United Nations International School
Encyclopedia
The United Nations International School (UNIS) is a private international school
in New York City
. It was founded in 1947 by families who worked for or were associated with the United Nations
. The school was founded to provide an international education, while preserving its students' diverse cultural heritages. It includes a Kindergarten, elementary school (Junior school), junior high school (Middle school) and high school (Tutorial House, or Tut House). As of 2008, it has over 1,450 students representing 150 countries. English is the main language of instruction. Secondary studies aim towards the International Baccalaureate.
The school has two campuses, one in Manhattan
, on the East River
adjacent to Waterside Plaza
(approximately one mile south of the United Nations Headquarters
), and one in the borough of Queens
, in Jamaica Estates
.
Every year, students from UNIS organize and run the UNIS-UN
Conference, held in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations Headquarters.
PS
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It was founded in 1947 by families who worked for or were associated with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. The school was founded to provide an international education, while preserving its students' diverse cultural heritages. It includes a Kindergarten, elementary school (Junior school), junior high school (Middle school) and high school (Tutorial House, or Tut House). As of 2008, it has over 1,450 students representing 150 countries. English is the main language of instruction. Secondary studies aim towards the International Baccalaureate.
The school has two campuses, one in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, on the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
adjacent to Waterside Plaza
Waterside Plaza
Waterside Plaza, formerly a Mitchell-Lama Housing Program-funded rental apartment complex, is located on the East River in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan, New York City.- Overview :...
(approximately one mile south of the United Nations Headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
), and one in the borough of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, in Jamaica Estates
Jamaica Estates, Queens
Jamaica Estates is a neighborhood located in the New York City borough of Queens. Within Queens Community District 8, Jamaica Estates is served by Queens Community Board 8 It is bounded by Union Turnpike to the north, Hillside Avenue to the south, Utopia Parkway and Homelawn Street to the west...
.
Every year, students from UNIS organize and run the UNIS-UN
UNIS-UN
The UNIS-UN Conference is organized and run by high school teacher Jean-Baptiste Bassene and high school students from the United Nations International School . The conference is held annually in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations Headquarters...
Conference, held in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations Headquarters.
Curriculum
Students are taught in relatively small classes, with averages of 17 children in kindergarten (JA), 17 in grade 1 (J1), 17 in grade 2 (J2), 19 in grades 3-4 (J3-J4), and 21 in middle and high school (M1-T4). Emphasis is placed on preparation for the IB exams during High School, for which virtually all seniors sit (either for full Diploma or Certificate). Representatives of the Class of 2009 will be attending college in 12 different countries. Between 2003 and 2008, the top 10 College destinations for UNIS Graduates were:| College | Total Students Attending (2003–2008) |
|---|---|
| McGill University McGill University Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university... |
28 |
| George Washington University George Washington University The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States... |
17 |
| Cornell University Cornell University Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions... |
15 |
| Boston University Boston University Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers... |
13 |
| New York University New York University New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan... |
12 |
| University of Virginia University of Virginia The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson... |
11 |
| Brown University Brown University Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,... |
10 |
| Duke University Duke University Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B... |
10 |
| Barnard College Barnard College Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough... |
9 |
| Columbia University Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the... |
9 |
Notable alumni
Some alumni, listed alphabetically:- Ishmael BeahIshmael BeahIshmael Beah is a former Sierra Leonean child soldier and the author of the published memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.-Early years:...
, author and former child soldier, - Byrdie BellByrdie BellByrdie Bell is an actress and model currently residing in New York City known for her independent film career, international magazine spreads, and distinctive style.-Early life and family:...
, model and actress - Yasmine BleethYasmine BleethYasmine Amanda Bleeth is an American actress. Her television roles include Caroline Holden in the long-running series Baywatch.-Early life and career:...
, actress - Kate BurtonKate Burton (actress)-Personal life:Burton was born in Geneva, Switzerland, the daughter of producer Sybil Burton and actor Richard Burton . She was thus the stepdaughter of actress Elizabeth Taylor and of Sybil's second husband Jordan Christopher. In 1979, Burton earned a bachelor's degree in Russian studies and...
, actress - Vikram ChatwalVikram ChatwalVikram Chatwal is an American hotelier. In April 1999, at the age of 28, he created Vikram Chatwal Hotels, an independent hotel group of nine luxury hotels in five cities. Set to have 14 Hotels in total by the end of 2009, the flagship hotel in the group is Dream Hotel.-Biography:Chatwal is of...
, socialite and business tycoon, son of Sant Singh ChatwalSant Singh ChatwalSant Singh Chatwal is an Indian-American businessman, owner of the Bombay Palace chain of restaurants and Hampshire Hotels & Resorts.-Awards:... - Stéphane Dujarric de la Rivière, former United Nations spokesperson
- Stephen HartkeStephen HartkeStephen Paul Hartke is an American composer. He grew up in Manhattan, where his first piano teacher was Mary Miley, and has lived in California since the 1980s...
, composer - Sarah Jones (stage actress), actress
- Sarah Kay (poet)Sarah Kay (poet)Sarah Kay is an American poet. Known for her spoken word poetry, Kay is the founder and co-director of Project V.O.I.C.E., a group dedicated to using spoken word as an inspirational tool.-Life:...
, poet - Rashid KhalidiRashid KhalidiRashid Ismail Khalidi , born 1948, a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East, is the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, and director of the Middle East Institute of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs.-Family, education and...
, Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
professor - Joakim NoahJoakim NoahJoakim Simon Noah is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Born in New York City to a Swedish mother and French father, he holds American, Swedish and French citizenship...
, basketball player for Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center... - Atsushi OgataAtsushi Ogatais a Japanese film director, scriptwriter, video artist and actor. Born in Japan and partly raised in the United States, Ogata has worked in Holland, Germany, Japan, and in the USA. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the Center for Advanced Visual Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of...
, film maker - Qubilah ShabazzQubilah ShabazzQubilah Shabazz is the second daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. In 1995, she was arrested in connection with an alleged plot to kill Louis Farrakhan, who she believed was responsible for the assassination of her father. Shabazz maintained her innocence...
, daughter of Malcolm XMalcolm XMalcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
PS
- S. K. ThothS. K. ThothS. K. Thoth is a New York-based "prayformance" artist known for his eclectic mix of violin, voice, and dance performance who was the subject of the Academy Award winning documentary Thoth. Thoth calls his work "prayformance", emphasizing a spiritual dimension. His motto from his website is "I heal...
, performance artist - John ZornJohn ZornJohn Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
, musician