International School of Hamburg - ISH

In Memoriam: JoAnna Pegesa

“You be you.”

It was a simple phrase JoAnna Pegesa often shared with her students, encouraging them to be proud of who they were and to treat others with kindness and respect. It became a message many children carried with them far beyond her classroom.

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend, JoAnna Pegesa, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Jo joined ISH in 2017 and quickly became a beloved member of our community. Over the years, she taught students from P1 to Grade 2, creating classrooms filled with warmth, laughter, fairness and belonging. She had a remarkable gift for making every child feel seen, valued and safe.
Jo was deeply committed to education, to inclusion, and to helping children become thoughtful global citizens. She was also a wonderful colleague and friend whose positivity, compassion and strength touched so many lives within our community.

Her legacy lives on in the countless students she inspired and in the kindness and confidence she nurtured in others.

In honor of Jo and the causes she cared so deeply about, we invite those who wish to do so to support Make a Wish Foundation in Jo’s memory. This charity supported Jo when she battled cancer as a child. Instead of flowers, Jo asked that people contribute to help other children’s wishes come true.

Fun at the Junior School Sports Day
The Junior School Sports Day was filled with excitement, energy, and joy as students from Grades 1 to 5 spent a day outdoors enjoying a variety of fun and challenging activities. The children competed in games such as tug-of-war, sponge water relay races, obstacle runs, long jump, and many more team games and sports activities.

Throughout the day, students showed great determination and teamwork. Many were serious about winning and gave their best effort in every challenge, while also encouraging and cheering on their classmates. The atmosphere was full of school spirit and friendship.

More importantly, the Sports Day gave students the opportunity to have fun together, build confidence, and enjoy healthy competition in a positive and supportive environment. It was a fun day filled with smiles, teamwork, and wonderful memories.

AI Challenge at the University of Hamburg

Today, the University of Hamburg hosted an exciting AI Challenge, organized in collaboration with ARIC (Artificial Intelligence Center Hamburg). The event brought together students and professionals from leading Hamburg companies to compete in a series of creative and thought-provoking AI-related challenges.

Representing ISHamburg, 2 students from grade 6 and 7 teamed up with other students from Hamburg and took part in the competition, going head-to-head with experienced professionals across six different challenges—and achieving an impressive overall victory of 4:2.

The challenges covered a broad range of AI-related skills and ideas, including creative programming to make NEO dance, data analysis, effective prompting, communication under constraints, visual recognition, and critical evaluation of digital content. Each task required participants to think quickly, collaborate effectively, and apply both technical understanding and creativity.

The event provided a valuable opportunity to explore real-world applications of artificial intelligence while competing in a dynamic and engaging environment. Our ISH students represented the school with confidence and determination, making it a memorable and successful day.

Author Nora Sun was presenting today in the Junior School Assembly and holding an illustration workshop around her beautiful book 'The Peaskeepers' with grade 3 students.

'The Peaskeepers' is a story about connection, empathy, and the many ways children around the world understand and nurture peace. Through the simple yet powerful symbol of peas, the book shows how small acts of kindness, listening or sharing can grow into something much bigger. Each page reflects a different cultural perspective, reminding young readers that while we may live in different places, our hopes for friendship and harmony are universal.

During assembly, Nora introduced our students to the story behind the book — a project driven by her dream to connect children globally and explore what “peace” means across cultures.

Our third graders then had the opportunity to take part in live illustration workshops, where Nora collaborated in real time with two of her co-illustrators — one joining from Switzerland and another from Egypt. Together, they guided students step by step in drawing a raccoon 🦝 and a camel 🐪 in different sessions, bringing the global spirit of the book to life in the ISH Library.

The session concluded with a thoughtful Q&A, where students asked insightful questions about:
✨ Nora’s inspiration and dream behind the book
✨ The challenges of working with illustrators across different countries
✨ How long it took to bring such an ambitious project to life
✨ The journey to publishing
✨ And the meaning behind the title “Peas” vs “Peace”

It was a wonderful reminder that creativity knows no borders, and that even the smallest ideas like a pea can grow into powerful messages about connection, collaboration, and peace

Thank you, Nora, for your visit and the inspiring workshops!

ISH Young Leaders at 'Leading With Empathy' conference at BIS in Munich

12 of our Junior School students spent the last day of their Easter break travelling to Munich to take part in the 2026 AGIS Young Leaders Conference at the Bavarian International School. Centered around the theme “Leading with Empathy,” and inspired by guest speaker Ed Kirwan, the day was filled with meaningful conversations, collaboration, and inspiration.

Our students worked together with students from other international schools, sharing their voices, ideas, and aspirations. They built new friendships, made valuable connections, and truly embraced what it means to lead with empathy.

A memorable and empowering experience for all students and teachers, so inspiring that ISHamburg will be hosting this conference next year - we can't wait welcoming the future leaders to .

Our Grade 6 geographers stepped into the shoes of future archaeologists last week, heading out into the field 'sandpit' in search of hidden treasures.

Armed with tools, curiosity, and teamwork, students carefully uncovered “artifacts,” brushed away layers of dirt, and practiced the patience and precision real archaeologists use every day. Each discovery was thoughtfully catalogued, as students documented their findings and shared their interpretations with one another.

A hands-on experience that brought geography to life. Who knows, we may have some future archaeologists in the making...

Last Day of School for our Grade 12 students

Today began with a wonderful breakfast, generously sponsored by the wonderful parents of the 12th graders, setting the tone for a very special farewell. The student-organized Last Assembly was a true reflection of the spirit of this class — full of joy, creativity, and appreciation. From heartfelt and humorous teacher awards to fun games, including “guess the baby picture,” and even a unforgetable moment when a teacher got pied, there was laughter all around. The Grade 12 band 'Timeless' added to the atmosphere with a fantastic performance that made the assembly even more special.

The emotional highlight followed: the clap-out, as our graduates walked through the building one final time, cheered on by the entire school community. With every step, there was applause, smiles, and heartfelt goodbyes. The ringing of the bell marked the end of their school life, a simple, but powerful moment.

The day concluded with the leavers’ dinner, emotional speeches were shared, stories remembered, and the traditional farewell song, lyrics changed by our DP Coordinator, accompanied by ISH musicians, brought the evening and this chapter to a moving close.

It was a long and emotional day for students, teachers, and parents alike — a truly bittersweet farewell.

Thank you for your laughter and your energy you brought to our school. We are so proud of you and wish you all the very best for the exams in May and your personal journey ahead.

is feeling appreciated...
We would like to say a truly heartfelt THANK YOU to our wonderful parent community

Walking into the staff lounge and seeing it transformed into such a beautiful, generous buffet was incredibly special. The care, time, and thought you put into organizing the staff appreciation brunch was felt in every detail—from the stunning setup to the incredible variety of delicacies from around the world.

It wasn’t just the food (which was amazing!); it was the feeling behind it. Your kindness and appreciation mean so much to all of us, and moments like this remind us how lucky we are to be part of such a warm, supportive community.

Thank you for making us feel so valued and cared for—we truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Gr10 German B students (Language B)
visited the exhibition 'Respekt' at the 'Museum der Arbeit'. This is an exhibition about being different together with an invitation to explore key issues relating to identity, discrimination and equality. Questions about who you are, what defines you, who you belong to take centre stage. The exhibition works with a range of different communication formats: short texts, video clips and graphics are combined with playful activities, modules for self-questioning and places for debate. The students were able to listen to the guide in German and many also answered questions in German. It was a great opportunity to take their learning into a real life situation and to think about the importance of respect and of the language we use.

An Afternoon of Spring Joy at Our ISH Spring Fair

What a celebration of spring we shared today. In the foyer you were welcomed into a magical, blooming world — beautifully decorated with oversized, colourful flowers and playful little bees buzzing through the space (and yes, definitely not ISH bees… those stingers were a bit too impressive).

Children got their hands busy and their creativity flowing with flower planting, to make our front lawn more beautiful. At the Easter egg decorating station, tables were filled with colors, creativity and sweets, as eggs were transformed into tiny works of art. Outside our wall painting activity invited everyone to leave their mark, creating a colourful piece that truly reflected the spirit of the day.

And of course, no celebration would be complete without delicious food — a wonderful selection of traditional country Easter pastries brought warmth and sweetness to the day, lovingly prepared and shared.

What made the day truly special, however, was the joy shining on the children’s faces, pure happiness and excitement.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the amazing parents and volunteers who once again went above and beyond. Your creativity, dedication, and hard work turned this Spring Fair into a truly memorable experience for our entire community.