Christos Vekios: Greek student excels, ranks 9th globally at Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship

A student of the 1st high school excelling in international IT competitions won 2nd place in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and 9th place worldwide in the Microsoft Office Specialist championship, putting Greece in the world ranking.

Christos Vekios described to AMNA how he managed to highlight his passion and talent in IT, developing skills that have led him to the top.

"In the summer, I had the honour to represent my country in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship (MOSWC) 2024, taking 9th place," Christos Vekios proudly points out and explains that "this competition aims to teach new people aged 13-22 to use basic office applications such as Word, which specialises in word processing, PowerPoint, which specialises in presentations, and Excel, which specialises in spreadsheets.

"This knowledge is necessary in a society where computers are increasingly integrated into our lives and have become an integral part of the work environment. Thus, the competition combines the assimilation of this important knowledge with a championship that can arouse interest even more because of the tempting rewards and the whole atmosphere of a competition."

As he says, his path with computers began at the age of four. He accidentally opened a closet at home and found a laptop 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 realise that computers were something he was interested in.

He watched video guides for anything that interested him and started making websites for acquaintances and friends. Gradually, he developed and became the go-to person for all electronic matters around him.

Looking for ways to develop this passion, he participated in robotics competitions, winning a gold medal with his team and achieving national and world-level honours.

"I learned about this competition by chance when my grandfather was watching the news, and I saw a report about the silver champion at the time," noted Christos. "I took lessons at a school that specialises in this championship."

"In the first year, I came fifth in the pan-Hellenic competition, and in the second year, I managed to win first place in the Microsoft Word category. With this win, I travelled to California to compete with students from all over the world, realising the range of skills that the competition requires," the teenager continued.

"There, I managed to take 2nd place in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as 9th place worldwide, thus putting Greece back in the World Ranking. But apart from the competition, I got to know different cultures and saw up close places like Hollywood, Disneyland and Santa Monica Beach," he added.

Christos emphasises that his MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) distinction was the most important.

"In Greece, the competition has been held for 22 years, and as far as the Greek procedures are concerned, there are three phases of the competition. In the first phase, thousands of students participate in the championship in one of the three sections: Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Of these, the 100 best are invited to the grand pan-Hellenic final, and the first three in total, go to the third phase, where they are given the opportunity to travel for a week to America to compete with all the other participating countries, which amount to 85, and then to highlight the big winners who claim financial scholarships or other gifts, such as computers and gaming machines," explained the 15-year-old.

Christos Vekios states that he is particularly concerned with the violence and delinquency of minors, as he says, "I am concerned by the fact that many children are marginalised and the most unpleasant thing is that most of us are just spectators, while we should be preventing this."

"Especially at a time when teenage delinquency is on the rise, it is critical to give young people creative outlets. The MOS competition and all related competitions are excellent examples as they offer students opportunities to develop their skills and gain valuable experiences. Through such activities, young people can avoid negative cycles and channel their energy in productive directions," he added.

Referring to the preparation needed to achieve distinction in this field, he said it is intensive and demanding.

“I focused on improving my knowledge, but also on time and pressure management, which proved crucial during the competition. Although the conditions were difficult, the sense of challenge kept me determined to give my best," he emphasised, adding that for those young people interested in participating in such competitions, "I would advise them that the most important thing is patience and perseverance. Continuous improvement and discipline are the keys to reaching world-class. Despite the challenges, with the right approach, everything is possible."

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