Activities for Secondary School

Middle School (MS) teams continue the development of our young, aspiring student-athletes. Middle school students are offered the opportunity to be a member of a team in a developmentally appropriate, no-cut environment. MS athletes who are selected for the UNIS Hanoi representative team will compete against other select teams and attend the Mekong River Activities Conference (MRISA) junior tournament. All other athletes will continue to participate in a structured programme and compete in festival style events against other schools in the Hanoi Activities Conference (HAC). Practices run twice a week.

Junior Varsity (JV) teams are primarily for students in Grades 9 and 10 with some Grade 11 students eligible. UNIS Hanoi students under the age of 16 as of August 1 of the current school year are eligible to compete at this level. The JV programme is the final developmental opportunity offered at UNIS Hanoi prior to the student progressing to the Varsity level. JV teams compete locally in the Hanoi Activities Conference (HAC), as well as in international tournaments in the region. Additionally, the JV teams compete against their varsity level counterparts at the Mekong River Activities Conference (MRISA) senior tournament. Practices run three times a week.

Varsity (V) programmes make up the highest level teams that represent UNIS Hanoi at inter-school competitions. All students in Grades 9-12 are eligible to tryout. Varsity teams compete against other local schools as well as local club and university teams. The travel team selected from each varsity programme represent UNIS Hanoi at Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC) tournaments.  Practices run four times a week.

The Spring MS production is a UNIS performance, giving students the opportunity to expand their love of theatre or become part of the growing Arts programme. Students from grades 6-8 are eligible to audition and/or work backstage.

Each year, the Arts department performs a High School Musical, open to all Grade 9-12 students. There are many opportunities for students to be involved onstage, backstage or in the orchestra. Students who want to perform on stage, audition for a role and are cast accordingly. Those who want to work backstage on set, lights, sound, makeup, costumes or props, sign-up for a place.  Those who want to play in the orchestra are chosen and rehearse separately until the week of performance when all aspects of the show come together.

Each year, the Theatre department performs a High School play, open to all Grade 9-12 students. There are opportunities for students to audition for acting roles or work backstage on a crew. Crews include: publicity, box office, set, lights, sound, makeup, costumes and props.

The UNIS Hanoi Concert Band allows High School Students to play in a Concert Band setting with peers and to continue to develop skills and musicianship through more challenging repertoire. This group performs two concerts per year in addition to performances for school events such as UN Day and Graduation. The UNIS Hanoi Concert Band is a year long commitment and is open to MS students by audition only.

The UNIS Hanoi Chamber Orchestra allows students in Grades 6-12 a chance to play in a string orchestra setting with their peers and to continue to develop skills and musicianship through more challenging repertoire. This group performs two concerts per year in addition to performances for school events such as UN Day and Graduation. The UNIS Hanoi Chamber Orchestra is a year long commitment and is open to all string players in Grade 6 -12.

The UNIS Hanoi High School choir offers students the opportunity to develop their love of singing in a non-auditioned setting. This choir runs as year-long ensembles. The aim is to develop their aural and musicianship skills through a variety of styles of music.  Students have many opportunities to showcase their work throughout the year. This opportunity is  open to any student in the High school.

Mekong River International School Association (MRISA) Arts Festival gives students the opportunity to experience art forms new to them in a positive and safe learning environment. Through participatory workshops students realize the opportunity to experience a variety of art forms. Students also have the opportunity to experience cultures surrounding the Mekong River; both traditional and contemporary. Students apply and are selected by the traveling directors who will accompany them on the trip.

Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC) is a select group of students interested in furthering their skills in the Arts (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theatre) and participating in a weekend with students from other APAC schools around the region. APAC groups are selected through an audition process, open to all Grade 9-12 students. The chosen group rehearses and participates in a 4 day weekend focused on the skills of the specific Arts form. Choir and Orchestra are held in November and Band and Theatre are held in February.

UNIS Music Academy (UMA) is a resource for all our students, parents, and staff to learn a new instrument, to train their voice, or to improve their musical skills working directly with talented local musicians. Academy instructors are members of the Vietnamese Symphony Orchestra, professors from the National Music Academy and local expatriates. UMA students are invited to perform at one of the UMA student concerts held each year.

In the Middle School Student Council, representatives work together to plan, coordinate and provide activities to the Middle School (Grades 6-8) student body. These students use their organizational and communication skills to put together events like; Fall Fun Day, dances, Spirit Weeks, Dodgeball and Movie night, as well as the Middle School End of the Year Celebration (an off-campus event). In addition to fun, the group also raises monies each year by sponsoring various events around campus. The money collected is then distributed to Service Learning and charity groups. The group frequently hears student concerns and acts as the student voice to UNIS Hanoi Administration.

In the High School Senate elected student representatives work together to provide a voice for the Grades 9-12 student body, work with the faculty and administration to provide student perspective on school issues, plan and coordinate student events both on campus and in the community, and control their own budget for student events and donate surplus funds to student-selected service organizations. Skills in organization, communication and leadership are developed through hands-on experience throughout the year. Student representatives are elected at the beginning of each academic year to represent their grade level in the Senate. An officer board is elected within the Senate to lead meetings, spearhead Senate initiatives and liaise with school faculty and administration.

The Senate is divided into two main branches: the Events Committee and the Student Representatives Committee, each with their own elected leadership officers, and the entire Senate is overseen by the elected Senate President. The Events Committee plans such activities as the Prom, Talent Show, Spirit Week and more. These events have become key milestones in the school year that all students look forward to. The Student Representative Committee serves as the channel of the student body’s voice in issues and concerns affecting them. They regularly meet with school administration and other relevant stakeholders to discuss important issues and negotiate solutions in the best interest of the student body. Additionally, the Senate contributes to charitable causes through fundraising activities throughout the year. The High School Senate is part of the school’s Service Learning programme.

UNIS Model United Nations (MUN) is an all year programme where students can bring their passion for global engagement, international relations and problem solving while developing their knowledge of the procedures of the United Nations, practising research and debating skills and simulating actual country positions through their interaction with issues of personal and global significance. Students from Grade 6 - 12 are eligible to participate. Students make a commitment to a minimum of one full year of participation. The UNIS MUN Internal Conference (1st semester), UNIS MUN International Conference (2nd semester) and weekly general membership meetings (Thursdays) are mandatory; our two traveling conferences are by application and are strongly encouraged.

The UNIS MUN Leadership Team is looking for passionate, engaged and committed students who want to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to making an immediate and long-term difference globally, regionally, nationally and locally. Our leadership team, based on the principles of collaboration, life-long learning and distributive leadership, plans our conferences, develops our presidents, chairs, delegation ambassadors and delegates, works on our own abilities and engages the UNIS community in issues of personal and global significance. We attend a planning retreat in August, meet once each week and attend the Thursday general membership meeting. Positions are available for all levels of MUN interest and skill sets. 

Through student-led conferences supported by school communities across the globe, Global Issues Network (GIN)’s mission is to empower young people to collaborate locally, regionally, and globally in order to create project based sustainable solutions for global issues. Interested students apply and are selected by the GIN sponsors. The GIN sponsors will support and facilitate students and accompany them to the conference. 

Swimming, tennis, cross country club, golf, badminton, basketball, soccer, etc.

Creative art work, dance, ballet, art club

Spanish club, French, the Flame HS student newspaper, language and literature paper workshop, etc.

Baking class, Moon Bear Cafe, cardboard challenges, creativity on the computer, web page design, etc.