Sixteen-year old Greek student Christos Vekios shined at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship, winning second place among IT competitors from Europe and ninth internationally.
The Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship is a global competition that tests students’ skills on Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Top students are invited to represent their respective countries at the World Championship.
The competition, tailored for youths aged 13 to 22, aims to teach essential skills in these programs. Such skills are vital in today’s digital world, where technology is embedded in daily and professional life. The competition not only imparts knowledge but also offers exciting prizes to attract young participants.
The Greek student and his passion for IT
In an interview with the Athens-Macedonia News Agency (AMNA), Vekios described how his passion for IT evolved. According to Vekios, his journey with computers began at the age of four after accidentally opening a closet at home and finding a laptop that his parents hadn’t been using.
Initially, he used the laptop to listen to music and watch movies, but at the age of 10, he realized that computers were something he was interested in.
He crafted websites for friends and family, gradually becoming the resident tech expert in his circle. Eager to expand his skills, he ventured into robotics competitions, clinching a gold medal with his team and earning national and international recognition.
“I first learned about the competition by chance when I saw a news report about the silver medalist with my grandfather,” Vekios explained.
Determined to compete, he joined a specialized training center and, within a year, climbed to fifth place in the Pan-Hellenic competition. The following year, he conquered the Microsoft Word category, earning a trip to California to compete against international peers.
Vekios secured second place in his region and ninth place globally, further highlighting Greece’s presence in the world ranking. The competition also provided opportunities for cultural exchange, with the Greek student visiting iconic sites such as Hollywood, Disneyland, and Santa Monica Beach.
Greek students excel in robotics
Greek students ranked at the top in Europe and fourth worldwide among 451 teams from 90 countries at the World Robot Olympiad that took place recently in Panama.
The World Robot Olympiad is one of the most important international competitions in the world, as it highlights the importance of technology and science in creating a more functional society through the inventive eyes of young people.
Greece won two bronze medals, as well as two honors in fourth and eighth place. In recent years, Greek students have received numerous awards, winning nine medals and twenty awards.
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