FINCO Reads: Outstanding Student Competition 2025

Theme: A Story That Changed Me

đź“š Are you a primary or secondary student in a government school? Do you love reading and have a story to tell?

If yes, this is your chance to share how one book made you think differently—and express your ideas through digital storytelling!

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Submit Your Entry Online

Click here to submit your entry.

Submit Your Entry Offline

To submit your entry offline, download the entry form and send your completed entry to [email protected], with the subject title: “Name_Category_School Name”.

Download the offline entry form here.

Stay tuned for the winners announcement on 10 Oct 2025!

Follow FINCO’s social media platforms to receive the latest updates.

Categories

The competition is open to primary or secondary school students in government schools only.

Category A

Years 1 to 6

Primary School
Students

Category B

Forms 1 to 3

Lower Secondary School Students

Category C

Forms 4 to 5

Upper Secondary School Students

Prizes

Each category will have one winner and one runner-up, selected based on judging criteria. The top 5 finalists’ submissions will also be uploaded on FINCO’s social media platforms to stand a chance of winning the Most Popular Spark Award.

âś… All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation.
🏅 The top 5 finalists in each category will receive a Certificate of Achievement.

Deadline for Entries: 4 September 2025

Winner

RM500 Cash
& Certificate

1st Runner-up

RM250 Cash
& Certificate

Most Popular Spark Award Winner

RM250 Cash & Certificate

Guidelines

The FINCO Reads: Outstanding Student Competition 2025 with the theme of “A Story That Changed Me” invites you to reflect on a book that made a lasting impact on you and express your insights through digital storytelling.

How can you participate?

What You Need to Do

Create a short video (max 2 minutes) where you talk about a book that changed you.

Step 1: Choose a Book

Pick a book (fiction or nonfiction) that made a difference in how you think, feel, or behave.

Step 2: Reflect and Plan

Ask yourself:

  • What is the book about? (Write 1–2 sentences as a short summary of the story.)
  • How did the book make you think or feel differently about something? 
  • Did you behave or do something different after reading the book?
  • What message or idea would you like to share with others?

Step 3: Prepare Your Video Presentation

  • Make a short script using this outline:
    • Introduce yourself – Share your name and school 
    • Share the book title and author– Mention the book’s title and the author’s name.
    • Give a short summary of the story- Tell us what the book is about in just 1–2 sentences.
      Example: “This book is about a girl who learns to speak up for herself and helps others do the same.”
    • Explain how the book impacted you- Describe how the book changed your way of thinking, feeling, or doing something.
      Example: “It helped me see that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them.”
    • Share something specific you learned or started doing, or changed in how you behave after reading the book- Talk about a real habit, idea, action, or behaviour you picked up after reading the book.
      Example: “After reading this book, I started writing short stories about animals and nature.” 

      Disclaimer: These examples are provided to inspire creativity and are not meant to be copied. Please come up with your own unique story!

  • Add digital visuals
    • Your video must include simple visuals related to the book. This can be:
      • The book cover
      • A quote or keyword from the story
      • A drawing, photo, or slide showing an idea or scene from the book or something that you did after reading it.
    • You can show these visuals:
      • In the background
      • Side-by-side with you

đź’ˇ You can use simple apps like CapCut, InShot, iMovie, Canva Video, PowerPoint, or Google Slides (with screen recording) to add visuals.

  • Record Your Presentation
    • Make sure you are clearly visible in the video (no voiceovers)
    • Your recording area should be well-lit
    • Speak clearly and confidently in English
    • Keep your video under 2 minutes
    • Save your video using this format: Your Name_Category_SchoolName
      Example: Farah Khadijah_Category B_SK FINCO

Step 4: Submit Your Entry

  • Ask a parent or guardian for permission to enter.
  • Submit your video and complete the Entry Form.
  • If you’re unable to upload the form or video, you can email your entry to us instead to [email protected], with the subject title: Name_Category_School Name

đź’ˇ Tip: If you’re not sure how to use a digital tool, ask your teacher or parent for help!

Helpful Resources

These platforms can help you design slides, edit videos, and present your ideas creatively.

  • CapCut – Easy-to-use video editor with text, stickers, and transitions.
     đź”— https://www.capcut.com
  • iMovie (for Apple users) – Simple app for trimming and enhancing your videos.
     đź”— https://support.apple.com/imovie
  • InShot – User-friendly mobile app for editing and adding fun effects.
     đź”— https://inshot.com
  • Canva for Education – Create beautiful slides, posters, and visuals. You can also use “Present and Record” to film yourself with your slides.
     đź”— https://www.canva.com/education/
  • Google Slides – Design and organise your ideas in a clear visual format.
     đź”— https://slides.google.com
  • Google Meet (with screen recording extension) – You can start a meeting on your own, share your screen, and record your presentation.
     đź”— https://meet.google.com

đź’ˇ These are just suggestions. You do not need to use all these tools, just choose one that helps you present clearly.

What happens after you submit your entry?

Top 5 submissions for each category will be shortlisted.

29th Sept - 3rd Oct: Final Presentation

  • Finalists will present how the book changed their thinking in an online session with a panel of judges.
  • They will also respond to questions from the judges about their reflection and insights.
  • Judges will review all presentations and select the winners based on the judging criteria, which focus on:
    • Personal Reflection and Insight
    • Clarity and Communication
    • Engagement and Delivery

29th Sept - 5th Oct: Online Voting

  • Finalists’ video submissions will be featured on FINCO’s social media platforms for the Most Popular Spark Award. Parental consent is required in the entry form for the video to be shared online.
  • The Most Popular Spark Award will be determined through public voting on social media.
  • The video with the highest number of online votes will be declared the winner of this award.

10 Oct : Winner Announcement

Winners will be announced! Follow FINCO’s Social Media Portals to stay updated.

What are the judges looking for?

How the Book Changed You (50%)

You clearly explain how the book changed your thinking or feelings.

Presentation and Organisation (40%)

Your ideas are well-organised, clear, and confidently presented within 2 minutes.

Use of Digital Elements (10%)

You use digital tools effectively to enhance your message.

  1. Only primary or secondary students from government schools in Malaysia are eligible to participate in this competition. Students who do not meet these criteria will be disqualified.
  2. Entries must be submitted in English and must be the original work of the student.
  3. Incomplete or unsigned submissions will automatically be disqualified.
  4. The presenter must be clearly visible and present throughout the video. Voice-overs are not allowed.
  5. Explicit content is strictly prohibited in the submission.
  6. Parental/Guardian Consent: If you are a student under the age of 18 or submitting on their behalf and are not their parent or guardian, before submitting an entry please ensure you have a parent or guardian’s permission to participate and their agreement to the following terms:
  7. By entering this competition, you agree to give FINCO your permission to publish any materials for promotional or educational purposes on their online platforms.
  8. The publication will take place on the FINCO website, on Facebook and Instagram and it can be used for public relations purposes. In addition, you assure us that you own the rights to the text, photos and videos that you grant us the right to use them. We assume no responsibility for the contents of the individual contributions.
  9. Use and Disclosure of Personal Data and Purpose Specification: FINCO will keep confidential all personal information collected through this competition. We may however disclose such information to the following parties in the course of using the information for the reason it was collected:
  10. A person or company acting on behalf of FINCO;
  11. Any other person or company who has undertaken to keep such information confidential, provided they have a right to such information.
  12. Data Retention: We will keep any personal information you give us as long as there is a reason to do so, for instance to satisfy the law or regulations, or to protect our interests. If not, then we will destroy it by purging it from our electronic, manual, and other filing systems according to our internal procedures and schedules.