A Showcase of Service: RCHK's Annual Service Fair Returns

By Sally Lee & Nadia Hung

(Photographs by Victoria Cheung, Esme Lam & Adelyn Tsui)

The annual Service Fair returned to Renaissance College on September 17th, transforming the PAC into a bustling location full of both student-led initiatives and external NGOs from across Hong Kong. Once the clock struck 10:00 AM, students from Year 5 to Year 13 began to flood the venue and delve into clubs and activities that gave back to the wider community, better known as ‘service’ opportunities. From initiatives aiming to spread cultural diversity to volunteering opportunities with Impact HK, the Service Fair continued its legacy, inspiring students to engage with causes they are passionate about.

Service Fair’s purpose was simple: to allow students to explore meaningful opportunities and successful student-led clubs. These ranged from student-led clubs and extracurricular NGOs to mentoring programs and interest-based activities. Not only were Secondary students able to display their leadership skills, but external NGOs also attended to raise awareness about pressing global issues. 

At Renaissance College, “service” is a way to give back to a community. It generally falls into two categories: direct and indirect service. Direct service involves students personally interacting with beneficiaries, such as leading clubs, mentoring, and volunteering at NGOs. Indirect service sees students supporting a cause without direct contact, such as by raising awareness or organizing fundraisers. This year's fair offered varied examples of both, ensuring that there was an opportunity for every interest. 

The atmosphere was electric from the start, with students engaging with stall leaders, signing up for volunteering opportunities, and discovering new ways to give back. This year’s fair was particularly notable for its expanded range of opportunities, allowing students from a range of year groups to learn, explore, and commit to causes close to their hearts. 

For many, the fair was an opportunity to discover new passions and a deeper understanding of critical global issues, amplifying the educational and positive impact the event has on students.

Caitlyn Ng, a Year 10 student, shared, "My favourite part was being able to see the variety of clubs and activities that were present in our school community and see what I could volunteer for."

Fellow Year 10 student Lindsey Hsu was equally enthusiastic, though for different reasons. "I liked when we were able to have a look at different opportunities and perspectives.” She added, “It was a great opportunity to interact and engage with external NGOs that supported underprivileged individuals in Hong Kong.”

Antao Song, a Year 9 student, further appreciated the fair's diverse options, noting, "My favourite part of the service fair was how there were both activities within the school that you could sign up for, as well as external organizations that we could join. This ensured that we are well-integrated within both the school and the wider Hong Kong community, giving us an opportunity to have an impact on the wider society if we wanted to." 

She was particularly intrigued by the creativity of the Diwali and RCHK Truth stalls. "I really liked the Diwali stall because I learned a lot about different cultural celebrations and how, even though I am not necessarily a part of that culture, I can still appreciate and help out with it.” She also praised the RCHK Truth stall for its creativity, noting a clever “Mirror mirror on the wall…” poster that resonated with her love of Disney movies.

While students like Lindsey, Caitlyn, and Antao discovered new causes as attendees, others stood on the opposite side of the stalls, sharing their own initiatives with the school. Among the student leaders was Megan, a Year 11 student, who hosted a stall for the “Clear Skies Coalition,” a club that aims to raise awareness about air pollution. "My favourite part was the chaos and excitement the service fair brings, where everyone's rushing around, signing up for everything.”

When asked what went well, students pointed out the atmosphere and the logistics. Lindsey noticed a rise in participation. “This year there was a lot of participation among all of us; our year had a lot of people put their hobbies forward to start a club that can help everyone. I found this even more interesting than last year." Caitlyn further appreciated the layout of the event, adding, "I think what went well was the placement of most of the activities; the one area dedicated to the service fair made it easy to look around and find different clubs."

For Megan, the sense of community was the highlight. “We all supported each other's stalls, and I think that just shows how a sense of community forms within our school.” She also underscored the newly introduced NGO workshops for the Year 11 students. “The workshops were something newly introduced; however, they still effectively gave Y11s a better understanding of different NGOs' missions and how we can get involved,” she remarked.

Of course, as always, every successful event leaves room for growth. When asked for possible improvements, students shared their thoughtful suggestions. Lindsey felt that time was the main constraint. “The fair should let students spend more time throughout the service fair so that we get to look around the whole area,” she clarified. “I didn’t have enough time to thoroughly explore each cause.”

Along similar lines, Megan, who spent the majority of the day at her stall, wished she had more time to explore: “I didn't manage to have much time to walk around as I was hosting a stall for most of the day.”

Antao suggested a spatial fix, explaining that the fair could “make the walkways between stalls slightly wider, as the walkways were only wide enough to fit around 3 students standing side by side at once.”

Ultimately, despite suggestions of wider walkways and more exploration time, the interviewees all agreed that the 2026 Service Fair was a triumph. It stood as a testament to the school’s commitment to service, opening students' eyes to causes they might never have encountered otherwise.