UWC ISAK Japan

Category: Leadership

We wanted to try a hackathon. The three of us had been learning to code for a while, but we had no idea how our skills compared to students outside UWC ISAK. So we signed up for the NASA Space Apps Challenge, just to see
From a boarding house at UWC ISAK Japan to the global stage, Miki has built her life around one mission: creating world peace. Her diverse community at ISAK, where students from 90 countries navigated their differences daily, taught her that "if peace becomes the goal,
Kellen never expected to lose his way so close to school. One afternoon, he stumbled into a deforested clearing behind UWC ISAK Japan. It wasn't the presence of too many trees that confused him—it was the absence. That moment of disorientation sparked a mission: creating
From a student-led earthquake relief project to leading an NGO that's building a public library in Nepal and supporting 94 scholarship students, Karma (Class of 2017) shows how UWC ISAK's values of leadership and diversity continue to shape UWC ISAK alumni work around the world.
English teacher Jared Keddy reflects on supervising a CAS trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which reshaped his views on leadership development. Through student-led initiatives like EduforHope, the trip emphasized real-world learning, leadership flexibility, and community impact, underscoring UWC ISAK Japan’s mission to foster independent, compassionate

UWC ISAK Japan is proud to share the launch of the Alumni Action Fund (AAF)—a JPY100 million initiative created to support startups led by UWC ISAK alumni who are taking bold action to solve real-world problems. While not managed by the school itself, the Fund

UWC ISAK Japan students led the return of Entrepreneur Weekend, a high-intensity event where participants launch startups in just 54 hours. After competing at Startup Weekend Nagoya, they’re brought their experience back to campus—ready to inspire innovation and action.
UWC ISAK Japan graduate Ken Hodai (‘24) shares his experience leading Panama’s delegation in the Ship for World Youth program, discussing leadership, diplomacy, and personal growth.
UWC ISAK Japan students are leading the return of Entrepreneur Weekend, a high-intensity event where participants launch startups in just 54 hours. After competing at Startup Weekend Nagoya, they’re bringing their experience back to campus—ready to inspire innovation and action.
Miki’s personal account of her journey with the Japanese tea ceremony (Sado) taught her that beyond refined movements, it is a practice of gratitude. Through each gesture and ritual, she discovered the power of appreciation in daily life.
Zamir founded Stars Under the Refuge to support homeless children in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Using a $2,000 grant, the project provides essentials and places children in nurturing orphanages. Overcoming challenges with resilience and empathy, Zamir continues to expand this mission of hope and transformation.
Zamir founded Stars Under the Refuge to help homeless children in Hargeisa, Somaliland. With a $2,000 grant, the project provides essential items and places children in caring orphanages. Despite challenges, Zamir's resilience and empathy drive the ongoing expansion of this transformative mission.
Zamir founded Stars Under the Refuge to support homeless children in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Using a $2,000 grant, the project provides essentials and places children in nurturing orphanages. Overcoming challenges with resilience and empathy, Zamir continues to expand this mission of hope and transformation.
Aya’s GCI Summit journey in Scotland deepened her understanding of global citizenship, creative problem-solving, and intentional listening. Inspired by the experience, she now aims to make a positive impact at ISAK.

Fall Project Week at UWC ISAK Japan is a time of excitement, challenge, and growth for our students. It’s especially significant as it marks the first project week for our Grade 10’s, our 2-year Grade 11 students and the final one for our Grade 12s,

During their Grade 10 year, students Arunabh, Linnel, and Aimi from the Class of 2026 organized a blood donation drive as part of their high school Leadership project to address the shortage of blood donations in Japan. They not only coordinated the event but also

As we wrapped up our 2024 Spring Project Week and celebrated student leadership, the campus was filled with signs of spring. Every school year, we have two special weeks called Project Weeks. One is in the fall, and the other is in the spring, just

UWC ISAK Japan students Ann, Ananya, and Terri chose to tackle the pressing issue of Japan’s aging population through their year-long project in Grade 10 Japanese class. Their project combined learning Japanese with improving Leadership skills by engaging with Seizanso, a local nursing home. They

UWC ISAK Japan alumna Nora Nyi Myint (’18) is at the forefront of advocating for peace in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup that led to a violent civil conflict. As a Senior Program Associate for Burma at the International Republican Institute in Washington D.C.,

UWC ISAK Japan recently had the distinct privilege of welcoming Takuma Kawauchiya, a master watchmaker from Seiko, who has been honored with the title of Contemporary Master Craftsman by the Japanese government. This accolade is a testament to his unparalleled skill and innovation in the

After graduating high school, UWC ISAK Japan alum An leveraged her unexpected rise as a YouTuber to create an educational scholarship supporting young changemakers in Vietnam. This move, inspired by her transformative time at UWC ISAK Japan, marks the beginning of her journey to give back, blending

I’m Niko, recently elected as the head of our student council, “SNOW,” for 2024. My connection with UWC ISAK started back at the UWC ISAK Japan Summer School 2024, an experience that profoundly changed my life and led me to apply to ISAK’s three-year high

How one alum wrapped an NYC train in Spiderman silk In late 2023, UWC ISAK Japan alum Bach (’18 / Vietnam) took a ride on the 42nd Street Shuttle train in New York. The route was pretty routine, but for a three-week period last fall,

Our Grade 11 student Midori coauthored a research paper that won this year’s National Society Young Scientist Support Programme Award from the Japanese Society for Strabismus and Amblyopia. She is the second author of this paper called ‘Investigation of a new strabismus detection method using

Anastasiia, affectionately known as “Nastia,” https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2105113/a Grade 12 student at UWC ISAK Japan, and her peers, Sofiia and another Anastasiia, have been honored with the International Children’s Peace Prize. Their dedication to aiding refugee children fleeing conflict in their native Ukraine garnered international acclaim. It