Sarkhan:PRC College
Location: NeoCNX
Student Body: 6,000 annual enrollment
Motto: "Lux et Veritas"
Sarkhan's PRC College is one of NeoCNX's leading private Christian K-12 institutions. Renowned for its high academic standards and spiritual guidance, it has been shaping students into disciplined and faith-driven individuals for decades. However, beneath its polished reputation lies a story of growth, adaptability, and the occasional tinkering mind.
One of its notable alumni is MoNoRi-Chan, part of the "Francis '12" graduating class—a cohort remembered for its resilience and ambition. As a midcurver student, MoNoRi-Chan was the epitome of "decent performance"—not the most academically outstanding, but always curious, especially when it came to technology.
The Lunchtime Hacker
While most students at Sarkhan's PRC College spent their lunch breaks socializing or catching up on homework, MoNoRi-Chan preferred exploring the digital realms. During his time at the school, laptops were a rarity, and their use in classrooms was heavily restricted to computer labs. But rules never stifled MoNoRi-Chan’s curiosity.
One fateful lunchtime, armed with his personal laptop and an insatiable thirst for discovery, MoNoRi-Chan began tinkering with the school's servers. It was a casual experiment at first—an exercise in problem-solving. Using generic faculty credentials he managed to uncover, he poked around the systems and stumbled upon vulnerabilities that could make any IT professional cringe.
Among the vulnerabilities was the ability to upload arbitrary files to the school website. Seizing the opportunity, MoNoRi-Chan tested the waters by uploading a c99.php shell, a tool for pentesting that allowed him to explore server directories. Though his experimentation was cut short by the server's antivirus catching and removing the shell, he had already accessed the SQL server’s database credentials—enough to demonstrate the magnitude of the issue.
Instead of exploiting these vulnerabilities further, MoNoRi-Chan chose to send an anonymous tip to the school’s IT department, detailing the flaws he had found. This move was both ethical and strategic, ensuring that the school's systems could be secured while keeping him out of trouble.
A Decade Later
Fast forward ten years, and Sarkhan's PRC College has evolved dramatically. When MoNoRi-Chan returned for a visit, he was struck by the improvements. From revamped IT infrastructure to stricter security protocols, the school had embraced modernity while continuing its mission of faith-based education.
Over a cup of tea in the teacher's lounge, MoNoRi-Chan caught up with Teacher Pipat, one of his former mentors. A seasoned educator with decades of service, Teacher Pipat reflected on the challenges of teaching in a post-COVID era.
“Everything has changed,” Teacher Pipat said, adjusting his glasses. “Online classes are no longer just an option; they're a necessity. But learning all these tools—Zoom, Teams, and the like—has been... taxing. And these letters on the screen? They get smaller every day.”
As the conversation unfolded, it became clear that the shift to hybrid and digital learning had created a divide. While younger teachers adapted quickly, older educators like Teacher Pipat faced a steeper learning curve. He confided to MoNoRi-Chan that he was considering retiring, as the demands of digital teaching grew more challenging.
Legacy of Curiosity
MoNoRi-Chan’s journey at Sarkhan’s PRC College left a lasting imprint on the institution. His early exploits in technology, coupled with his achievements in competitions such as the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Olympics and other IT events, earned the school significant recognition on a national stage. These accomplishments became the foundation for the school's decision to launch a Gifted Education Program for Computer Studies—a specialized track designed to nurture future tech innovators.
However, MoNoRi-Chan himself never saw these accolades as anything extraordinary. Far from embracing the role of a heroic, inspirational figure, he adopted the persona of an anti-hero. To him, his achievements were byproducts of curiosity rather than a noble pursuit of greatness. His hacking escapades, such as pentesting the school’s servers at the age of 15, embodied this mindset: a blend of ingenuity and irreverence, challenging systems to expose their flaws—not for glory, but for the thrill of problem-solving.
This ethos carried forward into his post-school years. In 2015, leveraging the cybersecurity and programming skills he had honed as a teenager, MoNoRi-Chan developed "MEX" School Management System, a Laravel-based web application. Commissioned by a vocational college in Khon Kaen, MEX streamlined administrative tasks like student records, invoicing, and budget management, proving that even an anti-hero could have a meaningful impact on education systems.
Though his path may not align with conventional heroism, MoNoRi-Chan’s story remains a compelling narrative of curiosity, resilience, and the blurred line between rebellion and progress. For Sarkhan’s PRC College, his legacy as an anti-hero is a reminder that inspiration can come in many forms—even from those who defy the norms they seek to improve.
(In retrospect, perhaps the Gifted Education Program should also include a course on ethical pentesting... Just in case another MoNoRi-Chan comes along.)
