For the first time, this year's grand final introduced the on-the-spot Hackathon format, a live challenge putting primary school students' computational thinking, adaptability and teamwork to the test.
The CoolThink@JC project aims to inspire students to leverage digital creativity in everyday life, nurturing their proactive use of technology from a young age. The project is created and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, and co-created by The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). This year's competition is supported by the Education Bureau, Hong Kong Education City (EdCity), Association of I.T. Leaders in Education (AiTLE), Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association, The Hong Kong Association for Computer Education (HKACE), and Subsidized Primary Schools Council.
This year's first round was themed "Promoting Healthy Lifestyle or Encouraging Exercising", with participating teams required to use the Scratch or App Inventor programs to design human-centric solutions. The competition attracted over 160 teams of Primary 4 to Primary 6 students, with 20 outstanding teams ultimately advancing to the Grand Final. King's College Old Boys' Association Primary School No.2 clinched the championship in the App Inventor category, while Diocesan Preparatory School won the championship in the Scratch category.
Hackathon Challenges Against the Clock | Diverse Missions Showcase Talent
The atmosphere at the Grand Final was electrifying, as the finalist teams raced against the clock to complete a succession of programming and problem-solving missions across multiple domains. Students took on the role of "Chief Debugging Officers", fixing logical bugs in an AI parking system; operated engineering vehicles to recognise colours and props; used text recognition technology to handle licence plate recognition; and were also required to use programming to control the facial expressions and movements of robots, as well as complete unplugged track assembly challenges. With a wide variety of engaging missions, students fully immersed themselves in solving problems on the spot, vividly demonstrating their computational thinking and creative potential while showcasing their teamwork and adaptability.
Commending Winning Teams | Inspiring Tomorrow's Leaders
The award presentation ceremony was held immediately after the competition, with Mr Daniel Lai, Programme Director of CoolThink@JC, and Ms. Lam Wing Yee, Sierra, Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Technology Education) of the Education Bureau officiating.
In his speech, Mr Daniel Lai remarked, "Over the decade since the launch of the Programme, we have been committed to nurturing students' problem-solving abilities, critical thinking and creativity. The relevant teaching materials were incorporated into the formal curriculum by the Education Bureau in 2023, initially mainstreaming the curriculum in Hong Kong. Subsequently, through the Sister Schools Scheme, we extended the Programme and teaching materials to 50 primary schools in the Chinese Mainland. This year, we have further partnered with the Cambodian government to share Hong Kong's successful materials and experience in computational thinking education with the country. Moving forward, we will continue to narrow the digital divide and promote digital education, empowering the younger generation to embrace the opportunities and challenges brought by the innovation and technology era."
After claiming the championship in the App Inventor category, the winning team from King's College Old Boys' Association Primary School No.2 were surprised by the achievement, with one team member bursting into tears of joy. According to the students, this year's competition presented a diverse range of high-difficulty challenges, all of which demanded independent problem-solving. The team found the screen pattern challenge to be the most memorable. After several unsuccessful attempts, they finally broke through by working closely together, truly learning that solidarity and cooperation are the keys to success.
Appendix
The 10th Hong Kong Primary School Computational Thinking Competition
Award List
Category: App Inventor
| Ranking | School Name | Team Name |
| Champion | King's College Old Boys' Association Primary School No.2 | 英二小精英 |
| 1st Runner-up | Yaumati Catholic Primary School | 做運動GO GOAL GO |
| 2nd Runner-up | The Salvation Army Tin Ka Ping School | 散步星小隊 (Planet Walk Team) |
| Merit | Diocesan Preparatory School | Sporty DPS |
| Merit | Hong Kong Baptist Convention Primary School | 步步GOAL星 |
Category: Scratch
| Ranking | School Name | Team Name |
| Champion | Diocesan Preparatory School | DPS Fun Sports |
| 1st Runner-up | St. Mary's Canossian School | We are healthy guys |
| 2nd Runner-up | TWGHs Tsoi Wing Sing Primary School | STEAM Star |
| Merit | Baptist Hung Hin Shiu Rainbow Primary School | 天虹體能隊 |
| Merit | Chi Lin Buddhist Primary School | 金獎組 |
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