(Hong Kong, June 18, 2015) Mention mathematics, and most think of a boring subject that is tough to understand. In reality, though, numbers and logical reasoning are closely linked to our everyday lives. So, a three-month Hang Lung Mathematics Tutorial Class has been set up by the Hang Lung As One volunteer team, together with participants of previous Hang Lung Mathematics Awards (HLMA) and students from the Department of Mathematics of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Joining the tutorials include also Hang Lung’s senior management members Ricky Lui, Assistant Director (Project Construction), and C.F. Kwan, Assistant Director (Corporate Communications). They were keen to introduce fun and interactive methods to inspire primary school students’ interest in the subject and dig out their potential.

Ricky Lui, responsible for project construction works in mainland China, quoted his daily work as an example to show that mathematics is closely related to our everyday lives. He encouraged students to build up a firm foundation in the subject.

C.F. Kwan saw the importance of giving affirmation and encouragement to students in order to further motivate them. As a person who loves to share his personal experiences with the youngsters, Kwan mentioned that it’s worth the “painstaking” efforts.

Jay Cheng, the Gold Award winner of 2006 HLMA, is now a civil engineer. Despite his busy work schedule, he is eager to help people in need while also pursuing his passion for mathematics. “As I was given the opportunity to become a mathematics teacher to these students, I recall the challenges I faced researching different mathematical topics during the HLMA competition,” he said. “I hope that through sharing my learning experience, I can help students to realize the unlimited fun that exists in the mathematics world.”

Since March 2015, 20 primary one to four students from underprivileged families at the Chi Hong Primary School participated in the tutorial classes. Volunteers provided one-on-one free tutorials. Some students expressed their gratitude to the volunteers for their guidance and hoped that in future they could teach their siblings and peers what they have learnt from the tutorial classes.

Apart from classroom learning, volunteers accompanied students to visit the Trick Eye Museum at The Peak Galleria and to watch an Omnimax show at the Hong Kong Space Museum.

Founded in 2004, the biennial HLMA aims to encourage secondary school students to realize their potential in the field of mathematics and science by stimulating their passion for intellectual discovery. This prestigious event has nurtured over 1,700 secondary school students over the past decade. Many awardees have started working and continued to contribute their mathematical talents in a variety of professions. For more information about HLMA, please visit the website: http://hlma.math.cuhk.edu.hk.