good health and academic success!

Principal Li Chi Lam

July 15, 2023