When I was much younger and studying at St. Mark's, I used to wonder:

• Why is my Form 1 friend at St. Paul's Co-ed able to tell the properties of "carbon dioxide", when I am still learning to spell the word "chemistry"?
• Why is my younger brother building at his school a fancy model plane that can actually fly, when I am trying my hands at a simple wooden rack in my handicraft class?
• Why is he able to explain the area of a circle with some weird mathematics called "calculus", when I know of nothing like this in my syllabus?

That's not good, I thought. I am lagging behind! And yet, why does Mr. Pak keep telling us that St. Mark's has produced many doctors, engineers, and lawyers? And why am I told that many reputable companies like to employ St. Markans?

I must learn what there is about St. Mark's that I don't know, I told myself.

Gradually, at St. Mark's, I learn to be humble and disciplined. I learn to be respectful of others and helpful to people. By the time I graduate, I know that I will be a good citizen of society. Later on, when I study and work with people from other schools, I learn that I am no less knowledgeable.

Recently, I had the chance to read some St. Mark's publications. There, among alumni offering their compliments, were some familiar names. Yes, they are now doctors, and lawyers. The other day, I saw a man being interviewed on TV. I know him. He is an alumnus, now a university professor. From other sources, I learn that some successful business executives are St. Markans.

It seems that other people have learned what I now know. About 1.5 year ago, on a visit to Hong Kong, I was standing with my wife outside St. Mark's – at a campus entirely new to me. Looking in, we saw a group of students playing volleyball, just as we did in the good old days. Then, a woman, who had been standing nearby watching the game, came up and asked us, "I learn that this is a good school. I want my daughter to study here. Is your child studying at this school?"

"No," I replied, "but I graduated from this school almost 30 years ago, and I am grateful for that."