In pursuit of fostering camaraderie among students and promoting its Expected Schoolwide Results (ESLRs) and core values (STRIPES), MIT International School introduced the Tiger Buddy and House Cup programs.
Day 2 of SY 2018-2019 began with the introduction of Tiger Buddies or partners composed of students from different grade levels. They spent the entire morning performing getting-to-know-you activities and doing a set of bucket list challenges for buddies together. From this, student pairs can acquire points and vie for the Tiger Buddy of the Month award. After which, all buddies gathered and introduced each other to the rest of the school community. Some buddies even drew cheers from the crowd as they showed their unique buddy fist bump.
Later in the morning, Mr. Jose Maria Victor Q. Manuel, Teacher-Leader for Student Affairs, presented the MITIS House Cup program. In this activity, houses or groups of students are formed and compete to gather house points by participating in different academic, athletic, and team building activities during the entire school year. The house that acquires the highest points by the end of May hoists the House Cup for the academic year.
As an inaugural activity, houses were organized by forming teams using the school colors: blue, gray, and maroon. Members of each house selected their Head Boys and Girls, created their house names and banners, and prepared for a team chant. During the afternoon’s assembly, the Blue Thunders, Grayffindor, and Fawkes Fam entered the school hall with pride as they paraded with their house banners. They also turned the beat around with their ear catching yells.
With these activities introduced at the beginning of the school year, the school administration and teachers hope that students will develop school pride and embody the school’s values through meaningful partnerships and enduring friendships. With this, planning of different activities for Tiger Buddies and school houses is underway for the rest of the school year as the entire community journey in achieving the theme, “MITISzens: Living to Learn, Love, and Lead.”
