Four men and two teams have been chosen to receive the highest accolade for youths - The Singapore Youth Award.

Adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow has done Singapore proud many times by conquering mountains, such as the Everest and Mount Xixabangma.

Now he can add one more item to his list of achievements-the Singapore Youth Award.

"The young ones look up to me and what I feel would be my greatest contribution is to let them see me as a human being through my failures and through my struggles and if they can say 'Hey, if a boy-next-door can do it, I can too,'" Khoo said.

Singapore's internationally acclaimed string quartet, the T'ang Quartet was also chosen.

They are currently in the US, after being appointed the quartet-in-residence with the Young Artists Orchestra at the prestigious Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

The Singapore youth award is the highest award for outstanding youths in Singapore. To receive the award, recipients will have to have a proven track record in their respective fields and also must have contributed significantly to society.

And doing that since 1990 is NUS's Students' Union Volunteer Action Committee (NVAC).

Instead of being an insular group, the NVAC also supports community service projects by other student bodies in and outside NUS, such as helping tutor residents of Boys' Town.

"I should say that all of us should give our time for the community and for the less fortunate. The most important thing is that you can make a difference to their lives and to your own life as well," said Teo Chun Yong, Chairperson of the NVAC.

Another recipient is Dr Patrick Tan, for his contributions towards research in genetics.

"For research, you need to look outside Singapore. You need to compete with the best in the world. Having said that we also need to recognise that, to avoid cynicism that we are not relevant in Singapore."

Other award recipients are Dr Allen Yeoh, whose work has enhanced the detection of leukemia cells in children, and Mr Kent Tey, an entrepreneur who managed to turn a small fledging company selling corporate gifts into a million dollar one.

They will receive their awards from Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday.