School Awards

Awarded to two students in each Grade 5, in recognition for having demonstrated the ten attributes of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile: inquirer, open-minded, knowledgeable, caring, thinker, risk-taker, communicator, balanced, principled and reflective. This award is given in memory of Helen Birkbeck (1966 - 2006), an ex-colleague and previous School Deputy Principal/PYP Coordinator at VIS. Helen ‘practiced what she preached’ and, as she believed in and demonstrated the ideals of an ‘International Person’ herself, the Primary School staff unanimously agreed to award the Learner Profile Award in memory of her time at VIS.

• Emirlan Apylov & Yaryna Pynda
• Sami Muhammad & Lidya Evrensel
• Jood Badarneh and  Kohei Shimamura
• Sophia Bates & Emma Coma Dao 
• Francisco Sosa Grassi and Shameer Muhammad

Awarded to a student in Grade 5, in recognition for having demonstrated an understanding of and dedication to music by asking questions about music, pursuing answers to these and using music to help others. This award is given in memory of Jim Pearson (1954 - 2015), a dedicated and much loved Primary School music teacher at VIS for over 25 years. He contributed to the establishment of the VIS Junior Choir, musical assemblies and was recognized as a contributor to the internationalism and charitable nature of the city of Vienna through music and the contributions of the Choir.

Students receiving the award:

• Lila Ahmed

The Maurice Pezet Global Citizen Award is awarded to a Grade 10 student who has demonstrated a deep knowledge and understanding of Global issues, has displayed empathy and respect for other cultures, has been actively involved in the wider community, and has undertaken a service which has made a positive contribution to the wellbeing of others outside the Vienna International School community.

Student receiving the award:

Eleonora Yakubova

The ECIS Award for International Understanding Award is awarded to a student who is a good representative of his or her own country, with a positive attitude toward the life and culture of others, able to converse in at least two languages, a contributing force in the life of the school, with the ability to bring differing people together into a sense of community, thus furthering the cause of international understanding.

Student receiving the award:

Chrysanthi Haralabus

Harvard was founded as a rather small local college in 1636 and has since become a world-wide known institution committed to the highest standards of teaching and research. Today, its’ curricula attract students from all around the world and it has thereby become a real international center for academic training and research. As you will know, quite a few students from this school have continued their studies at Harvard. In the tradition of the Harvard Book Award, the school’s faculty each year votes to honour the student who stands out in the best of ways:  - in academics and intellectual curiosity; - in unselfish contribution to school activities; - and, perhaps most admirable of all, in character.

Students receiving the award:

Anna Isabelle Bures
Omar Abdalla

Jonathan Ellwood was a VIS student and an outstanding teacher and international educator, but his life was cut tragically short when he was killed in Bali in October 2002. The award is donated by the Ellwood family in his memory. The Jonathan Ellwood Award is awarded to the Grade 12 student who has shown outstanding interest in the Theory of Knowledge course, and has made a notable contribution to discussion with creative and innovative ideas.

Students receiving the award:

Laughlin Asgar Holmer

This award is given in memory of Pieter Schram. Pieter was a Dutch national, who taught History at VIS from August 1994 to November 1999. He was a keen soccer player and coach. During his time at our school, he coached both the girls and boys soccer teams. In his free time, he drew cartoons of school life and caricatures of friends and colleagues. His sense of humour was reflected in these pieces. He lost his life while trying to save his son Hugo, who was swept away at sea. The Pieter Schram Award is nominated by the Grade 12 students themselves and is awarded to a student who has shown special sporting and artistic talent.

Students receiving the award:

Ethan Fletcher Bertolet

This award is given in memory of Jenny Draxlbauer. Jenny was a student at VIS for her whole school life and even during her younger PYP years she was a campaigner. As a Secondary student she developed a passion for the work of Maher and she became a frequent visitor to India and the Maher Ashram. After her graduation she came back to VIS regularly to talk about her visits and inspire a new generation of students to support its work. After her sudden passing, her family credit the VIS community and exposure to the many different cultures represented here as the basis for her embracing Service as a core part of her life. The recipient of this award is a student for whom Service in the VIS community is a way of life; who has shown a selfless commitment to others and to the world in which we live.

Students receiving the award:

Lea Flora Albers