HIS Activities
HIS supports and promotes numerous activities outside the classroom that are rewarding, educational, and fun for our students (parents and teachers, too!). Extracurricular activity offerings at HIS provide students with the opportunities to accomplish to a greater degree the educational outcomes, or TADs (Transdisciplinary Skills and Dispositions), of the school's curriculum.
Specifically, students find opportunities to grow in leadership, communication, problem-solving, collaboration, self-discipline and service towards others. Students can achieve growth in these areas through joining a sports team, participating in the ACT service club, running for student council positions or joining in the culminating Global Village Habitat for Humanity trip offered to graduating seniors. Students at HIS can be described as highly involved and we encourage you to find your place for involvement.
Student Council
The HIS Student Council is an eleven-member secondary organization made up of representatives that are elected by their peers. Student Council is foremost a service organization, with the primary objective of making HIS a better environment for students. There are five executive officers that are elected by secondary students and a representative for each grade that are elected by their class peers. Student council’s mission statement is to initiate and develop projects to make HIS a great place. The main responsibility of each member is to be the voice for their grade and their peers at HIS. Student Council organizes and plans numerous events throughout the year such as dance parties, the End of the Year Party at the Sheraton, weekly secondary assemblies, welcoming new secondary students and teachers throughout the year, promoting special events, updating information on the Student Council board monthly, four weeks of intramural sports, spirit days and spirit stick activities, Winter Sports Pep Rally, secondary Talent Show, monthly virtues, and monthly community service projects.
Community Service
Throughout the academic year, at least once each month, HIS students coordinate and participate in community service projects. Neighborhood clean-up campaigns, snow-removal, collecting Christmas gifts for underprivileged and orphaned children, and beach clean-up are just a few of the projects HIS students engage in to support the local community. Also, each year, the Senior class travels to the Philippines for a Habitat For Humanity construction project.
Kyoto Trip
HIS students take an educational point-of-interest class trip to Kyoto at the end of Junior High (9th grade). Kyoto is considered the cultural center of Japan and the 9th grade students participate in traditional Japanese cultural events and activities. Time is also spent exploring and enjoying nearby Osaka and Kobe. Junior high students have three years to raise funds for these trips, and are encouraged and expected to do so as a homeroom. Parents will be asked to fund the amount required above the funds students are able to raise.
Japanese Culture Week
A week-long festival at HIS packed with various activities including traditional Japanese dress, dance, music, food, games, and “mochi-pounding” or mochitsuki – the pounding of rice cakes, which is essential to the “Oshogatsu” or New Year’s celebration. Mochitsuki is a whole community event which requires many hands and is a time of fellowship and socializing with friends and family.
AdHOC
AdHOC (Adventure Hokkaido Outdoor Club) is the outdoor club here at HIS led by students and Mr. Piazza. Every year the club goes on numerous trips throughout the beautiful island of Hokkaido... they do an autumn climb of Tokachi-dake, snowshoe to mining ruins near Lake Shikotsu, go whitewater rafting in Mukawa, climb and snowshoe Mt. Sapporo, and go to a waterfall in Eniwa, and more! This club is a great opportunity to improve your outdoor abilities, see some beautiful sights in Hokkaido, and make friends.
ACT Club
The ACT Club was established to foster a greater sense of stewardship and responsibility-taking for the global issues that increasingly impact all of us. In 2006-07, this club raised funds to meet the needs of tsunami victims in the wake of the Sumatra Earthquake disaster. In 2009 it organized a Santa present drive for a local orphanage and in 2010 it lead the entire school on a successful energy reduction campaign. For students interested in making a difference in this world, this is the club for you!
Takino
Takino Suzuran is a local campground and snowpark. It is about 15 km from school, and each year, all HIS students from 4th-12th grades have spent an overnight at Takino in March. This annual favorite is a great event for team building, adventure, outdoor activity and fun.
Kitara
Kitara is Sapporo’s finest Concert Hall, in Nakajima Koen. Recently, HIS has held an annual concert there in May. This concert has generated money for scholarships and the HIS music program. It is a BIG event requiring much effort, support, and rehearsal. It is also great!
Spring Bazaar
A major community event, fundraiser and flea market, held annually in late May. Food, fun, and great bargains abound.
Fall Festival
One of the major fund-raising and community events of the year, the Fall Festival is coordinated by HuPA and annually attracts hundreds of locals and expatriates to sample international cuisine and crafts, hear and watch HIS students perform, and play games.
Winter Celebration
The end of the calendar year marks the onset of full winter in Hokkaido and is a time that is traditionally taken by many cultures to mark the occasion with celebrations. Winter Celebration is the way that HIS brings the school community together to mark the end of the calendar year with food and entertainment. It is also a chance for the school to showcase some of the arts and academic achievements that students have made over the course of the fall semester.
More HIS Activities
In addition to the above, there are many more activities at HIS. There's always something happening. Spaghetti dinners, movie nights at the school, school sleepovers, class dinners at local restaurants ... check back soon for more information on these and other HIS activities.
