16-year old Greek student Christos Vekios shined at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship winning second place among IT competitors from Europe and ninth overall.
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 13-22, aims to teach essential skills in these programs. These 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. He said his journey with computers began at the age of four, after accidentally opening a closet at home, and finding a laptop that his parents didn’t use.
At first, he used it to listen to music and watch movies, but at the age of 10, he started to realize that computers were something he was interested in.
He began crafting 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 face off against international peers.
Vekios secured 2nd place in his region and 9th 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 like Hollywood, Disneyland, and Santa Monica Beach.
Greek students excel in robotics
Greek students ranked 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 world, through the inventive eyes of young people.
Greece won 2 bronze medals, as well as 2 honors in fourth and eighth place. In recent years Greek students have received numerous awards, winning 9 medals and 20 awards.
