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SINGAPORE : A violinist and a community leader have been chosen as this year's recipients of the HSBC Youth Excellence Award.

The violin has been Janell Yeo's passion since she started playing it when she was five.

At age 10, she moved to UK alone to pursue her music development at the prestigious Purcell School.

Janell managed to get one of only two places offered to students at her level.

The 13-year-old will be making her Esplanade debut next year in a fund-raising concert.

"It's a joy to be able to raise money for the needy and not so fortunate in our world. And I can also use music as a remedy to sooth the troubled people in our society," said Janell, a recipient of the HSBC National Youth Excellence Awards 2007.

The concert will be organised by HSBC which is also donating $200,000 to the National Arts Council.

The money will help Janell pursue her music studies.

HSBC will also give $100,000 to the National Youth Achievement Award Council and this will go towards local and overseas youth development initiatives for young people such as 19-year-old Sergius Wat.

He will get a $10,000 grant which he can use for personal development or fund a community initiative that he must lead.

He's being recognised for his involvement in community projects such as leading 1,200 of his schoolmates at Raffles Junior College to deliver food and other items to 300 elderly residents living in one-room flats.

Sergius also initiated a survey to gather feedback from the residents.

He then shared this information with various Family Service Centres to enable them to better serve the needs of these residents in the long term.


"I've had experience in student leadership and I thought it was something I could carry over to community projects," said Sergius, recipient of the HSBC National Youth Excellence Awards 2007.

"As for the money that I got from the award, I have no fixed plans as yet. I'll probably want to use it in some community service initiative, possibly to continue helping those elderly staying in one-room flats," he added.

Sergius will go to Harvard in September on a Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship.

He believes a career in law enforcement will provide opportunities for him to serve people and make an impact on society.

HSBC hopes that through its support, it can ensure that ample opportunities are given to youths to hone their talents and realise their full potential to enrich and inspire others in the community.

Both Sergius and Janell will receive their awards on Tuesday at the Shangri-la Hotel. - CNA /ls