Our mission is to make ISAK a place where taking action becomes the norm, and where every student has the courage to turn "zero into one."
We hosted Entrepreneur Weekend twice during our Grade 10 year, bringing together ISAK students and middle and high school students from across Japan to develop startup ideas over three days, with mentorship from professional entrepreneurs. As we moved into Grade 11, we began sending Grade 10 students to Startup Weekend events in Tokyo and Nagoya, creating a cycle where students pass down the mindset of leadership to future cohorts.
In rural Peru, students face systemic barriers to quality education. After studying in Japan, I returned to Churcampa and founded a low-cost community academy. In less than a year, we've reached over 50 students, providing daily classes in math, English, and language, expanding access to learning and helping close the rural-urban education gap.
Our school's manually-operated panel heaters for room heating have low fuel efficiency because they have no algorithm regulating their heat output and stay on even when nobody is around. Project H-RACS provides an IoT solution to automating these radiators. This efficiently uses fuel, not only decreasing heating cost, but also maintaining a temperature that is just-right for the classroom. By using our resources more efficiently, project H-RACS is creating a more sustainable school.
I've long cared about sustainability and saw an opportunity at ISAK to make a difference. I initiated ISAK Soap, a faculty-led CAS project where students and I learned to make soap using our school's recycled cooking oil to reduce plastic waste and replace commercially-made cleaning products. Students have embraced this environmentally-friendly option and are eager to support UWC's sustainability mission. We've sold various soaps, and profits fund continued experimentation with new varieties, allowing the project to grow sustainably.
Teacher orientation is a flood of new information to digest — teachers feel overwhelmed and underprepared. When faced with challenges in the classroom or procedures to follow, the right information is rarely at hand. The result is stressed teachers and inconsistent application of school approaches.Decision Point uses bespoke simulations so teachers can make decisions in a low-stakes environment. The result is more confident teachers, less procedural error, and less administrative burden.
We tackle coffee waste by combining science with community action. Our team engineered E. coli to remove caffeine from spent coffee grounds, making them safe for use as fertilizer. Beyond the lab, we partnered with coffee shops, taught students through workshops and camps, and brought sustainability education to rural communities, empowering people to turn everyday waste into a resource.
We are ISAK Sports CAS, aiming to promote physical education and sports in various forms of events and activities in the school, as well as locally in Japan. As student athletes at UWC ISAK Japan, our belief is that taking part in sports will have significantly positive impacts on individual health and ISAK's sense of community. We hope to increase the quantity and quality of opportunities for individuals to showcase their skills in various sports as well as raise school spirit in the process.
I left my job and cycled across the Silk Road from Beijing to Rome. What began as curiosity became connection, through moments, kindness, and people who opened their worlds to me. The world isn't as distant as it seems. Connection brings it closer.
Watch how an abandoned teahouse is transformed into a stunning space in just one year. From demolition to final finishes, this full renovation journey captures every step, including design, construction, and creative problem-solving. Perfect for fans of home makeovers, DIY, and architecture. See the before and after, get inspired, and follow the process from start to finish.
I am Lola, a proud South African who refused to let distance silence my activism against the GBV crisis in SA. I hosted an educational talk and fundraiser to support victims back home and promote awareness. I want to inspire support for the fight against GBV in SA, which many students have done by connecting our global communities. As UWC students, we are catalysts for the future, and so I hope this story inspires others to take that step towards positive change in their own worlds.
PEASO, or Peer Education and Support Organization, is a CAS project started at UWC ISAK Japan. With our motto "from students to students," we aim to learn and develop new ways to combat a multitude of issues within academically intense and culturally diverse school environments. Mental health, academic stress, safeguarding, identity, and multicultural communication are what PEASO strives to learn about and ultimately prevent.
I invited director Hirokazu Kore-eda (是枝裕和) to UWC ISAK Japan because his films explore universal social issues with deep empathy — something that strongly resonates with our diverse student body from more than 80 countries.Reaching out to him felt impossible. He seemed completely out of reach.But I sent the message anyway. And he came.This experience taught me that even the most “unreachable” people might say yes if you have the courage to ask.Dream big. Take action.
Nagano Harvest is a student-led CAS initiative at UWC ISAK Japan focused on sustainable agriculture and community learning. Through hands-on farming experiences in Nagano, students explored practical methods of more sustainable food production while building a deeper understanding of the relationship between people, land, and food systems.The project aimed to bring this learning back to the ISAK community by helping students better understand where their food comes from and why responsible farming practices matter. By growing food, working with local agricultural knowledge, and sharing their experiences, the team encouraged the community to think more carefully about food consumption and sustainability.Nagano Harvest highlights how small, practical actions can strengthen connections between students and the local community of Karuizawa while promoting more thoughtful and sustainable approaches to agriculture.
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