Student Life

Secondary Academic Awards and Prizes

On Awards Day at the end of each school year, numerous awards are given to secondary students for outstanding achievement, including certificates for individual secondary courses, and departmental awards for the major subject areas. Two special overall awards are also given:

1. The Ryan Giatas School Spirit Award, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Athanasios Giatas in honor of their son, a Pinewood 11th Grader who died tragically in an accident on October 1996, is given annually to the secondary student who by vote of the entire secondary school student body shows the most enthusiasm and interest in school life.

2. The All Round Student Award is given by vote of the secondary faculty to the high school student who makes the greatest contributions in several areas of school life.

Secondary Student Activities

Field Trips

Field trips in the local area during the school day are regarded as an integral part of the educational program of the school at all secondary grade levels. Whenever possible, these are closely integrated with work being done in individual classes. A representative sampling of field trips would include visits to local museums and archaeological sites, cultural exhibitions, and outdoor areas, such as parks, beaches, and (each September) Mt. Olympus, which is only a two-hour drive away.

Assemblies / Special Events

Each year, throughout the year, special assemblies are held to honor important anniversaries and events, such as United Nations Day, U.S. Thanksgiving, Christmas, OHI Day, and Greek Independence Day. The secondary school also participates annually in Science and Art Fairs, Activities Festival, Field Day and Beach Day. Separate announcements regarding all of these events are circulated at the appropriate time, and the items are also listed on the special Calendar of Events for each Semester.

Graduation Ceremonies

Special graduation ceremonies, which are an important feature in most American-type international schools, are held for the graduating seniors (Grade 12) at the end of each academic year. On this occasion, the two top-ranking seniors academically deliver Salutatorian and Valedictorian addresses on behalf of their classmates, and an outside guest speaker is invited to address the graduating class. The event is the highlight of a secondary student’s career at Pinewood and the entire Pinewood community is invited to attend.