Avenor College International High School

As we celebrate a new generation of Avenor graduates, we also look further ahead - toward a future they are only beginning to step into - through the story of one of our alumni, who this summer graduated from Harvard University with the distinction of Magna Cum Laude. Andrei Mitoiu has completed his studies at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, earning a double major in Art, Film and Visual Studies and Economics. It is an impressive journey that began simply: with a 12-year-old’s passion for film and a desire to turn ideas into stories.

In the interview he shared with us, Andrei speaks about curiosity, discipline, and the lessons he discovered in one of the most demanding academic environments in the world. Perhaps the most beautiful message is also the simplest: “Curiosity is the compass, and discipline is the engine”.

We are proud to see our alumni building their own paths while remaining true to the passions that have defined them since their school years. Andrei’s story is a source of inspiration for the students graduating from Avenor today and a reminder that great achievements often begin with a genuine interest, nurtured with patience, perseverance, and courage.

Read Andrei’s full story on our blog - from Avenor to Harvard, and onward into the future (link in comments).

**𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓?**

At Avenor, these distinctions represent much more than an award. They celebrate the journey of Middle School and High School students who, throughout the academic year, have stood out through their commitment, perseverance, responsibility, and meaningful contribution to our community.

During the Avenor Awards ceremony, we celebrated students who choose to go the extra mile, inspire those around them, and help build a community where everyone feels seen, encouraged, and valued.

We also presented Special Recognition Awards to students who proudly represented Avenor in sports and debate competitions, as well as to those with outstanding attendance throughout the school year.

One of the most memorable moments of the ceremony was celebrating our students' exceptional Cambridge examination results. Congratulations to Mara, Ștefan, and Teodora, recipients of the **Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards** for achieving the **Highest Mark in the World** in **Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement)** in 2025—an extraordinary accomplishment on the global stage.

We also celebrated Eva and Sofia, who were awarded academic scholarships to Avenor High School. Their achievements demonstrate that talent, perseverance, and a genuine passion for learning can open the door to remarkable opportunities.

Congratulations to all our students! We are incredibly proud of each and every one of you and of the community we continue to build together, day by day.

In search of the university that's the right fit for them, 15 high school students, accompanied by Luminița Susanu (Head of Student Programmes & Examinations) and Valentin Brabete (Economics and Business Studies Teacher), visited some of Europe's leading universities on a journey through Madrid, Barcelona, and Milan:

📍 Madrid – Comillas, IE University
📍 Barcelona – Esade, IED Barcelona
📍 Milan – Marangoni, NABA, Domus Academy, Bocconi

While visiting outstanding campuses was an important goal, this experience was about much more than university tours.

Throughout the journey, our students became active researchers and thoughtful observers. Working in teams, they kept travel journals, investigated the cities they explored, managed real-life budgets, and reflected on the questions that matter most: What kind of university environment suits me? What type of city can I imagine calling home? What values and opportunities am I looking for?

Through daily reflection sessions, conversations with university representatives, current students, and alumni, they developed not only a clearer understanding of their future study options but also the research skills, critical thinking, and independence needed to make informed decisions about their next chapter.

A heartfelt thank you to all our university partners for welcoming us so warmly and generously sharing their time, insights, and expertise. Your openness made this experience truly meaningful for our students.

Because choosing a university isn't just about finding the right degree—it's about discovering the right place to grow, learn, and build your future.

Choosing a career starts with exploration. With questions, real-life experiences, and opportunities to see what different professions look like beyond what we read about them.

Avenor students in Years 9, 10 and 11 recently took part in our Internship & Volunteering Programme, an experience that allowed them to explore a wide range of fields and gain a deeper understanding of different career paths.

Year 9 students engaged in volunteering projects with SOS Children's Villages, the Romanian Red Cross and Tășuleasa Social, while students in Years 10 and 11 completed internships in areas such as architecture, medicine, psychology, engineering, marketing, finance, IT, design, business, journalism and many others.

A total of 149 students benefited from this experience, supported by 22 partner organisations that generously opened their doors to them.

We would like to thank all our partners and, in particular, the parents in the Avenor community. Some welcomed students into their own companies, while others helped create valuable connections that enabled us to offer a diverse range of opportunities. Thanks to their support, our students were able to explore a broad spectrum of professional fields and work environments.

Experiences like these help students discover their interests, ask meaningful questions about their future, and make more informed decisions about their academic and professional journeys.

On Thursday, 27 Avenor students received their Gold Award as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme. The awards were presented in the presence of Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown and Patron of the Award in Romania.
This remarkable achievement reflects the students’ perseverance, commitment, resilience, and personal growth throughout their Award journey. We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme was introduced at Avenor in 2018. Our first three Gold Award recipients attended the ceremony in October 2022, followed by a group of 11 students in March 2024. Reaching 27 Gold Award recipients in 2026 marks an important milestone and highlights the growing impact of the programme within our school community.

This cohort is particularly significant, as it is the first generation of students who have participated in the Award programme since Grade 8. Their achievement reflects our long-term commitment to supporting students’ personal development through sustained engagement with the programme throughout their high school years.

The 8th generation of Avenor high school students is completing its journey at our school and setting off toward a new chapter.

For some of them, this journey began many years ago, back in kindergarten. We have watched them grow, learn, discover their passions, and become, step by step, the extraordinary young adults they are today.

We are proud of their achievements, the universities they are heading to, and, above all, the people they have become: responsible, creative, intelligent, curious, and ready to find their place in an ever-changing world.

We thank them for the years spent together and wish them the best of luck in everything that lies ahead. We will joyfully follow their next steps.

💙 Congratulations, Class of 2026!

For some of our students, an interest in medicine was inspired by parents or grandparents who chose this profession and became role models along the way. For others, it grew from a desire to better understand the human body and to contribute, through their knowledge and work, to improving people's lives. What brings them all together is a shared passion for science, a curiosity to explore and discover, and the perseverance required to pursue one of the most demanding academic paths.

We are proud to see that members of the Class of 2026 have received offers to study Medicine, Medicine and Surgery, Biomedical Engineering, and Biomedicine at universities recognized across Europe for their excellence in medical education, including:

🎓 Humanitas University – Medicine and Surgery; Medicine and Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
🎓 Vita-Salute San Raffaele University – Medicine and Surgery, a university closely connected to one of Italy's leading hospitals and biomedical research centres
🎓 National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Medicine, one of Greece's oldest and most prestigious universities
🎓 Universidad Europea – Biomedicine, with programmes focused on innovation and interdisciplinary research

Behind these offers are years of dedication, a genuine interest in biology and chemistry, countless hours of academic preparation, and a desire to transform knowledge into solutions that can make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Congratulations Horia, Karina, Maria, Ruxandra and Sonia! We wish you every success in the years ahead and are confident that you will pursue this profession with the same empathy, rigour, and sense of responsibility that have brought you this far.

This week, we say goodbye to the Class of 2026.

Our grade 12 students continued one of Avenor's most cherished traditions: visiting the Nursery, Primary School, and Middle School to reconnect with younger students and revisit the places where they grew up.

It is always an emotional moment, as they reflect on the years they spent here, share the lessons they have learned along the way, and offer heartfelt advice to those who are just beginning their own journey. And, as always, the younger students come prepared with plenty of questions and curiosities: what school was like for them, how challenging exams really are, whether they will stay friends with their classmates, and if they feel nervous about leaving home for university.

We love this tradition because it reminds us that a school is, above all, a community where generations inspire and learn from one another.