Hikari’s curiosity, creativity and communication skills open new possibilities at UWCSEA
Hikari ‘26 and the UWCSEA Foundation Team
15 September 2025
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Grade 12 student Hikari ‘26 blossomed into a leader and innovator at East Campus. She weaves her passions for drama, writing, and playing the Koto, a traditional Japanese musical instrument, with her newfound love for technology, to generate new ideas and solutions.
Stepping into Innovation@East gives me the feeling of freedom and possibility—the same feeling I get when I am in the theatre classroom or when I am playing the Koto.
– Hikari '26, Grade 12 student at East Campus
Last year, Hikari drew on her innate communication, listening, collaboration and analytical skills to lead the Lego Outreach service programme and play a pivotal role in the East team’s victory in the First Robotics Competition.
Hikari attributes her growth to UWCSEA’s diverse, nurturing, and creative environment, alongside its extensive range of activities and service programmes. She credits UWCSEA for giving her the freedom of choice, the confidence to tackle challenges, and the space to make the most of every opportunity.
A world of opportunity at UWCSEA
UWCSEA’s innovation ecosystem empowered Hikari to take charge of her own learning and fostered her development as a multifaceted, culturally sensitive, and thoughtful learner
I grew up in Japan, then moved to Hong Kong, and then to Singapore two years ago with my family.
In my previous schools, I focused on the arts and football. When I joined UWCSEA in Grade 10, I was amazed that every student could try different activities. There were many opportunities, from football, to theatre, to the First Robotics Competition, to the different internships that we can apply for. The variety of subjects and activities really surprised me.
One of my friends loves cars and technology, which sparked my curiosity, while UWCSEA’s welcoming environment motivated me to venture into Innovation@East. I don’t think I would have considered STEM if I were still in Japan or Hong Kong, but here in UWCSEA, the open environment enabled me to explore it even though I consider myself more of an arts person.
As I led the Lego Outreach service and participated in the First Robotics Competition, I valued this amazing environment even more because it allowed me to create products and solutions I’ve never imagined.
As the service leader for the Lego Outreach Programme, I supported Middle School students who were helping local kindergarteners learn simple modelling & programming skills. The goal was to improve their problem-solving and communication skills while teaching them basic coding through a play-based approach using Lego.
When I first went to the Innovation@East centre, I felt that it was a place of condensed passion because all the students were focused on what they were doing. I thought, This is the ideal environment for innovation, with its welcoming atmosphere, cutting-edge equipment, diverse students, and passionate teachers. I love that we can go to the centre every school day to learn and use different equipment, just like my friend who loves design technology with all her heart and spends her free time designing and creating toys using the 3-D printer.
A journey of self-discovery and growth
The service showed me that I enjoy teaching others and that I am a “people person”. I liked helping both our Middle Schoolers and the children and it felt personally satisfying to see their progress and growth. At the same time, I felt that I was growing as a leader and as an individual. Through this role, I learned to lead a team rather than manage it. Furthermore, drawing from my own experiences and observations, I understood the importance of trust and giving people freedom of choice—these motivate team members to contribute towards achieving a common goal.
I overcame challenges as a service leader by communicating with empathy, asking questions, being open to other ideas, and being ready to help others.
Tapping into her artistic vision
I also realised that Lego Outreach, while a STEM programme, fosters creativity in children just like art. Over time, I connected both worlds and tapped into my vision as an artist, writer and musician to explain concepts or processes, and to motivate others.
The power of passion and collaboration
Stepping into Innovation@East gives me the feeling of freedom and possibility – the same feeling I get when I am in the theatre classroom or when I am playing the Koto.
At UWCSEA, practical design and technology education from an early stage of life ensures more time for students to develop their ideas and skills. Therefore, they are more likely to become good at it and having something that a person is good at boosts their confidence and develops their passion. And since our robotics teams are so diverse, the differences in perspectives allow us to identify problems and possible solutions early on. Passion is what drives people and the diverse environment at UWCSEA helps us create better products.
From my experiences as a member of the First Robotics Competition (FRC) team that won the FRC last year, I learnt that even though technological knowledge and experience are the bases for entering the field of Design Technology, without effective communication and collaboration, no team can maximise the performance of each member and the team as a whole.
At the start of our work, it was stressful because we had different levels of skills and approaches which resulted in disagreements, but over time, we learned to work together as a team. I tried to be the person who listened to others while at the same time, advocating for my opinions. I think this approach helped bring people together.
As an innovator, I love creating with both my mind and my hands – especially making things that open up new possibilities. For example, building a robot that can be used differently by using new or more durable materials.
The guidance of teachers like Mr Matthew Weaver helped me improve as an innovator and a leader.
He is a good mentor because he does not tell us what to do. His style is to make us think and grow, giving good advice at the right time. I appreciate that Mr Weaver treats each student as an individual and as an engineer.
With my experiences at Innovation@East, I now approach art with a new perspective and ambition. I love playing the Koto because it enables me to express my identity and my pride in Japanese culture. With the skills I’ve gained as an innovator at UWCSEA, I hope that I could create a new form of Japanese traditional culture by blending live Koto performances with lighting, sound and visuals powered by technology.
Hikari’s growth is a testament to how UWCSEA’s learning programme empowers students to explore beyond traditional boundaries, understand their strengths, develop crucial life skills, and take charge of their own learning.
#UWCSEAGiving invests in a future with possibilities and potential, empowering more young people to be the change they want to see in the world.
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