Our Students

Co-curricular activities complement academics and play an essential role in a well-rounded, holistic education and the well-being of every student. The School provides students with many opportunities to engage in various co-curricular activities including sports, music, painting, acting, and After School Activities (ASAs).

Gecko Athletics

2023 was an invigorating year for Gecko Athletics, the first year in a while that allowed for a normal and full calendar of competitive sports. We sent teams to all nine SAISA tournaments over the three seasons. Our uniforms became more visible around the School and were worn with pride by athletes from Grade 4 right through to our graduating class of 2023. Our athletes rekindled old friendships and started new ones, swapped jerseys, hoodies, and swim caps, and were role models and sports stars for the primary classes that they visited. They will undoubtedly take our name to countries around the world in the coming months.

We said goodbye to athletes in our graduating class who have missed out on many of these opportunities during the pandemic. It was great to see them back in action as role models to our younger students. Many still attended practice and sports day during and after their Diploma exams, demonstrating their passion for sports here at OSC. At our leaving assembly, they were awarded certificates for their “Outstanding Contributions to Gecko Athletics”.

After School Activities (ASAs)

Found below, is a full list of after-school activities (ASAs) that we offer, which form an integral part of our curriculum:

Visual and Performing Arts

Music and theatre add diversity and invigorate our academic calendar. Through music, theatre, and visual art, our 2022/23 calendar came to life, infusing OSC’s campus with a vibrant energy. Our celebratory return to in-person events was a pivotal moment, showcasing the extraordinary talents of our students. Rooted in our School’s mission of compassion, courage, and curiosity, these opportunities empower our young artists to express themselves boldly, take risks with their artistry, explore their passions, and enhance their collective gifts.

PYP Pop-up Art Exhibitions

The Primary Artists engaged in several pop-up art exhibitions over the course of the School year, particularly when their artwork was connected to their homeroom units of inquiry. These included the Grade 4’s displays relating to Pattern and Structures and the Grade 3 display connected to the Art of Belief. Our Grade 5 artists learned about Art Activism as a part of their Grade 5 PYP Exhibition and created a large-scale art exhibit in the theatre that symbolically represented the global issue that they chose to inquire into.

DP Visual Arts Exhibition – March 2023

Over the past two years, five of our Grade 12 students here at OSC have been immersed in the Visual Arts course that forms a part of their IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). The end-of-year visual arts exhibition symbolised a proud conclusion to their two years of creative study that accounted for 40% of their final grade. 

The exhibition illustrated their journey and artistic growth during their IB Diploma Programme. Each student curated their own cohesive body of artwork selected from work created throughout the course. They each provided a written rationale on the curatorial decisions made and an artistic statement for each artwork. Works by our talented students included acrylic, oil, and watercolour paintings, sculptures, photography, pen and ink drawings, graphic design, and mixed media.

MYP1-5 Visual Art Exhibitions

During our 3-way conferences, parents, family, and friends had the opportunity to view a wide range of artworks created by our MYP1-5 artists exhibited in the art studio. Works displayed included a collection of colourful abstract still life paintings (MYP4-5), awareness-raising landscape art pieces (MYP2-3), optical illusion and colour theory artworks (MYP2), and t-shirts inspired by Sri Lanka (MYP1).

We Are Monsters – November 2022

After three challenging years of multiple lockdowns, we were finally able to put on a Primary Production performance. This year our Grades 3, 4, and 5 students presented the musical We Are Monsters; a fun, original play that follows human children into a cabaret filled with quirky monster characters. The adventurous humans uncover vegetarian vampires and rock n’ roll werewolves, gradually realising there may be more to these monsters than meets the eye! Most importantly the monsters and kids discover the importance of friendship and celebrate the attributes that make each of us unique.

Primary Band 2022/23

Right after the Primary Production, we started a new music club as an ASA, namely the Primary Band. It was completely student-initiated and a great success within the community. The band performed at many school events such as the Final Primary School Assembly in December 2022, the Beyond the Screen concert in April 2023, and the End of Year Primary Assembly in June 2023. 

Other music, dance, and drama performances that took place in the 2022/23 school year included:

• Grades 3 and 4 jamming sessions with original songs composed by the students in April 2023. Performed at the courtyard cafe, the sessions attracted various audiences from students, parents, and teachers. 
• A Grade 2 dramatic play based on the book The Woman Who Outshone the Sun in February 2023. Students had a chance to choose between the roles of musician, actor, or dancer and create their own original performance while delivering the book’s strong message of kindness, understanding, and respect for those who are different to us, as well as the importance of our responsibility towards nature.
• A KG dramatic play based on the book Giraffes Can’t Dance in February 23. A transdisciplinary project, students showcased their singing, dancing, and acting skills. 

Songs of Hope – December 2022

In the spirit of unity and resilience, Songs of Hope was a tribute to the resilience and strength of the Sri Lankan community during a challenging time. The concert was a testament to the unifying power of music, creating an atmosphere of compassion and connection. We are grateful for the support and participation that made this musical voyage a memorable celebration of hope and harmony.

Beyond the Screen – April 2023

Lights dimmed and the stage bristled with anticipation as Beyond the Screen unfolded. A musical trail through movies, Broadway musicals, and TV series, our students brought iconic themes and songs to life, bringing the magic of the silver screen to the stage. From timeless classics to contemporary favourites, the concert was a celebration of artistry. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who made this musical extravaganza a spectacular success!

Antigone Now by Melissa Cooper – November 2022

This year’s senior production was a modern theatrical adaptation of Sophocles’ well-known Greek tragedy, Antigone. The ancient epic tells the tale of our determined tragic hero, Antigone, who must survive life in the war-torn country of Thebes in the wake of the death of her two brothers. This play asks poignant questions: how are power, sexism, greed, and corruption, which existed in Sophocles› ancient Greece, still prevalent and relentless today? Is our current world as evolved as we think? 

Chicken Bones for the Teenage Soup by Alan Haehnel – March 2023

This year’s Middle School production was Alan Haehnel’s short comedy, Chicken Bones for the Teenage Soup; a stage adaptation of the mega popular book series it parodies; Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger. In our performance, the numerous scenes and diverse characters illustrated various sentimental moments from everyday life, only to be repeatedly crushed by sardonic twists of cruel fate. Unlike the book series, this play was a comic ode to pessimism, which we felt every audience member could relate to! In March 2020, we were only two weeks away from the first performance of the play when we were forced to retreat into our homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though it wasn’t performed with its original cast, many of them made a special appearance in this 2023 production. 

SAISA Art – Jordan, February 2023

In February 2023, a select group of OSC artists embarked on a cultural and artistic journey to the Kingdom of Jordan for the SAISA Arts Festival. The SAISA Arts festival includes multi-day workshops led by SAISA art teachers from the host or visiting schools or by community or visiting artists. One of the main aims is developing new skills and techniques, exposing our students to other ways of making and thinking about art. Interaction with the art community in the host city is another important part of the event, including visits to local museums, art galleries, and cultural sites. The festival culminated in an exhibition at our host venue, the American Community School in Amman, showcasing students’ work.

ISTA TaPS Perspectives – Thailand, October 2022

This year’s ISTA TaPS (Theatre Arts Programme Symposium) was held at Prem Traidhos International School, Chiang Mai. OSC’s seven participants were guided through various theoretical and physical activities and practices via different mediums. They learned about and performed Thai Khon, explored the theories of Augusto Boal and his Theatre of the Oppressed, explored scenes from play texts, and manipulated elements of devised work through highly visual and sensory storytelling. These creative processes allowed the students to dig deeper into what it means to be a theatre-maker as well as to learn more about the four DP Theatre assessment components.