Member School Stories
Glimpse the myriad ways boys' schools create an ideal environment for boys to thrive by clicking on the links in the left navigation. You can view by topic or glance our entire collection.
Highlighting Friendship and Connectedness in IBSC Schools
To celebrate boys' schools around the globe and share fellowship, we invite all IBSC member schools to share compelling stories and examples of programs and practices that successfully foster friendship and genuine connectedness among your students. We seek stories that go beyond traditional formal mentoring. We want to see how your school culture, specific activities, and innovative practices build a true sense of belonging, support, and deep, lasting bonds among boys, particularly within their peer groups. Your submission should detail a program, practice, or school-wide tradition that actively encourages and showcases friendship and connectedness.
Send us your favorite story (about 150 words or less) and a photo to feature on our website by February 13. Get complete details on photo size and file specs.
Thank you for championing boys' education!
The Browning School (United States)
Seniors Escort First Graders to Opening Assembly
At Browning, friendship and connectedness are intentionally nurtured across age groups, ensuring that every boy feels seen, supported, and valued from his earliest days. One cherished tradition brings this commitment to life: On the opening day of school, our seniors escort first graders to the opening assembly. This simple yet powerful act welcomes our youngest boys into the Browning community and immediately connects them to trusted role models. For first graders, it offers reassurance, belonging, and a sense of pride; for seniors, it reinforces leadership, service, and responsibility. Throughout the year, these cross-grade relationships continue to foster mentorship, empathy, and genuine bonds among students. The tradition reflects our belief that strong friendships and a caring school culture are built through meaningful connections—where boys learn not only from one another, but with and for one another. Learn more.
Brighton Grammar School (Australia)
Positive Masculinity (+M) Framework
At Brighton Grammar, the formation of strong friendships and a deep sense of connection sit at the heart of every boy’s development. Guided by our Positive Masculinity (+M) framework, our students come to understand what it means to build genuine relationships—ones grounded in empathy, respect, and the courage to stand alongside one another. This commitment to connection is lived out each day in Circle Time activities both in and outside the classroom, where boys from all year levels pause to share, listen, and reflect together in an environment of trust.
Our cross‑age programs further strengthen this culture. Our Junior School Buddy Program brings younger and older boys together in ways that allow friendships to grow naturally and meaningfully beyond the classroom. These relationships ensure that new boys feel welcomed, recognized, and supported from their very first days. Likewise, our student coaching and leadership programs unite students across year levels through shared pursuits in sport, leadership, and well-being, creating rich opportunities for mentorship and mutual respect.
Collectively, these initiatives ensure that every boy at Brighton Grammar School belongs to a community where friendships are nurtured with clear intent and connection is woven through every stage of school life. Our motto, Meliora Sequamur (let us pursue better things), remains the guiding spirit behind every relationship we cultivate. Learn more.
Crescent School (Canada)
Guys Read Instills a Love of Reading
Building on the success of Nexus Café and Axis Books, the upper and middle school book clubs at Crescent School, Lisa Weldon, head of libraries (grades 7–12) and research, began the school year looking for ways to deepen shared reading experiences. “Central to my thinking is that reading should be more relational than it is,” she says.
This year, she reimagined Guys Read for older students. Traditionally a lower school event, Guys Read pairs boys with a male role model (father, uncle, grandfather) to read the same book and then meet for breakfast and discussion in the school library. Both Guys Read events in January drew enthusiastic crowds of boys and their role models.
“A lot of boys didn't realize how many of their peers enjoy reading the same things as them,” says Weldon. “Guys Read helped them to discover those shared interests, in the company of important men in their lives.” The discussions were lively and deep as they shared their experiences with the texts. In their feedback, the middle school boys said they’d happily participate in reading events more often. “And so, I think the narrative that boys don't read is not valid.”
Mayo College (India)
Scaling Heights, Healing Himalayas: Boys Bond amid Shared Purpose
In celebration of Mayo College’s sesquicentennial year, a group of 22 boys, accompanied by three staff members, successfully completed the prestigious Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal. This landmark expedition was not only a testament to the resilience, teamwork, and global outlook of Mayo scholars but also reflected the institution’s steadfast commitment to environmental responsibility.
Throughout the journey, the boys aligned themselves with the campaign Heal the Himalayas, an initiative devoted to preserving the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. As part of this effort, the team actively participated in the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee’s Carry Me Back program. Demonstrating a strong sense of accountability and stewardship, the group collectively carried 12 kilograms of nonbiodegradable waste down from the Sagarmatha National Park.
This action underscores Mayo College’s ethos of blending adventure with purpose, instilling in students the values of sustainability, service, and global citizenship. The trek became more than a physical achievement; it transformed into a learning experience that sensitized young minds to the urgency of environmental conservation at one of the world’s most vulnerable ecological zones.
This trek in stands as a symbol of the college’s vision—nurturing global leaders who are prepared not only to excel in diverse spheres of life but also sensitized to safeguard the future of the planet. Learn more.
Christ’s College (New Zealand)
Immerse & Inspire
One of the great strengths of Christ’s College is the Immerse & Inspire program for all second-year secondary school students. A four-week residential program, it is tailored to build and strengthen student relationships that continue well beyond the school gates. Immerse & Inspire fosters trust and self-discovery through activities focused on character, leadership, connection, and personal development.
For three weeks, the boys live as boarders in a dedicated college house. They quickly learn to rely on each other as they experience a different environment and understand the value of teamwork, service to community, and tackling physical and mental challenges.
Through a shared desire to achieve, the boys explore biculturalism and social entrepreneurship alongside community service. For one week, they experience the incredible New Zealand outdoors at the Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre, taking on the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award Adventurous Journey. While reveling in boarding life and immersing themselves in nature, they form lasting friendships that become an enduring source of strength and belonging. Learn more.
Loughborough Grammar School (United Kingdom)
Culture Week
Culture Week at Loughborough Grammar School is held annually and encourages our pupils to learn more about countries across the globe through a variety of engaging pupil-led workshops and activities. From an immersive Indian classical music session to learning Chinese writing skills and sampling culinary delights from around the world at our dedicated bake sale, Culture Week at LGS is designed to celebrate the rich diversity within our community and foster a strong sense of belonging. Taking place during Children’s Mental Health Week, this year’s Culture Week also incorporated the theme This Is My Place to highlight how positive well-being can be promoted through inclusivity. Sharing stories about heritage from all over the globe, Culture Week offered our boys the chance to gain real insight into the lives of the people they interact with every day. They developed a deeper understanding of all the different backgrounds and cultures that make up our wonderful school community. Learn more.
Xaverian Brothers High School (United States)
Shared Journeys, Lasting Bonds
Each year, Xaverian offers service and academic trips during school vacations. Each experience draws students beyond the classroom into shared journeys that foster deep friendship, authentic connection, and personal growth. Students return with a stronger sense of belonging, renewed appreciation for their peers and teachers, and broader understanding of the diverse human experience.
Xaverian’s Global Encounter trips are weeklong service retreats during February and April breaks when students and faculty leaders serve marginalized communities. Rooted in reflection and spirituality, these trips intentionally create space for students to process their experiences together, build trust, and deepen relationships. In Peru, students engage in physical and spiritual ministry, fixing homes and offering prayer and companionship to individuals in local villages. In rural West Virginia, students work on a farm and serve the surrounding community while living simply, praying together, and learning from the people of Appalachia. In Phoenix, students serve meals and form relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness, bearing witness to their stories with compassion and humility.
Xaverian offers international academic travel opportunities to Spain, France, and Japan. Students immerse themselves in language, history, and culture, applying classroom learning in real-world contexts. Shared exploration and daily reflection strengthen peer bonds and broaden students’ perspectives, often reshaping how they see the world and one another.
Through these shared experiences, Xaverian students form meaningful connections that transcend grade levels and backgrounds, reinforcing a community grounded in empathy, friendship, and a shared commitment to growth and understanding. Learn more.
Trinity Grammar School (Australia)
Quad—Strengthening Authentic Connection and Deepening Bonds
At Trinity Grammar School, Quad is the daily ritual that draws middle and senior school boys into a single, centred community. Held each morning in the school’s central quadrangle—the physical heart of the campus and the origin of the name—Quad is a gathering where our students stand together with their houses: vertical groups that span Years 7 to 12 and are led by dedicated heads of house and housemasters.
Facing Quad means facing one another. It is a moment of acknowledgement, presence, and shared purpose before the day begins. Called to attention by our school captain, the boys stand respectfully as we pray and hear from our headmaster or senior staff. Once each week, our student leaders take this platform to set the tone of our community, speaking into the lives of younger boys and their peers with encouragement, insight, and leadership in action.
The school’s heartbeat, Quad is steady, grounding, and vital. This daily pulse reminds every boy that he belongs to something larger than himself. At Quad, our students see, hear, and feel the Trinity community around them—strengthening authentic connection and deepening bonds. Learn more.
Royal St. George's College (Canada)
AP Capstone Program
“When RSGC launched the AP Capstone Program,” says John Lambersky, “we wanted a chance to be bold and ambitious,” and to tap into a “wider community of learners and scholarship.” They created a course text together, now used throughout North America. They also created a peer-reviewed journal to publish the research of secondary school students doing innovative work. Since then it has published the work of hundreds of students from around the world.
Joey Lisser ’21 worked on these projects. I noted that this kind of thing is atypical. “But Dr. Lambersky is not normal,” he said. “Any friend I talk to that didn't go to RSGC, and I tell them that RSGC has a peer-reviewed academic journal, and that students edit the journal. That there's a style guide that was made partly by students for university and high school classrooms. Like, this is not everyday life. It's brilliant.” It is. Learn more.
Welham Boys’ School (India)
A Culture of Brotherhood at Welham Boys’ School
At Welham Boys’ School, connectedness grows through everyday life. It is seen in small circles of conversation, on the sports field, and in the easy laughter that bridges age groups. Younger boys feel supported by seniors who listen, include, and guide them, creating a culture rooted in brotherhood rather than just formal systems.
From the moment they join, boys are welcomed into a community where every voice matters. House traditions, group activities, and open spaces for dialogue encourage them to mix across grades and backgrounds. Seniors model empathy and responsibility; juniors bring curiosity and energy. These daily interactions gradually build trust, respect, and a strong sense of belonging.
Boys naturally look out for one another, offering help, encouragement, and reassurance during both successes and setbacks. This everyday culture of care builds genuine friendships and deep bonds. In these simple moments, our school nurtures not just students, but a lifelong community of brothers. Learn more.
Whitgift School (United Kingdom)
Culture Day 2025: A Celebration of Diversity Across the School
Now in its fourth year, Whitgift Culture Day took place on November 7, 2025. The day was entirely student-led, designed, and facilitated, with the student Culture and Diversity Board designing engaging workshops for lower first and first form pupils.
Proceedings began with a heartfelt speech from Mr. Haji, head of lower sixth form, who reflected on his experiences growing up in London and highlighted the importance of seeing individuals beyond assumptions. Students from third form to upper sixth form then shared personal cultural stories, inspiring younger pupils to do the same. Break time saw vibrant cultural attire, followed by activities including tasting cultural foods and lively Greek dancing, and the day concluded with a global bake sale and spirited Kabaddi football.
Culture Day remains a heartwarming reminder of Whitgift’s strength as a diverse and inclusive community. Learn more.
Cathedral School for Boys (United States)
Friendship Forged in the Wild
Each summer, many rising Grade 8 students from the Cathedral School for Boys in San Francisco choose to begin their final year together on an expedition with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). In recent summers, boys have backpacked through North Cascades National Park and canoed Labyrinth Canyon on Utah’s Green River. Removed from schedules, screens, and social hierarchies, they enter an environment where cooperation is not only encouraged but required.
For eight days, the boys paddle, hike, cook, and problem-solve in pairs and small groups. They share responsibility for food, shelter, and navigation, and they quickly learn that success depends on communication, patience, and mutual care. Disagreements must be resolved. Fatigue is shared. Quiet moments matter as much as effort.
In this space, friendships deepen naturally. Boys come to know one another not by reputation or role, but through reliability, empathy, and trust. They return for their final year bonded through challenge, responsibility, and trust, carrying those friendships back into their school community. Learn more.
The Scots College (Australia)
A Natural Environment to Assist the Holistic Development of Boys
The Scots College Glengarry campus, located in Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales, is a steep learning process for all Year 9 boys who attend this six-month program. They are challenged in a natural environment with a balanced curriculum designed to assist the holistic development of the boys.
It is a place of physical training, dust, mud, hills, valleys, sore muscles, bumps, and scratches, but it is also through such experiences that students develop perseverance and new friendships. They get out of their comfort zone to serve and help others. This is what is valued, appreciated, and returned to them.
Not everyone develops at the same pace physically, mentally, emotionally, or socially. However, with a positive attitude, supportive staff, daily encouragement, clear boundaries and the grace to learn from mistakes, something amazing happens: Boys start to become fine young men. Learn more.
St. Andrew’s College (Canada)
The Golden Plate
The Golden Plate at St. Andrew’s College is a student-led initiative that encourages positive habits, peer connection, and awareness around food waste through a simple, visible tradition in our dining hall. Students who finish their meals and are awarded the Golden Plate are recognized during school assemblies and displayed with pride. Beyond the award itself, the Golden Plate sparks conversations at lunch about food choices, portion sizes, and not wasting what’s on your plate.
What makes the initiative effective is how naturally it fits into student life. Students cheer each other on, enjoy the friendly competition, and want to show their clean plates. Senior students from the Green Guys environmental council also mentor the Middle School Green Team, helping adapt and introduce the initiative at the middle school level. Rather than formal mentoring, the Golden Plate builds connection through routine, recognition, and shared purpose. Learn more.
Archbishop Moeller High School (United States)
A Peer-Led Culture of Daily Recognition and Connection
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Archbishop Moeller High School’s nationally recognized house system structures student leadership and belonging. Each day, every student meets in a cross-grade mentor group, creating regular opportunities for connection. Yet a recent house survey revealed that some boys wanted more interaction and activity during mentor time.
In response, one mentor group, led by Mr. Claypool, piloted a simple practice: greeting each student by name at the door. Research shows that warm, personal greetings increase engagement and belonging, but this approach was new to the informal mentor setting. The impact was immediate. Mr. Claypool noticed higher engagement and a better sense of students’ moods and needs. One student shared, “It made me realize I’m not invisible. He notices me, and he’s there for me.”
The practice has since expanded to include senior student leaders, turning a teacher’s gesture into a peer-led culture of daily recognition and connection. Learn more.
St. Gregory’s College (Australia)
A Century of Shaping Confident, Compassionate Young Men
For 100 years, St. Gregory’s College, Campbelltown has been dedicated to forming young men of strong minds and gentle hearts. Since opening in 1926, our Marist tradition has cultivated a culture where boys feel deeply connected, supported, and known.
Brotherhood is embedded in daily life at St. Greg’s, from pastoral care groups to whole‑school gatherings where over 1,500 students unite in song. Our boys forge meaningful friendships through collaborative learning, sport, agriculture, the arts, and service opportunities that emphasize teamwork, humility, and shared achievement.
Programs such as peer mentoring, leadership workshops, The Rite Journey program, and community immersion experiences help students build authentic bonds across year groups, fostering a sense of belonging that lasts well beyond graduation.
As we proudly celebrate our Centenary in 2026, we reflect on a century of shaping confident, compassionate young men. Discover more about our 100‑year history.
The Sterling Hall School (Canada)
Spirit Weeks
At The Sterling Hall School, Spirit Weeks are far more than a celebration of themed outfits and friendly competition. They are a powerful expression of community, belonging, and connection. Throughout these special weeks, boys across all grades come together to plan and participate in innovative activities designed to strengthen peer relationships and reinforce our school culture in meaningful ways.
From high-energy assemblies like our famed SHS Thunderdome, where houses face off in playful challenges, to dressing in house colors that spark unity and camaraderie, every moment is intentionally crafted to foster school spirit. Classrooms buzz with games and activities tied to a school-wide leaderboard that keeps everyone motivated and engaged, while themed dress-up days, hot chocolate sales hosted by Grade 8 leaders, and more add to the excitement.
Together, these experiences shape SHS culture, creating shared moments that cultivate belonging, celebrate community, and build lasting bonds among our boys. Learn more.
Gilman School (United States)
Clue Crew: Teaming Up to Tackle a Mystery
Gilman’s third grade has hosted a monthly book club for more than a decade, partnering with faculty and staff to lead groups and collaborating with nearby girls’ schools. In January 2026, 10 upper school boys volunteered to guide the mystery-themed club. The older students connected with the third graders through thoughtful discussions and a scavenger hunt featuring secret messages written in invisible ink and hidden throughout the building.
Austin, a senior, was impressed by the depth of the third graders’ insights. “They proposed theories I had never even thought about.” Fellow leader Nikhil reflected, “One of the great things about being at an all-boys school is interacting with lower school students. I remember being that age and looking up to older students. It’s great to be the kind of mentor I once admired.” Billy, another book club moderator, echoed that sentiment, calling the experience “a super-cool, full-circle moment.”
Xavier College (Australia)
Voluntary Mass
Xavier College is a P-12 Catholic School in Melbourne, Australia in the Jesuit tradition. A special feature at the senior school (7-12) is what’s known as the Voluntary Mass. It runs on alternate Fridays after recess. Boys are invited to come to the mass where the sermon is given by one of our Year 12 students, who talks about his journey in life and also at the school. The magnificent Xavier Chapel fills to overflowing with lots of boys on the floor around the altar. Teenage boys are traditionally not enamored with going to mass, but this is a real exception. The Year 12 boys who speak to their peers are courageous and often their honesty brings quite a sense of vulnerability. You can practically hear a pin drop as the sermon is given with boys from age 14-18 clearly invested in what they’re hearing. Nothing compares with this genuine connectedness among the boys. Learn more.
St. Paul’s School for Boys (United States)
Brother-2-Brother Program
St. Paul’s School for Boys in Brooklandville, Maryland provides an opportunity for Black students in our middle and upper schools to build community in its Brother-2-Brother program. At the beginning of the school year, upper school mentors connect with their middle school mentees, and throughout the year, these students meet for informal gatherings designed for fostering fellowship and learning. Learn more.
St. Mark’s School of Texas (United States)
Marksmen Partner with Habitat for Humanity to Build Homes for Local Families
At St. Mark’s School of Texas, friendship is forged not only in classrooms and locker rooms but shoulder-to-shoulder in service. Our long-standing partnership with Habitat for Humanity, now celebrating the construction of our 20th home, places Marksmen in Dallas neighborhoods where they work alongside peers, faculty, and community partners to build houses for local families. In this image, our boys lift framing into place with students from The Hockaday School and Habitat staff, but just as importantly, they lift one another. Shared physical effort, problem-solving, and responsibility create bonds that transcend grade levels and social circles. Service at St. Mark’s is intentionally structured to cultivate the brotherhood: Boys rely on one another, learn one another’s strengths, and see firsthand how collective action changes lives. In building homes for others, they strengthen their ties not only to one another but also to the city they call home, developing a lasting sense of responsibility and belonging within the Dallas community. Learn more.
Saint David’s School (United States)
Travel Is the Best Teacher
Saint David’s School has always included travel as an essential component of its program. From a Pre-K walk to nearby Central Park to an overseas trip that lasts two weeks, we keep expanding the boys’ horizons. Our headmaster says, “Travel is the best teacher.” As the leader of our Salamanca, Spain Study Tour for the past 15 years, I can attest to that. Travel is also one of the best ways to foster mutual dependency and belonging. Experiencing different environments enables our boys to learn about commonalities across friendships and cultures. Faculty serve as chaperones for small cohorts of boys, designed to start new connections while strengthening old. Belonging to your school in a new environment is a safety net that boosts connections and teaches the boys how to depend on one another in new ways. Traveling together also forms lasting bonds that might not otherwise occur. In addition to Spain (Grade 7), other overnight trips include Frost Valley and Washington, DC (Grade 6), Poconos (Grade 7), and Italy (Grade 8). Learn more.
St. Sebastian’s School (United States)
Chapel Speaking Program
Each week at St. Sebastian’s begins with students delivering chapel speeches—not simply to speak, but to know one another more deeply. Rooted in our mission as a Catholic independent school, the Chapel Speaking Program invites every student in grades 7–11 to write and deliver a personal speech to his classmates, culminating in grade 12 with the senior chapel speech before the entire school community in corporate chapel.
What begins as a writing assignment becomes a courageous act of sharing. Boys speak about faith, friendship, family, failure, gratitude, and growth. They honor teammates, thank teachers and loved ones, and tell stories that reveal who they are becoming. Faculty advisors provide one-on-one guidance, but it is their peers who create the lasting impact—listening attentively and continuing conversations beyond the chapel walls.
In this supportive space, vulnerability becomes strength. By graduation, each boy has stood before his community year after year, building a culture where every voice matters and brotherhood runs deep. Learn more.
The Buckley School (United States)
Commonality Card Tower
At Buckley we believe relational learning is critical for boys to unlock their full potential. We approach our pedagogy not only through a teacher to student lens but also through student collaboration, which is woven throughout the lower school curriculum. One example is the Commonality Card Tower activity in Class IV.
In this team-building STEM exercise, boys are randomly grouped and tasked with identifying shared interests and traits, such as favorite foods, hobbies, and traditions; random grouping emphasizes the value of working with every member of the class. Students record their answers on index cards and stack them to build the tallest tower possible. Along with developing structural design skills, they learn the value of persistence, slowing down, and intentional listening.
Ultimately, collective moments like these strengthen classroom relationships and cultivate a more cohesive community. What may appear to be playful activities are, in fact, coordinated deliberately and proactively to foster connection, deepen friendship, and support significant social, emotional, and academic growth in boys. Learn more.
