Can a group of students shape how an entire school sees learning, growth, and community?

Last year, a group of American International School of Bucharest (AISB) students from grades 1–12, working through an initiative known as Yellow Car, took on that challenge by creating AISB’s new mission statement. Centered around curiosity, courage, kindness, and belonging, the statement reflects the values AISB strives to live by every day. Since its introduction, members of the AISB community have shared which aspects of the mission resonate most with them and how they see those values brought to life across the school. A fragment of the mission statement can be seen below:

Think fearlessly. Act with kindness. Shape tomorrow.
We are empowered not just to absorb the knowledge we receive but to challenge it, shape it, and expand it.
Here, our learning is driven by curiosity, not compliance.
This is an international community of joy, belonging, and kindness.
Every opinion, every perspective, and every person is valued.
Our campus is a safe space for bold ideas, where we are encouraged to push boundaries and step forward – not to fit into the world, but to transform it.
We aren’t just preparing for the future, we are creating it.

What resonates most

Since the mission statement was introduced, members of the AISB community have shared which aspect of it resonates most with them and why.

Katerina Christodoulaki, a Grade 12 student currently doing an internship at Autoklass as part of the Global Impact Diploma (GID) program, stated: “I like the part where it states our learning is driven by curiosity, not compliance because that is what really motivates me to work on my internship, my curiosity and passion, and I think that is a good statement to put out and encourage.”

Justin Clouden agreed with this statement, saying he likes how the mission statement showcases “the idea of our campus being a place for bold ideas. If we don’t put the bold ideas into the world today, we are destined to make the same mistakes tomorrow. I also love the bit about empowering students to challenge, shape, and expand knowledge rather than passively receive it. Knowledge only becomes powerful with action.”

Learning through initiative

The mission statement’s emphasis on students finding their passions and developing initiative is reflected in AISB student life. There are a variety of opportunities for students to further explore their passions and develop leadership skills. The variety of classes available to AISB students is another opportunity, such as the recently introduced Global Impact Diploma, which allows students to pursue an internship of their choice to expand on their current passions and learn real-world skills. Foundations of Leadership for Impact, a course within the Global Impact Diploma, helps students develop a deeper understanding of their strengths, values, and leadership styles by allowing students to explore who they are as leaders. As a part of this class, students identify an issue within the school community, create a plan to address it, and pitch their proposal to the administration. Through this process, they learn how to turn ideas into action, developing the confidence and skills needed to create meaningful change. Other classes, such as music, art, design, and journalism, also reflect this emphasis on student initiative. In journalism, for example, students take full responsibility for producing the student-run newspaper The Bite, conducting interviews within the school community, and creating articles of their choice to assemble a complete issue every few months for the entire Secondary to read! The Bite is also in charge of The Bite’s podcast series. The podcast gives students a platform to share their perspectives, discuss topics relevant to the AISB community, and engage in meaningful conversations beyond traditional written articles, using a format that reflects modern media trends. This initiative not only amplifies student voices but also demonstrates the mission statement’s commitment to shaping tomorrow by encouraging creativity, adaptability, and forward-thinking approaches to communication.

Taking risks and leading ideas

Students are also encouraged to take risks through CAS projects. This International Baccalaureate Program requirement allows students to plan and lead a project of their choice in the areas of creativity, activity, and service (CAS) by pitching their project to the school for support. Students can also propose their event ideas for a club or a council, such as the Art Council’s monthly “Lunch Lounges,” an event where students can sign up to perform and share their talents with the AISB community. This encourages students to think outside the box and develop the courage to pitch their idea and plan to bring it to life.

Belonging in an international community

One moment that resonated a lot with Ms Ana Bilbao Rodriguez and me was: “This is an international community of joy, belonging, and kindness. Every opinion, every perspective, and every person is valued.” I specifically love this part because it reflects how AISB brings together people from different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives, creating such a strong community. The international aspect of the community is deeply valued. An example is International Day, when the entire community comes together to eat great food and celebrate what makes AISB truly special. Being around people from different cultures has taught me to be open to new ideas and perspectives, as well as to adapt to new environments, both very valuable skills. Ms Ana Bilbao also added, “Not all schools embrace their students or give them a voice. I believe that people should feel safe expressing their opinions.” With one glance in the classroom, it is clear that students feel safe expressing themselves to their teachers and peers without fear of retaliation. This sense of belonging is what makes AISB more than just a school; it is a true international community.