Alumni News and Stories

Nikita Modekurti

Class of 2015

YIS has a very international environment and teaches values of not just tolerance, but acceptance. Truly a school that embraces and celebrates all cultures, faiths, genders, orientations, and abilities. It’s a little more difficult to find that out in the ‘real world’, and I would like my future children to experience similar respectful values that YIS has.

Leslie Helm

Class of 1973

I was born and raised in Japan as were both my parents as well as one of my grandfathers.

Nic Hamada

Class of 2003

As the new campus project developed, Taisei Corporation came to realize that I had been a student at YIS, so they asked me to join the project because of the close connection. 

Sawa Matsueda Savage

Class of 2003

I was always worried that my interests were all over the place, but I ended up doing something that requires just that: to be interested in all kinds of fields.

James Makdisi

Class of 1994

We were kids put together from all over the world in a safe environment, with small class sizes and good teachers to facilitate academic, sport and social development.

Leonard Couzjin

Attended 1956 - 1960

We lived in a house three houses down from the school for ten years. That lot was later acquired by YIS and used as a playground.

Ryo Yasuda

Class of 2015

I didn’t really stand out in class but I always loved entertaining people and I'm grateful to YIS for offering opportunities to express ourselves.

Alumni, former students, parents of alumni, and former staff are invited to join fellow Dragons in Tokyo and London

Tiffany Schafer-Howley

Class of 1996

My first visit to the school, just a few days before the start of the semester, was quite memorable as I had chosen the school by brochure alone...yep the internet didn't really exist back then!  

Matthew Sato

Class of 2014

I am currently based in Los Angeles as a music composer writing music for several upcoming short films. In L.A., I am able to network through projects and mutual friends and also through fellow YIS Alumni.

Resa Mishina

Class of 2012

I am now based in New York City as a professional actress. I audition for musicals, plays, TV, and film projects constantly. I get to travel and work across the United States, which I think is a perk of being a performer.

Tomoko Yasuda

Class of 2016

A lot of my favorite memories in YIS come from the sports matches and practices. I used to play a sport each season, rotating between football, cross country, and field hockey.

Carey Shea

Class of 1969

I would like to relive all the years I was at the school and I wouldn't have done anything differently. I loved the culture there.

Tim Cole

Class of 1974

I had just graduated from the grade 6 of a Japanese public school and it was my first day at YIS in the grade 7. I had to write a composition, but I didn't know what the word composition meant.

Daniel Buckley and Michi Nakayama, both from the Class of 2012, stopped by for a surprise visit.

The Nagae brothers caught up with several teachers while touring the campus recently.

Several alumni have taken the lead in organizing an informal reunion at Food Fair this year. All alumni, former students, former staff and former parents are invited to the reunion to celebrate their connection to our community.

We were fortunate to have two alumni visit our campus recently for two very different purposes.

Artist Virginia Russolo, Class of 2013, will be exhibiting at t293 gallery in Rome, Italy from June 22 - July 28