Chapter 23: Co-curricular Activities and Opportunities

The ISH Co-curricular sports programmes offer pathways for sport development from Year 7 to Year 13 in a wide range of individual and team sports. Competitive and recreational sport plays a key part in developing an ISH student's potential, no matter the level of experience or the type of sporting activity. All of the programmes benefit from both fantastic onsite and offsite facilities along with the involvement of a team of highly qualified coaches.

The ISH Silverbacks competitive sports programme across three seasons provides students with the opportunity to train once or twice a week and access a schedule of local and international fixtures and competitions. The season starts with a signup letter where everybody can show their interest in joining a team. Tryouts will take place for the coaches to decide who will be selected in representing the ISH Silverbacks. The Varsity (U18) and Junior Varsity (U16) teams seasons culminate with a international schools tournament in the European Schools Conference, involving some of the best international school teams in the European region.

Accompanying our competitive sports offer is the ISH Silverbacks recreational programme. The programme is designed to provide many different opportunities for our students, to allow them to find a sport that will motivate them for a life-time of a proactive lifestyle. We aim to provide five or six different activities per season. This can be on-site along with off site activities with trusted activity partners. Activities have included fencing, aikido, badminton, climbing, cricket, power kiting, skateboarding, surfing, bootcamp, crossfit, dancing, climbing, bouldering, and volleyball.

In addition to the Co-curricular Sports programme, ISH offers Co-curricular Clubs for students ranging from academics and the arts, to sustainability and global awareness. These clubs are led by staff - and students themselves - under the guidance of the service team (SA/SL Coordinator, CAS Coordinator, Administrative Assistant for Service Learning and Co-curricular Activities). Students across all three IB programmes are encouraged to participate in a variety of clubs, many of which support the fulfilment of Service as Action, Service Learning and Creativity, Activity and Service requirements. Current Co-curricular Clubs at ISH include, but are not limited to, the Chickeneers, Robotics, ISMTF Maths Club and Speak Up! Presentation Skills.

23.1.2 The ISH Interhouse System
When students join ISH they are assigned to one of our four houses: Dragons, Leopards, Lions and Wolves. The purpose of a house system is to create opportunities for competitions in the school. Students get a chance to connect with other students in the same house and have a chance to compete in sports and different activities throughout the school year hosted by House Captains. We hope to create a healthy and competitive spirit throughout all the year groups.

At ISH we believe our whole community should be given the freedom and confidence to find their inner artist; be it as a creator, performer, or observer. To achieve this, our experienced team of teaching artists - and wider network of industry professionals and arts institutes - are as one, working together to make students’ artistic dreams come to life.

We have two main performance spaces: a main drama studio which acts as a multi-purpose dance and drama performance space, and a second studio complete with state-of-the-art film equipment. Both studios have green screen and industry relevant lighting and sound to make sure our students can take the lead and reach their full potential in the technical world of theatre. These are very much working spaces, giving our students a real and unique taste of what might await them in the world of professional performance.

Students get involved in our ISH production and junior production teams so they can learn about directing, set design, audio/visual set up, stage management, props, costume, make-up, everything that is required to successfully stage a ‘whole show’. Notable recent productions include: Rats, The Community, Dr. Seuss's The Grinch, Alan Ayckbourn's Between Mouthfuls, a site specific outdoor reimagining of Grimm's Hansel & Gretel, and an imaginative interpretation of Murder on the Orient Express.

The desire to perform and create starts at an early age. Strong links with ISH Primary provide opportunities for our 14 - 15 year-old MYP theatre students to deliver concept based inquiry workshops.

Students learn about cameras, lighting, audio recording, editing, and visual effects, as well as scriptwriting, directing, and producing. Students work with professional videographers, participate in editing workshops, and attend regular trips to film screenings at the Filmhuis in The Hague. Throughout the year, students work towards producing a short film and have the opportunity to enter their films for the Roots Film Festival. ISH TV also operates as part of a smaller film crew on recording and live streaming events at ISH, working with specialist broadcast equipment. Students aged 15 - 18 are invited to be part of ISH Live Stream Crew, learning how to operate multi-camera-angle live editing equipment at the beginning of the year and then volunteering to live-stream sporting events, shows, and much more. Students who are inspired to write, produce and direct their own screenplays are fully supported by our team of teaching artists. Once every year, students aged 12 - 14 visit the Filmhuis for introductory workshops inspiring them to reach further with their creativity.

ISH Dance and Junior Dance Crews are run by student dance captains, and perform as part of our production teams. We have strong links with The Netherlands Dance Theatre, and welcome annual workshops and performances from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and The Dutch Don't Dance Division. We have offered short courses in breakdance and hip hop from Styles Academy in The Hague, and continue to grow our dance programme further.

ISH Symphony Orchestra, ISH Percussion, Strings and Wind Ensembles, Jazz Band and Rock Bands have enjoyed the opportunity to work with specialist professional musicians alongside our teaching artists. They have played in rock festivals, concerts, and collaborative performance opportunities. Events like ISH Stock are always very well supported by our whole community.

As passionate music specialists we offer master classes in improvisation, duets, rap, spoken word and DJ-ing. Our choirs Glee and Junior Glee sing acapella, pop, musical, rock and jazz hits, whilst International Voices work with the Academy of Vocal Arts in The Hague to explore global music and a range of classical repertoire. We have worked with Rewire in collaboration with performance artists Stephanie Pan and Yun Lee across all the arts. The Amstel Saxophone Quartet work closely with our IBDP Musicians, and we are developing strong links with the Amare. The tech equipment and music programme software we have at ISH is unrivalled, and we are proud to boast our very own recording studio.

Students can study music theory and Solfa, with the option of working towards Trinity Music Examinations. Students can sign up for 1:1 instrumental, vocal, or theatre tutoring. Lessons take place in our five soundproof practice rooms or specialist drama studios.

Throughout the year, we run trips to museums, theatres and concerts both in the cultural hub of The Hague and beyond. Our theatre and visual arts IBDP students embark on a trip to London in their first year, and London comes to ISH with visits from companies like Frantic Assembly and the National Theatre, as well as freelance musical theatre performers, actors, directors, playwrights, videographers and theatre technicians.

We are proud of our thought-provoking and excellent IBDP Visual Art student exhibitions and interviews. Our team of teaching visual artists work hard to curate student art work throughout the year, often in collaboration with product design and musical performances. We are lucky enough to have had the opportunity to enrich our visual arts programme with ongoing workshops and visits from industry professionals, including fashion designers, weavers, ceramics specialists, street artists and illustrators, and we have also made links with anime artists and cartoonists. Students of visual arts have access to four fully kitted out arts studios, with a kiln, laser cutter and a dark room.

Students involved in the arts often chose to tie in their projects with Service Action (SA), Service Learning (SL) or Creativity Action Service (CAS).

The arts at ISH are driven by our Arts Collective: a group of voluntary learners aged 16 - 18 who are our student voice for the arts. Their first port of call is the Arts Gala, a celebration evening for all students taking part in Co-curricular Arts where our logo, social media accounts, and merchandise can be shared.

We fully believe the arts are for everyone, and we invite members of our community to get involved in any capacity they choose.

23.2.1 Malcolm Davies Music Centre (MDMC)
There is a range of after-school activities available for Secondary students, including private music lessons.

The Malcolm Davies Music Centre (MDMC) is a group of independent music tutors who provide private music lessons for our students. Via the school website parents can connect with the music tutors directly and arrange for music lessons after school. The Secondary Office confirms the bookings of these lessons.

Music is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people as possible is a benefactor of humanityZoltán Kodály

Tutors at the MDMC believe in just that: learning music engages and develops children’s brains and contributes to the acquisition of good social skills, supporting them to become well-rounded human beings.

At ISH we encourage and support students to engage with issues of importance to the local, regional, national and global community. Throughout the year there is a wide range of Service Learning events and activities that students can get involved with and students are also encouraged to initiate their own projects and student-led activities. Student involvement in Service Learning is one of the Core components in each of the Secondary School IB programmes: CAS in the DP, Service as Action in the MYP and Service Learning in the CP.

23.3.1 Student Council
The purpose of the Student Council is to represent, support and promote the student body of the International School of The Hague across all year groups. As a fully inclusive body, it strives to fairly meet the needs of students, meeting weekly to discuss any matters concerning the whole student community. All activities of the Student Council must be directed towards this purpose, and the purpose of fundraising. The Student Council is an independent organisation of students elected by the student body who attend the International School of The Hague. The Student Council is always open and proactive about engaging in positive constructive dialogue with all parties in the interests of the student body.

23.3.2 Charity Fundraising Activities
At ISH, we aim to educate our students about local and global issues, as well as the responsibilities that come with being global citizens. Throughout the school year, opportunities are available for students to support charitable organisations through fundraising activities, as well as volunteering. Examples of this include helping raise funds for local groups Haagse Helpers and Kessler Stichting, and global groups UNICEF, and the Walk of Hope.

23.3.3 Global Issues Network (GIN)
The Global Issues Network (GIN) at the International school of The Hague, is part of the worldwide educational platform for students who want to make the world a better place. In groups, students work together on various information, awareness-raising, norm-shifting and other hands- on activities to help solve global issues that they are passionate about. The aim of the Global Issues Network is to empower ISH students to experience their strengths and talents with the UN Sustainable Development Goals serving as inspiration. For teachers, it is an inspirational experience to coach these students on a weekly basis, as it leads to authentic learning and new ideas for curriculum planning. Student initiatives range from animal welfare to welcoming refugees to our community, from promoting recycling and energy reduction to gender equality at ISH.

Every year, GIN students in collaboration with the GIN advisors organise a GIN day at ISH, where ISH students and students from other schools in the Netherlands inspire each other to take action. GIN day 2024 was themed "Our Planet - Our Future - Our Home - Let’s Share It” and hosted a wide variety of student-led workshops as well as workshops led by local community organisations.

23.3.4 Model United Nations (MUNISH)
Model United Nations (MUN) is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to engage and educate participants about the United Nations, global issues, international relations, diplomacy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants develop several skills throughout the process, including but not limited to: public speaking, critical thinking, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, and policy crafting.

Since December 1991, ISH has organised its own conference, Model United Nations International School of The Hague (MUNISH). MUNISH takes place in the first week of November each year, attracting students from around the world and is aimed at delegates between the ages of 11 - 19 years. For three days, students assume the roles of world leaders and international decision makers. The participants of MUNISH, numbering over 1,000 each year, join to debate, discuss and consider complex issues that affect our world today and
seek solutions to these problems. For example, 'questions of human rights, protection of the environment, economic development, disarmament, the problems of youth and of refugees, as well as the more critical issues of war and peace' (THIMUN). MUNISH leaves participants with a new perspective on our world and of their roles in shaping it. It is these ideals that make MUNISH the true embodiment of Model United Nations. The MUNISH conference, the largest secondary school MUN conference in the Netherlands, is a cornerstone of Experiential Learning at ISH, of which we are rightly proud. As stated in the MUNISH mission statement, MUNISH is 'a conference run by youth, for today’s youth, to benefit the youth of tomorrow'.

In addition, since December 1991, ISH secondary has also been part of organising and participating in THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations), the largest MUN conference in the world. ISH students also participate in other MUN conferences around the Netherlands, for example, MiniMUN, BSNMUN, HagaMUN, HMUN and other THIMUN-affiliated conferences. We therefore highly encourage ISH students to join Model United Nations (MUN). 'Delegates today. Leaders tomorrow!’

For more information about MUNISH please visit the website at www.munish.nl.

23.3.5 The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award at ISH
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award allows students to develop transferable skills, increase their fitness levels, cultivate a sense of adventure and volunteer in their community, the Award helps young people to find their purpose, passion and place in the world.

Here at ISH we offer all 3 levels of the Award; Bronze, Silver and Gold. Students at ISH can take part in a number of different activities (physical, skill and service), either working on improving current skills or trying something completely new. One part of the award students look forward to the most is the adventurous journey. This involves training, planning and preparing in small groups for a hiking and camping expedition for 1, 2 or 4 nights, depending on the award level. Students are out on their own (in small groups), navigating (without technology) their pre-planned route, cooking their own meals on a camp stove and then pitching their tents for the overnight stays.

Students often find this the most challenging, yet most fun and rewarding part of the Award but also gain a lot from all activities they carry out throughout the Award.
Students can sign up for the award at the start of Years 10, 11 or 12. For further reading: https:// www.dukeofed.org.

23.3.6 Silverbacks Engineering
For over 7 years, Silverbacks Engineering has been a prominent club at ISH. During this time, we have actively participated in the Shell Eco Competition, initially with a traditional petrol car but later transitioning to an environmentally friendly Eco Car powered by a battery. Our journey took a significant leap in 2022 when we embraced the "Green Power Eco Car" initiative. This incredible opportunity allowed us to acquire a kit car, which we constructed before competing against clubs from the Netherlands and Belgium.

Through this remarkable project, our students gained invaluable knowledge and experience in building a complete car. They also learnt to enhance various aspects of the vehicle, including the chassis and other upgrades, to ensure the car remained competitive throughout the race.

The winner of the race was determined by the number of laps completed, providing a thrilling challenge for our team.