“I’ve always idolized and looked up to those who seem to be at the height of all their accomplishments. But now that I’ve seen someone who’s “been there, done that,” it’s clearer than ever to me that it’s not genetics, and it’s not luck – there’s no secret to it behind hard work and consistency.”
Meet Zhi Hong C. (’26), a Grade 11 student from Malaysia who has been at ISKL since Prep Junior. Zhi Hong is not just a student but a well-rounded individual who actively participates in various activities, including cross-country, the Young Investors Society, MUN, and Boy Scouts.
Inspired by his dad, Zhi Hong’s passion for medicine is palpable. After graduation, he plans to study to become a doctor.
Here is Zhi Hong’s story:
Can you tell us more about yourself?
Hi! My name is Zhi Hong, and this is my 13th year at ISKL. I hail from Malaysia and am proud to call it home!
I love to eat tofu and durian (weird combination, I know…) and have recently developed a love for running in the past two years.
Outside of that, I’m also a Boy Scout, an avid Young Investors Society participant, and a debater/MUNer.
Which grade did you join ISKL? What were your first days like?
I still vividly remember my first days at ISKL in Prep Junior (PJ) when I was four. I’ll be honest: it wasn’t pretty – coming to ISKL was a very new experience for me, and I shed tears a few too many times during my first few days of school. We fear change only because we don’t know what it brings, and that was certainly true for me. I had always struggled with being out of my comfort zone when I was younger, and back then, I’ll admit that I didn’t know how to deal with it other than to break down and cry.
Looking back, I don’t know why I reacted as I did. I did have it all during my formative years at ISKL – I can still remember the names of the friends I made in PJ, and I can still tell you the exact teachers who guided me just because of how much they supported me. My first teachers, Ms. Nelson and Ms. Salida were so nice that honestly… the more I think about it, the harder I find it to explain my behavior. Some things you can’t explain!
We understand that you are on the Cross-Country (XC) team. Please tell us more.
My first running experience was participating in the AIMS Track and Field as an 800m and 200m runner. Since then, I’ve always considered myself a runner—unjustifiably so, to be honest, because I didn’t do much running—but this initial experience with running encouraged me to join the Cross-Country (XC) team in Grade 9.
When I first joined the XC team, I was still an incredible novice runner, but the team was very supportive and had great team spirit. I still remember looking up to our best runner at the time (I still do—I follow his race results all the time now that he’s in university) and thinking that I wanted to be just like him in the future.
Fast forward two years and my passion for XC has definitely skyrocketed. I used to fear the suffering of XC in Grade 9, but I’ve now begun to embrace it. There’s an inexplicable beauty in the sport and all its suffering that only XC runners will understand. I love the sport for its highs and lows; it may sound dramatic, but XC is the perfect metaphor for life. It’s taught me that good things don’t come easy, but when you’ve poured your heart and soul into something you truly care about, that’s when you find meaning.
For students who want to try out cross-country, I would love for you to join our team and try it! We accept everyone to train with the team, and I promise that even if you don’t enjoy the suffering, you’ll take away something from it. If you want to be serious about the sport, I’ve seen that hard work and consistency are key. I don’t feel like I’m the best person to be saying this because I’m trying to improve myself, too, but cross country is truly a testament to the fact that when you show up day in and day out, good things will come. This may sound stupid, but success isn’t that hard if you think about it. It’s all about hard work and consistency – most of us (me included!) don’t do it enough. Dare to dream, but put in the work to make it happen.
Do you participate in any other co-curricular activities at ISKL? Please describe them.
Participating in CCAs at ISKL is integral to anyone’s ISKL experience. If I could go back in time to give my Elementary School (ES) self some advice, I would tell him to take advantage of these opportunities more!
Since Middle School (MS), I’ve participated in the Young Investors Society (YIS), which has greatly improved my financial literacy and allowed me to understand the ever-changing world of finance better. I’ve also participated in Boy Scouts since MS. I recently just completed my Eagle Project, in which I helped to donate old ISKL furniture we weren’t using anymore to refugee schools so the furniture could be put to better use for a noble cause. We’re fortunate to have many parents at ISKL who devote their time and energy to supporting our growth at ISKL, and one of these people has been Mr. Van Cott. Ever since MS, he has been a crucial supporter of ISKL’s YIS and scouting programs, and I can confidently say that he has touched the lives of countless ISKL students and will continue to do so for many more. I don’t know how we could repay his efforts, but I will be forever grateful.
Outside of YIS and scouting, I participate in ISKL’s Model United Nations (MUN) debate programs. Although stressful at times, these opportunities have significantly increased my understanding of global issues and improved my confidence in speaking at the podium. I’ve also met many new people and forged new friendships through these activities, and I will continue to experience more of this in the future.
What are your plans for after you graduate from ISKL?
After I graduate from ISKL, I plan to go overseas to study medicine and become a doctor. My dad has always been an inspiration to me, and I’ve wanted to become a doctor ever since I was in kindergarten because of him. I don’t know where life will take me, but hopefully, I’ll be able to achieve this goal – ask me again in 10 years!
Can you tell us more about your other hobbies and interests?
Outside of ISKL, you can find me playing the piano (although I will admit that I don’t practice nearly as much as I should!). I’m currently working towards finishing my Grade 8 piano, which I hope to complete by the end of this year.
Other than that, I love the outdoors and traveling to new places. Exploring new places always helps me broaden my horizons, and they’re also some of the happiest times I get to spend with my family.
Who or what inspires you or has influenced you?
This question is a hard one to answer purely because there are too many people who inspire me to count! I’ll try to name a few here, but I don’t think I can ever do them justice—too many people have left an imprint on who I am as a human being, and I’ll always be forever grateful for that.
One of the people that inspires me the most is my dad. I will never understand how it’s physically possible for someone to develop the patience and discipline that he does, but apparently, it is! Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to be a doctor, and that’s all because of my dad and how he inspires me to be a better person every day.
Our XC Team Captain, Ashan, has also been a massive inspiration to me. I first joined cross country at the same time as him two years ago, so I’ve been fortunate enough to have been with him to witness his running journey. I watched him go from running 20-minute 5ks to running 16-minute 5ks, and I’ve seen him go from being a contributing runner on the team to being the strongest runner carrying all the weight! But what inspires me the most is everything else I’ve seen: I’ve also watched him put in his blood, sweat, and tears to make it happen – I’ve been there with him during countless 6:00 am workouts when we’d much rather be asleep; I’ve watched him collapse on the track after hard sets; I’ve watched him vomit in the dustbin, panting to catch his breath. I’d like to think that I’ve seen it all, but the reality is that I’ve probably only witnessed a fraction of the hard work he’s endured to get to this point. If he’s shown me anything, it’s to dare to dream. I’ve always idolized and looked up to those who seem to be at the height of all their accomplishments: standing at the top of the podium at IASAS, getting into their dream university, and landing their dream job. But now that I’ve seen someone who’s “been there, done that,” it’s clearer than ever to me that it’s not genetics, and it’s not luck – there’s no secret to it behind hard work and consistency.
Outside of that, my friends and teachers around me inspire me a lot. I know it sounds like a cliche, cop-out answer, but my experience at ISKL has genuinely surrounded me with an incredibly hardworking and supportive community that never fails to inspire me every day. I love the feeling of coming to school at 6:00 am for morning practice and seeing athletes from other sports already hard at work, working to improve themselves and pursue their goals. My time at ISKL has led me to understand that the people you surround yourself with can pull you up to new heights, and it’s something that never fails to amaze me, even though I witness it every single day.
Most memorable moment at ISKL?
Once again, this is a hard question to answer – there are just too many to name! My most memorable experiences at ISKL must be all the school trips we go on. In particular, my experience during the Global Action Program (GAP) in Nepal last year was especially memorable. I had so much fun hanging out with my friends, and it was truly enjoyable to see the boys and the girls bond and have fun. We had a party with the local people on the last day of the trip, and although I (partially) lost my voice that night, I vividly remember the fun I had that night. At the same time, we made a meaningful change in the lives of the locals by building a biogas reactor for them, which was certainly a cherry on top.
Of course, a special mention goes to all the IASAS trips I’ve been fortunate enough to go on. These trips are always wonderful team bonding experiences, and although they can be stressful at times, they are filled with wonderful opportunities for personal growth. I always come back a better person from them.
What does “Know yourself, care for all, and create a better world”‘ mean to you?
The mechanism for creating positive change operates on multiple levels, and I feel like ISKL’s vision perfectly encapsulates this. Any meaningful change must start from within, and one simply cannot look outward to help others if they do not understand themselves and what they stand for. Socrates once said to “know thyself,” this idea of self-understanding and acceptance has guided me to achieve greater heights.
Once we know ourselves, we can only move towards caring for all and making our world a better place. I think that there’s one fundamental concept that transcends all races and religions, and that’s the human connection that we share. We are all social creatures, and this human connection gives meaning to our time on this earth.
Finally, caring for all is truly the catalyst for facilitating positive change. Our time on this earth is limited, but I think that’s a big part of what makes our presence here meaningful and consequential. We all have a limited amount of time to do what we can to make the world better, and there’s a beauty to that that ensures humanity will always keep moving forward in the right direction. The human experience is a shared experience; it’s an experience defined by the memories we make and enriched by the people we share them with.
One of my favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou, who said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” It’s a constant reminder to me to try and leave a legacy in everything I do – I don’t need you to remember my name, and I don’t need you to remember who I was, but I hope you’ll be standing in the shade of a tree I planted ten years ago.
Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always have an anecdote to tell, love to share some insights into their passions and interest, or simply is a Panther through and through? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.
