Extracurricular

Extracurricular activities will include Lanuguage clubs and Sports clubs.  Other activities will be developed according to student and teacher interest.

Club Program
While most schools have clubs as an optional activity, every student at HAIS has the opportunity to participate in at least one club, because each week students meet with their clubs on Friday afternoons.  Club time is actually built into Friday’s schedule. The club program is designed to provide extra curricular and community service opportunities for the students at HAIS. In addition to having club time on Fridays, there are additional clubs that meet after school, and consequently, most students participate in more than one club.

Debate Union
The HAIS Debate Union brings together students with a love for public speaking and argument to build stronger persuasive and forensic skills.  In discussing everything from Socrates to Derrida and states’ rights to the politics of oil, members of the debate team develop a comprehensive understanding of the world and gain the ability to analyze contemporary world issues from multiple angles and perspectives. 

Outside of the classroom, debaters test their abilities on several competitive circuits, including the Houston Urban Debate League (HUDL), University Interscholastic League (UIL) and Texas Forensic Association (TFA).  Additionally, by competing every debater earns points toward becoming a lifetime member of the National Forensic League (NFL), a national speech honor society whose membership includes former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Senator Richard Lugar, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and even Oprah Winfrey.

HAIS Youth Organization
The HAIS Youth Organization (HYO) draws on the diversity of the Academy’s student body to develop and put together cultural events on the school’s campus.  Recently, students gathered to celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a Spanish celebration of loved ones that have passed on before us.  At this event, the Consul General of Nicaragua gave a keynote address, students danced to mariachi music and numerous booths gave insights into the food, drink and culture of Latin America. 

International Dance
It may take two to tango, but students in International Dance can expect to fill their entire dance card.  Drawing from cultures around the world, members of the dance club will learn to Salsa and Merengue, Tango and Paso Doble, Waltz and West Coast Swing.  So whether you are a Fred Astaire or a Carlton Banks, International Dance has something for all skill levels.

Drama Club
The HAIS Drama Club draws from the work of renowned international playwrights, actors and directors to perform some of the world’s most beloved scenes from the theater and film.  Members of the Drama Club learn to cut, conceptualize and interpret short scenes in a way that will draw in and entertain their audiences.  To further build acting skills, students compete statewide on the University Interscholastic League (UIL) circuit in Prose and Poetry Interpretation events as well as in the spring season One Act Play.

Media and Film
The students in the Media and Film club are the future directors and moviemakers of HAIS. They are learning how to operate a camera, write a screenplay, and choose actors.

Student Council
Student Council members are elected each January. They are the liaisons between the faculty and students at HAIS. In addition to being the leaders of the school, student council members plan many of the social events at HAIS. Student Council has hosted a Halloween Dance, a Formal Dance, Spring Fling Week, and after school socials.  Student Council also actively helps out its community by visiting local hospitals.

Chess Club
The Hais Chess Club is open to all levels of play.  Our students vary in ability from beginners to the more advance.  This year, we are proud to host the Houston’s Regional Chess Championship on March 7th. Our continued goal is to improve our players and be involved in both the community and tournaments. As our talent continues to grow…narratio resumetur.

Photography
In this age, most students have a digital camera. However, most students have never taken any formal photography training. In the photography club, the students are learning to use their cameras to their fullest potential. The students learn what makes a picture aesthetically pleasing. The students in this club are also venturing out into the community and taking pictures. Each spring the photography club has an art show displaying their work.

Chinese Culture
Being at an international school, it is essential to be aware of other cultures. Thankfully, HAIS has a Chinese culture expert.  Students at HAIS are expected to take Chinese as a foreign language, and many of the students desire to learn more about the Chinese culture. In this club they learn about Chinese history, calligraphy, and Chinese culture.

Japanese Culture
Students in the Japanese Culture Club learn all about things Japanese! In addition to sampling food from Japan and attending local Japanese events, they will be taking a trip to Japan in the summer of 2010.

FEMSPIRE
FEMSPIRE or Females Inspired is a club of talented young women with aspirations to change the world.  In FEMSPIRE, we strive to have healthy self concepts, and we work to enhance leadership abilities, academic goals, and personal development through empowerment seminars and mentoring.  FEMSPIRE uses Maya Angelou's delectable poem Phenomenal Woman as proof of the women that every FEMSPIRE young woman desires to be.

Young Men of Valor
Young Men of Valor (YMOV) is a premier leadership organization for young men at HAIS. In YMOV, the men volunteer at HAIS and in the community around HAIS. As a reward for their good deeds, they also participate in basketball tournaments in and around Houston. Since HAIS is a part of HCC, YMOV is able to use the college’s gym to work out and scrimmage.  Though HAIS prides itself in being a small campus, the students in YMOV have played basketball against some of the largest schools in Houston, including Yates, Reagan, and Lamar.

Flight Model Rocket
Members of the Flight Model Rocket Club learn the basics of rocket design in order to develop and build their own test rockets.  Drawing from lessons in propulsion, aerodynamics and Newtonian physics, students will use their backgrounds in math and science to build one of modern science’s most intriguing technologies.

Guitar Club
In the Guitar Club, students with all levels of musical experience come together to learn increasingly advanced guitar skills and knowledge of music theory.  Each week, Guitar Club members meet to practice chords and scales and entertain each other with music from a variety of eras and genres.  Students without their own guitar can check one out from the school—along with books and sheet music—to play at home for their friends and family.

Tech Heads
Students in the Tech Heads club expand their computer programming skills. In addition to learning website design, the students create computer programs.

Well Fit
Well Fit consists of students desiring to improve physical fitness and personal wellness. Students evaluate their diet, exercise, and participate in activities that promote both. Students in the Well Fit Club play soccer, basketball, touch football, and volleyball. They also participate in other modified fitness activities. Being at an international school, Well Fit also promotes exercise activities from other cultures: including Tae Bo, Tai Chi, and Pilates.

Peer Helpers
The peer helpers club is a leadership and service organization that helps elementary students in our community each week. Each week the members of the club visit a local elementary school to give after school tutorials and help the elementary students with homework. Not only are the students providing academic support, many of the peer helpers are serving roles as mentors to the elementary aged children.