Heep Yunn School

Heep Yunn School

Heep Yunn School (Chinese 協恩中學) is a girls' secondary school founded in 1936. It is situated in Ma Tau Wai, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Heep Yunn is notable for her high academic achievement. The school participates actively in other areas such as music and sports with many successes, such as the Bauhinia Bowl, the overall sports championship among schools in Hong Kong.

See also

• Education in Hong Kong
• List of secondary schools in Hong Kong

School History

The founding of Heep Yunn seems to be like a fairy tale. As most of "the Family" know, Heep Yunn was formed by the amalgamation of Fairlea and the Victoria Home, but how this came about was really miraculous. It was the providence of God preparing the way for His children, and as they sought His will in prayer, and were ready to act in obedience to that will, so its fulfillment was expressed in the founding of Heep Yunn School in Kowloon. Founded in 1886, Fairlea was a C.M.S. Vernacular Primary Boarding School aiming to give to children of Chinese Christian parents a sound Chinese education based on religious faith and four Chinese virtues for girls - how to speak, how to work, how to behave and how to dress. The school was temporarily situated on a rocky hillside just below University Path. A little lower down the hill, another CMS Girls' School, St. Stephen's Girls' College, was founded in 1906. This school, also, was in temporary quarters and faced with the problem of inadequacy owing to the site. As a recommendation to amalgamate the girls' schools which had been made previously, the Government offered site large enough to house both Fairlea and St. Stephen's Girls' College. Both schools, however, refused to surrender their names or merge their identities, so no compromise could be found. Meanwhile, a new era had opened for Fairlea. As the number of students increased, more accommodation was required and in 1929 a new east wing was added. It became clear that a good vernacular middle school was a crying need in the colony. Mrs. W. K. Cheung, the first Chinese headmistress of Fairlea, opened middle school classes. Thus, the ever-increasing problem of lack of classrooms was still prevailing. Owing to the expansion of Kowloon City at that time, the Victoria Home and Orphanage, another CMS institution located in the district, were faced with the problem of finding other premises. While everyone in Fairlea and the Victoria Home were puzzling over the lack of space, both the Bishop in Hong Kong and Beatrice Pope in England had the same idea, that Fairlea and the Victoria Home to be united to form a new school. This was undoubtedly the will of God. Mrs. Cheung stipulated - how rightly - that each institution renounced its name and lost its identity in the new school. It was not easy for either school, but believing as they did that it was the will of God, the sacrifice was made, and the lovely new name, chosen by Yee Ching herself, gave a clue to the power by which it was done: " Heep Yunn" -- "United Grace". On 23rd October, 1936, His Excellency Sir Andrew Caldecott, laid the foundation stone of Heep Yunn. Fairlea had just celebrated its Golden Jubilee and the Victoria Home was in its 50th year, and now the two were to be united in one new school, and His Excellency the Governor, Sir A. Caldecott said in his speech:- "The stone, which I have just laid, is not only a foundation for the future but a commemoration of the past and present. It commemorates, may I say, a marriage. Two lives of singular usefulness are to be welded into a broader life of even greater usefulness. This stone is, as it were, the matrimonial altar before which Mr. Fairlea and Miss Victoria Home stand to solemnise their union before God and man; their mutual sacrifice of individual tradition to the call for joint service is exemplified in the surrender by both of their unmarried names. They will henceforth be Mr. and Mrs. Heep Yunn, and they will start their wedded life with the joy and inspiration of each other's Golden Jubilee. God prosper them!". Heep Yunn was born. Blessed be her name.

– Vintage, 1996-97

Academic Achievement

Being one of the most academically competitive secondary schools in Hong Kong, HYS provides a rigorous curriculum to all of its students. Most students take at least 9 subjects for the HKCEE, and 5 for the HKALE. Over 99% of the students are admitted to either local or overseas universities upon graduation, including Hong Kong University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Over the past few years, a number of prestisgious scholarships were awarded to students annually, such as the Sir Edward Youde Scholarship, the Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship, and the University of Toronto Hong Kong Scholarships, gaining the students admission to many top-notch world universities, such as Princeton. Heep Yunn scored 880 Distinctions and Credits at the HKCEE 2007

Major Events

1851

• May 18 - Birth of Ms Johnsione—the founder

1886

• Church Missionary Society took over the school for Ms. Johnstone & named it Fairlea Girl's School

1936

• Foundation stone laid

1948

• Opening of gymnasium

1963

• Arts & science classes in Form Six opened

1965

• The enlargement of school ground completed

1966

• Three graduates of Heep Yunn were admitted to the University of Hong Kong

1971

• December - The Bishop officially opened the Junior Assembly Hall & the Library

1972

• The closing of the dormitory

1974

• First group of Upper Six students sitting for the Advanced Level Examination

1978

• Mrs. M. Lai was appointed Headmistress of Heep Yunn School

1981

• June - The swimming pool was opened

1983

• Addition of 3 tennis courts and a volleyball court

1984

• The garden near the Chapel & the running track beside the basket ball court were built
• The first Omega Rose Bowl was won

1985

• The playground in the Primary section was built

1986

• The Jubilee Building was opened.
• The 50th Anniversary was celebrated with a concert in the City Hall, Concert Hall and a two-day exhibition in the school

1991

• The installation of the air-conditioning system was completed

1993

• The top floor to the Jubilee Building was completed.
• The Geography Room was moved to new premises

1994

• The library was enlarged to its double size
• The 10th Omega Rose Bowl was won

1995

• We decided to celebrate our 60th Anniversary with a secondary-primary-kindergarten-combined concert at the Cultural Centre, Concert Hall in July,1996.A committee was set up to prepare the event.

1996

• 60th anniversary of the school

1998

• The library was computerised
• The official homepage of Heep Yunn School was established, and each student was given an account.

1999

• $2.5million on IT-LAN system, 16 computers in library and 72 computers in special rooms were installed
• The Chapel was air-conditioned
• Won the 15th Omega Rose Bowl

2000

• New curtain, lighting and sound system for hall were installed.

2001

• 65th anniversary of the school

2002

• Mrs. Lau was appointed to be Headmistress of Heep Yunn School
• The School Improvement Project began.

2004

• Champion of inter-school girls' sports (Div. I) 21 years in-a-row

2005

• Completion of the SIP building with the new Mrs. Winnie Man Sports Centre and Mrs. Ip Lo Hing Yuen Student Activity Centre
• Completion of Mrs. Minnie Lai Theatre (Jubillee Building)

Achievement in Speech, Drama and Music

Over the past few years, Heep Yunn has emerged as one of the fiercest and top competitors in the Drama Festival, debating region and music arena respectively. The Heep Yunn legend is evident at every aspect of her achievements.

In the year 2005-2006, Heep Yunn's Drama Group clinched 6 awards out of 7 in total, whereas the 7th award was for 'Best Actor'. They also received the adjudicator's award, qualifying them for the prestigious Drama Festival finals. As one of the four finalists, HYS's own baby production 'Love Left..Undone' received wide acclaim from both the audience and adjudicators. It was praised as 'one of the best dramas ever seen in a few years' The drama group has clinched the top award for three consecutive years.

HYS Chinese and English Debating teams have their equal share of glory. The Chinese Debating team has been crowned the Champions in multiple prestigious Debating and Public speaking competition, whereas the English Debating Team clinched the Championship in the Bar Association Debating Competition as well as the YODAC Inter-school Debating Competition 2006. The number of best debaters awarded was overwhelming. Together, the debating teams form an invincible arcship, united as one.

Heep Yunn students have been the champion of the HK Standard Chartered Public Speaking Competition for two years.

The Inter-class Chinese Debating Competition is held every year to cultivate interest for debating among students. Each year, preparation work by the Chinese Debating team was intense and of high-quality, planting the debating seeds in HYS.

Music is also one of the strongest areas of Heep Yunn girls.

The Heep Yunn School Senior Choir captured the "Best Girls Choir of the Year" in the 59th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival (2007), the most coveted award in choral music. All of her other choirs and orchestras, among them a mixed choir with Diocesan Boys School, were awarded the top three awards.

Most of her students can play two instruments and are proficient at at least one of them. Many of her students have achieved grade eight standard and a considerable number of them have moved on to diploma level.

Colleen Lee, the renowned pianist, was a graduate of HYS (1997) and pays visits to her alma matter to share her music.

School Song

The melody of the school song is the same as the one of another uni-sex secondary school in Hong Kong, the Queen's College. However their counterpart uses English lyrics while at Heep Yunn Chinese style is applied.

School Song

香 島 之 九 龍 兮 ， 遐 邇 皆 聞 。 有 女 校 兮 ， 聲 譽 芳 芬 。 其 志 宏 且 高 兮 ， 其 名 協 恩 。 振 紀 綱 兮 ， 志 道 依 仁 。 據 德 復 遊 藝 兮 ， 求 學 心 殷 ， 為 世 光 兮 ， 為 席 上 珍 。 智 圓 而 行 方 兮 ， 純 潔 精 神 。 挽 世 風 兮 ， 懇 懇 勤 勤 。

協 恩 ， 協 恩 ， 協 恩 。 萬載 流 芳 兮 ， 我 協 恩 。 萬 載 流 芳 兮 ， 我 協 恩 。 協 恩 ， 協恩 。

春 風 喜 同 詠 兮 ， 切 磋 頻 頻 ， 練 體 魄 兮 ， 健 我 心 身 。 中 西 樂 研 究 兮 ， 學 識 日 新 。 宗 基 督 兮 ， 智 理 皆 真 。 作 文 化 津 梁 兮 ， 國 粹 長 存 。 倡 四 育 兮 ， 德 智 體 群 。 萬 壽 永 無 疆 兮 ， 我 校 協 恩 。 光 我 邦 兮 ， 輔 我 國 民 。

協 恩 ， 協 恩 ， 協 恩 。 萬載 流 芳 兮 ， 我 協 恩 。 萬 載 流 芳 兮 ， 我 協 恩 。 協 恩 ， 協恩 。

School Motto

"In strength and grace we stand united,

In faith and love we are committed."

協力藉恩，信主愛群

Dominating Inter-school girls sports for two decades'

There are altogether 14 sports teams in HYS and all of them, indeed, have reached a very high standard. They have brought home their 24th consecutive Bauhinia Bowl (formerly known as the Omega Rose Bowl) in the year 2006-2007. It is awarded annually to the school which achieves the best all-round performance in all sports events.

The Bauhinia Bowl is the embodiment of the overwhelming Heep Yunn Spirit, which is demonstrated in every aspect of the Heep Yunn school life. Students take much pride in their school and their devotion in contributing to the glory and prestige of the school is unparalleled.

Interschool competition results (2004-2005)

Team Overall result Athletics Team 2nd runner-up Badminton Team 1st runner-up Basketball Team Champion for the 12th year Cross-country Team 1st runner-up Fencing Team Champion Hockey Team Senior: 3rd Life-saving Team 1st runner-up Softball Team 1st runner-up Squash Team 1st runner-up Swimming Team 1st runner-up Table-tennis Team Champion Tennis Team 1st runner Volleyball Team Champion

External links

• Official Website of Heep Yunn School,Kowloon,Hong Kong
• Alumni: Heep Yunn Old Girls' Association
• Heep Yunn School Video Clips