Extra-Curricular Activities
From Inquiry to Action: 6-years’ Project-Based Learning at Secondary School
At Gunma Kokusai Academy Secondary School, we offer a six-year program from Grade 7 to Grade 12 that connects classroom learning to real-world challenges through various project-based learning opportunities. Programs like Community Engagement, the Community Project, the Personal Project, and CAS nurture leadership, empathy, and the ability to take action, equipping students with the skills to shape their future.
＜０１＞ Grade 7 to 8 Community Engagement
Community engagement is one of the pillars of the MYP. Students in Grades 7 and 8 aim to bring positive changes to their local communities through their actions while fostering compassion. By planning, implementing, and reflecting on their projects, they deepen their understanding of contributing to society, its significance, and the challenges it faces.
Example: Supporting Japanese language learning for children from Brazil (Grade 7)
＜０２＞ Grade 9 Community Project
In Grade 9, students undertake the Community Project as a culmination of Junior High School. Individually or in groups, they investigate the needs of a chosen community, plan and take action, and deepen their learning through reflection. This process aims to foster both social contribution and personal growth.
Example: Raising awareness about children’s care homes (creating and reading picture books)
＜０３＞ Grade 10 Personal Project
In Grade 10, students undertake the Personal Project as the culmination of their MYP journey. They identify the learning they wish to deepen and the skills they aim to develop based on their interests, setting clear plans and success criteria before carrying out their activities. Following this, they reflect on the process and assess their final product, focusing on their growth and achievements while deepening their understanding of the essence of learning.
Example: Presenting a self-designed car
＜０４＞ Grade 11 to 12 CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service)
In Grades 11 and 12, students engage in the CAS program, where they individually plan and carry out a balanced range of activities encompassing creativity, physical activity, and service.
TOKYO YAMATHON
The Tokyo Yamathon is a charity event in which teams of two to four students walk approximately 42 km along the JR Yamanote Line, making a circuit of all its 30 stations. GKA was an official volunteer partner of the event, with a large number of students participating as operational volunteers in.
About Tobitate! Leap for Tomorrow! Study Abroad Initiative (High School Course)
Some of our students have a study abroad plan that they planned as part of their CAS and have applied to the Tobitate Young Ambassador Program. A cumulative total of 45 students have been selected as scholarship recipients from the first term to the ninth term in 2024, making the school one of the best in the country in terms of both the number of students selected and the ratio of students selected to enrolled students.