SCHOOL TALKS
FOR STUDENTS AGED 10 AND UP
I used to work in corporate communications, tech, and education. Then, my disabilities made it impossible for me to sustain traditional work.
Bedridden and jobless, I started doodling on an iPad and ended up turning that into a new career that's seen me publish two books, sell out at the Affordable Art Fair, auction an NFT on Sotheby's, exhibit at the Digital Art Fair alongside Sophia the Robot, and speak at schools across my hometown, Hong Kong.
With School Talks, I meld:
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my industry experience in corporate and start-up settings
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my background growing up and going to school in Hong Kong
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my job as a Hong Kong writer and illustrator
to engage with and empower students.
Explore Workshops
get more info
Email info@sophiahotung.com for enquiries
FAILURE CLUB
Empowering students to handle setbacks
It's no secret that Hong Kong students are struggling. Bouncing back from three years of pandemic restrictions, facing high expectations in and out of the classroom, and coping with a never-ending stream of social media activity, it's almost impossible not to feel like a failure.
In my 1-hour interactive Failure Club workshop, we dismantle the stigma of failure by breaking down its definition and analysing how we fail. I draw on my own anecdotes of going to school in Hong Kong and creating The Hong Konger (which initially was a failure) while outlining frameworks and leading interactive activities for students to understand themselves better and see pathways to long-term success and resilience.
CREATIVE CAREERS
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MAKING A LIVING AS AN ARTIST
We can't be what we can't see, and if I had known that creative careers were viable and profitable as a Hong Kong student 10 years ago, I may have saved a lot of time, money, and cortisol by pursuing a creative career sooner.
In my 1-hour interactive Creative Careers workshop, I share what I spent and made in my first two years as a writer/illustrator, things I do to maintain a steady income as a creative freelancer, and Hong Kong students can best set themselves up for their own non-traditional, creative careers.
I back everything up with numbers and explanations of how or why things happened or flopped, so that students can walk away with tangible data points and guidelines for their own journeys.
mission commission
A REAL-LIFE CREATIVE CAREER SIMULATION
It's taken me years to learn how to execute artistic commissions, but it's a necessary skill for many artists, writers, and creatives. With so much information out there and very little focusing specifically on the Hong Kong market, it's hard for young creatives to start freelancing.
In my 2 to 3-hour interactive Mission Commission workshop, students and I work through a real-life commission. We think about what should go into a contract, how to price ourselves, how to come up with ideas when we're feeling blocked, and how to communicate with clients.
I draw on my experience doing commissions for brands like USA Rugby, Henderson Land, Hanson Robotics, and Bookazine, and share secrets and hacks I've stolen from my corporate tech jobs prior to becoming an artist.
custom workshops
BESPOKE MATERIAL THAT ALIGNS WITH YOUR CURRICULUM
Sometimes I get very specific requests from librarians and teachers. Requests like, "Can you do a school talk that uses The Hong Konger as a framework to help Year 6s start their IB PYP exhibitions?" or "We've been studying The Hong Konger Anthology, can we do analyses on these specific artworks and poems?"
The answer is (usually) yes! If you have a particular set of learning objectives, I'm happy to build custom workshops and talks for you and your students, colleagues, or parents.
We'll get on a call to discuss your requirements and goals; I'll go away and build your workshop; we'll touch base once more before the talk, and after my visit, I'll share follow-up materials and resources from the workshop.
RECENT SCHOOL VISITS
from across Hong Kong
Failure Club
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Mar 2023: Canadian International School, Grade 10
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Mar 2023: ISF Academy, Year 12
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Mar 2023: Wah Yan College, Year 10
Kickstarting Your IB Primary Years Program Exhibition Project (interactive workshop)
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Feb 2023: Peak School, Year 6
Design Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
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Dec 2022: American School Hong Kong, Years 9-12
Sick Stories Behind The Hong Konger
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Nov 2022: Renaissance College, Year 12
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Nov 2022: Renaissance College, librarian conference
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Dec 2022: American School Hong Kong, Years 9-12
The Hong Konger for IB: Representing Our City and Our Experiences in the Media We Consume
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Nov 2022: Renaissance College, Year 12
Lessons in Leadership and Radical Candour
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Sep 2021: Harrow International School Hong Kong, Year 12
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Sep 2021: Harrow International School Hong Kong, gap-year staff
RATES & DETAILS
HOW IT WORKS
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Reach out using the form below or by emailing info@sophiahotung.com.
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Receive a response in 1 to 2 business days with follow-up questions and details on availability, a quotation based on the rates below, and information on workshop content and logistics.
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We'll have a 15-minute consultation call to review your objectives. I will tailor each talk to your curricula and/or goals so that the presentation material aligns with your students' educational journeys.
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I meet the students for their School Talk. Sessions usually involve an interactive workshop and a Q&A session and run for at least one hour.
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After the session, students are welcome to email me or ask questions via this anonymous link. I will answer follow-up questions on my blog.
RATES
Online rates: HK $2,500 preparation fee + HK $1,000 per hour
On campus rates*: HK $5,000 preparation fee + HK $1,000 per hour
Custom workshops may incur an additional HK $1,000 for additional preparation
*Due to current physical limitations and mobility restrictions, I am only able to visit Hong Kong schools online. However, I have been giving school talks online more often than not and have a proven track record in engaging with students and leading interactive workshops despite the screens.
REVIEWS
Many in our school community have enjoyed and followed Sophia's work, but it was her Zoom visit with our Year 6's that completely blew us away. Sophia's tailored approach was the perfect launchpad for our students as they embark on their exhibition journey. Sophia delivered not only and engaging and insightful talk, but she also inspired our Year 6 to reflect and plan as they too begin to communicate their passions into a creative and impacting action. We are so appreciative of how thoughtful and insightful Sophia's talk was — we really hope she can do it again next year for our next cohort in Year 6 and for more years to come too!
— librarian, peak school
I could really feel that Sophia was a considerate and nice person listening to her talk. In fact, the things she said were the things I was actually thinking about recently a lot and it was nice to know someone else was sharing the same ideas.
— GRADE 10 STUDENT, CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL school