Read to Dream x Future Engineer Grand Challenge develops students' innovation and technology potential

To promote innovation and technology (I&T) education for the young generation, the SHKP Reading Club collaborated with the Hong Kong STEM Education Alliance for the second year in a row to organize the Read to Dream x Future Engineer Grand Challenge to encourage students to apply science and technology creatively in their daily lives. The winning designs were displayed in the SHKP Reading Club's booth at the Hong Kong Book Fair to share the students' achievements with the public.

Nearly 300 entries received – a new record

The Read to Dream x Future Engineer Grand Challenge this year was expanded with three new themes – "Smart Living", "Green Innovation and Technology" and "Art Technology" – to encourage students to creatively use innovative technology to enhance the quality of everyday life. A total of 287 entries from more than 800 students from 122 schools were received, more than double the number of entries received last year.

The designs this year were both creative and practical. Smart Fish Tank Monitoring System, by Ho Lap Primary School (sponsored by Sik Sik Yuen), the first-prize entry in the primary category under the theme "Smart Living", automatically measures indoor and water temperatures. It is equipped with a regular automated feeding system, and the data is uploaded to an Internet of Things (IOT) platform, enabling users to remotely monitor the fish tank data. Joyful Farming, by Fung Kai No.1 Secondary School, the first-prize entry in the junior secondary category under the theme "Green Innovation and Technology", is an irrigation system that automatically adjusts the environment to allow the users to carry out hydroponic farming easily. FLAI (Follow to Learn An Instrument), by Diocesan Girls' School, the first-prize entry in the senior secondary category under the theme "Art Technology", uses AI and machine learning to monitor users’ posture when playing instruments and provide advice on how to improve.

Sponsoring 2,000 students to visit the book fair

In addition to the I&T design contest, the Read to Dream x Future Engineer Grand Challenge collaborated with long-term partner the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to sponsor 2,000 students to visit this year's book fair. Each of 800 underprivileged students under the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, the North District Primary School Headmasters Conference and the Sham Shui Po Residents Association was also provided with a HK$250 book allowance to buy STEM and Chinese culture books at the book fair.