This year marked the 25th anniversary of the NAIS SDLC, a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (9th-12th grade) from across the United States and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Attendance is limited to 1,600 students, with a maximum of six students per school. The NAIS PoCC is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools' commitment to equity and justice in teaching, learning, and organizational development. The mission of the conference is to provide a safe space for leadership and professional development, as well as networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools.

During the trip to Nashville, the students also got the opportunity to visit Vanderbilt University to get a feel for the college life. They received a private tour of the campus from recent Awty grad Tamara Naidoo.

Homecoming 2018 - We are Awty Strong!

The Awty community showed just how AWTYSTRONG we are during Awty’s 2018 Homecoming Spirit Week on November 5-9. Students, teachers, and staff all showed their Awty spirit during a week of fun, which included dress up days, a medallion hunt, morning kick, sidewalk chalk decorating, and various contests.

At the end of the week-long celebration, the students, staff, and faculty came together and showed their Awty pride at the annual Homecoming Pep Rally on Friday, November 9. The pep rally kicked off with a special video created by sophomore Alexander Gadin and the Cinematography Club. It featured a number of familiar faces...

The Awty International School owns exclusive rights to this video. Please do not share this video to any public media platform or with anyone outside of the Awty Community.

During the pep rally, both the Girls Varsity Soccer Team and the Boys Varsity Soccer Team were introduced. The students who had been nominated to the 2018 Homecoming Court were also introduced. Entertainment was provided by the cheerleaders, dance team, drum line, band, and Rambo, Awty's mascot.

Homecoming week culminated with two varsity soccer games versus The British International School of Houston that Friday night at Awty Field. The Varsity Girls Soccer Team played first, sweeping the Bulldogs with a 7-0 shutout. The Varsity Boys Soccer game followed and the Awty Rams ended in a 1-1 tie with the BISH Bulldogs.

At halftime during the boys' game, the 2018 Homecoming Court was announced, where senior Sarah Mekha was crowned Homecoming Queen and senior Nabeel Diab was selected as the Homecoming King. Awty's 2018 Homecoming Court also included 11th grade/1ère Princess Daniela Lelo De Larrea and Prince Dane Akiri, 10th grade/2nde Princess Katia Petrosky and Prince Jean-Luc Shimizu, and 9th grade/3ème Princess Dalia Almogharbel and Prince Alfredo Lelo De Larrea Flores. Congratulations to all!

ten students from terlingua visit awty

During Homecoming week, Awty had the pleasure of hosting ten 8th grade students and two teachers from Terlingua Common School District, located just outside Big Bend National Park. It was the first-ever class trip in the history of the 1-A school.

The students stayed with host families and attended classes with Awty 8th graders during the day, while enjoying a variety of field trips in the afternoon and early evening. A select group of Awty’s 8th grade students participated in a combined field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Wednesday afternoon, where the Head of English Department Mrs. Jan Castleberry’s husband Joe Pat guided them through the Hall of Paleontology. While visiting the museum, the students also participated in a presentation and lab on the phases of the moon.

During their stay in Houston, the Terlingua students visited several popular attractions including Battleship Texas, The Galleria, Hong Kong City Mall, and the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. They spent time at Rice University and took a trip to Galveston. The students also attended Awty's Homecoming pep rally and soccer games. At the end of this amazing week, the Terlingua students and teachers, along with their host families, enjoyed dinner at Benihana Japanese Restaurant.

The week was a valuable addition to Awty's Big Bend tradition. After completing projects during the annual trips to Big Bend, the Awty community was honored to finally welcome some of the Terlingua students and teachers to Houston. Plans are already underway for a reunion in far West Texas this spring.

Awty's 2018 Fall Fun Festival - under the big top!

The rainy weather didn't stop the circus from coming to town for Awty's 2018 Fall Fun Festival, which was hosted by the Awty Parents and Personnel Association (APPA). Hundreds of members of the Awty community came out and had a blast under the big top on October 20.

The APPA would like to thank all of the incredible volunteers and families who braved the rain and made the festival a huge success! The Awty spirit was present and shining bright! Without our parent volunteers, especially this year’s event chairs Abeer Alattar and Dalia Moftah, this event would not have been possible. Special thanks to the Sage Dining staff and Awty's maintenance staff, as well as the festival sponsors including the Awty Alumni Association, Alarcon Financial Strategies, LLC, CAPS & bold, L2, and Nick's Fish Dive & Oyster Bar for stepping right up and bringing the "Greatest Show on Earth" to life on Awty's campus.

Awty connects week

In April 2019, all Secondary students will participate in Awty Connects Week for the first time. Awty Connects Week has been implemented as part of Awty's newly established Experiential Education Program. The goal of experiential education at Awty is for the students to discover and connect to the world in a meaningful way that expands the boundaries of traditional education and allows for independent thinking and growth.

Awty Connects Week will do just this, giving students and faculty a chance to connect to the world outside of the classroom... connecting to nature and the outdoors, to the past, to real-life work experiences, to other cultures, languages, and ways of life, to each other, and so much more.

The 6th grade/6ème students will participate in day trips in and around the greater Houston area to places like High Island Bird Sanctuary and Brazos Bend State Park. The 7th grade/5ème students will travel to Washington, D.C., where they will explore the historical foundations of the United States and visit a variety of museums. The 8th grade/4ème students will continue a 30-year Awty tradition and travel to Big Bend and the remote splendor of west Texas. The 9th grade/3ème students will undertake an internship in a field of their choice, giving them a dynamic hands-on experience in real-life professions. The 10th grade/2nde and 11th grade/1ère students will have the opportunity to learn about the world first hand through travel, exploring new cultures, learning about historical events in person, being immersed in other languages, and even exploring new areas of Texas. The 12th grade/Tle students will be eagerly preparing for their International Baccalaureate or French Baccalaureate exams during this week. They will be sitting for practice exams and looking forward to graduation.

2018-2019 Student ambassadors

The Awty Student Ambassadors support the Admissions Office by enthusiastically welcoming prospective students and their families to Awty. Throughout the year, applicants to the Secondary School will meet Student Ambassadors on student-led tours, at our annual Open House, during Shadow Visit Days, and at various other events.

Awty Student Ambassadors are students in good standing, engaged in their education, involved in the school community, and respected by their peers and the faculty. They model the school’s values and embody the school’s vision and mission of preparing students to live, lead, and work anywhere in the world where their passions and talents should take them.

Meet our Student Ambassador Leadership Team

YOU CAN HELP PROMOTE AWTY!

As members of the Awty community, we want you to be our cheerleaders. You can help promote Awty by following these quick, easy steps:

1. Like Awty's page on Facebook. Follow Awty on Twitter. Subscribe to Awty's YouTube channel.
2. Like or love the school's post on each social media account.
3. Share the school's posts on Facebook and retweet the school's tweets on Twitter.
4. Write positive comments on each post.
5. Write positive reviews on Facebook, niche.com, greatschools.org, (and if you work at Awty, glassdoor.com).