EXTRACURRICULARS

There is so much to participate in—sports, extracurriculars, and clubs, and a real sense of belonging where kids can amplify their strengths. Our children have absolutely thrived at the school. Both boys started in Grade 7, and there was an adjustment period because the school fosters organization, initiative, and independence early on. Eventually both of the kids thrived.

There is a huge array of extracurricular activities. My kids love sports—soccer, basketball, rugby, and skiing—and both the boys’ and girls’ teams are exceptional. The theatre and music departments are also very strong. Kids begin theatre, art, and music early in Grade 7, and sometimes that sparks interests they wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. There are clubs every week, including debate, environmental clubs, and Round Square, so there is something for everybody.

What I really appreciated about the school was the number of opportunities available from sports to academics to extracurriculars. There was always something for everyone.

My advice is to take advantage of all the opportunities, extracurriculars, clubs, sports… It’s a great way to meet people because there are so many different things happening. It gives you the full experience.

I was heavily involved in the robotics club, student council, and several sustainability initiatives. One of my favourite memories was leading a tech literacy workshop for younger students. It was cool seeing something I’d built being used to teach others. Extracurriculars at Ashbury felt meaningful, not just for a good resume or application. There’s definitely space to go deep into your passion, but also to explore something random just for fun, like debate club, improv, environmental action groups, and coding meetups. The school makes it easy to jump in, no matter your skill level.

In terms of extracurriculars, there is a wide variety of activities that students are encouraged to participate in. The system is based on three pillars: Club Associations, Sports, and Student Governance. The schedule is organized so that Wednesday is the shortest school day (classes last approximately 45 minutes instead of the usual 90 minutes). The time after classes is allotted for two club blocks. The clubs are usually fixed for the year, and participating in one means attending its meetings once a week. In my two years at Ashbury, I was involved in four different clubs: Investment Club, Blazer Magazine (Editorial Board), La Clash Newspaper, and TEDx. Each one catered perfectly to my interests in creative writing, global economy, and financial markets, offering me an immersive experience.

The extracurricular scene was diverse and inclusive. Clubs ranged from environmental advocacy to drama tech, wellness groups to robotics. While some teams were competitive, most offered opportunities just for fun or self-improvement. The athletics program was well organized, and coaches genuinely cared about your growth, not just winning. I saw students grow more outside the classroom through leading recycling initiatives, coordinating speaker series, or organizing team events. Ashbury built well-rounded individuals by inviting students to contribute, not just consume. There was something for everyone, and if there wasn’t, you were encouraged to start it. That freedom to create and lead was one of the best things about the school.

Even though my main focus was kayaking, I appreciated the variety of extracurriculars available. I joined the environmental club one term and loved being part of a completely different group of people. Events like Spirit Week and coffeehouse performances gave everyone a chance to participate without pressure. There’s room at Ashbury for both competitive and just-for-fun activities, which makes it easy to feel part of the community.

Extracurriculars at Ashbury were a huge part of my experience. Rugby was my main focus, but I also got involved in house events, leadership councils, and community service initiatives. Sports were competitive, but there was room for anyone willing to commit. Beyond the field, activities like band and school plays brought the community together. The variety of opportunities made it easy to be well-rounded and connect with people outside your usual circle.

The variety of extracurricular opportunities available to students at Ashbury is extraordinary. Even in Grade 4, we had to guide our children to prioritize their time as they wanted to participate in ALL of the extracurricular activities, even if they were scheduled to occur simultaneously. Music, sports, adventure, arts and culture, hobbies, languages, skills development of all kinds - Ashbury offers it all by re-deploying its talented teachers and by engaging specialized partners. Extracurricular life considerably augments and overlaps with the academic and social experience at Ashbury.

Students must complete extracurricular activities every year. It's not optional. This makes them try new things and find new things they are good at. And meet new circles of friends. My daughter tried basketball and loves it. The coaching was great, and I'm so grateful she gets to experience a team sport. She also edits incredible videos of footage from countless games and many sports into a year-end video, with a team of students interested in media in the Media club. I'm just so impressed with that. The students have a lot of responsibility and just the right amount of prodding. There are also a lot of opportunities to volunteer in the broader Ottawa community, which is a great experience. She really enjoyed meeting kids enrolled at the BGC, the Boys and Girls Club. She helped with after-school programming. There is an incredible music program with nationally ranked bands. Several teams are city and province champs. But everyone is trying their hardest, in addition to the talented individuals who will move ahead in an extracurricular activity, is the emphasis. Teachers acting as coaches with a love of sport, or as band leaders with an affinity for music, are definitely part of what makes Ashbury special. There are opportunities to take amazing school trips if you can afford it and if your child is interested in going to that country.

My daughter was able to find an amazing group of friends, and she is challenged academically and in her extracurricular life, so she loves school. Your child may find friends even if they are coming from a different school. At the grade 9 level, most students are coming from different grade 8 schools from around Ottawa and the world, so everyone is in the same boat. Students are from families who value education and are willing to go to some extra effort for their kids to have an amazing high school experience. We did have school refusal when the kids were little at public school; it's not fun. But I couldn't blame them, the school offering at that time was meh. As a parent, it is so heartwarming to see my daughter at the right school. She has thanked me for giving her the opportunity, which I really appreciated. She is active and engaged, and proud of her work and results.

Ashbury College has been a formative chapter of my life and educational journey. When I look back at this time, I find myself deeply grateful for the experience I had there. I still recall my first day in boarding—hectic, new, strange, and full of amazing encounters. From my first day at Ashbury, I felt like a part of a larger community, bound by common living (in the case of boarding), learning, sports, and extracurriculars. Everyone I knew during my studentship found their good application at school and university. [...] Beyond quality education that equips you to take on university not only confidently but successfully, Ashbury creates lasting friendships. I have been to a few alumni reunions, and I can say that, after graduation, students keep in touch, reach out, and stay connected. I’ve spent many meaningful hours talking to my teachers and supervisors, friends, and counsellors, all of whom have helped me land my current position. I am immeasurably grateful to all those people for helping me find my path ahead. Enrolling at Ashbury, I would expect nothing less than the best years of childhood and adolescence, filled with meaning, support, and firm preparation for the multifaceted challenges of life, whether those are academic training, cultural awareness, or finding one's artistic calling.

The overall quality of student life at Ashbury is excellent. Since expectations are elevated, students necessarily work and play intensely and are either immediately able to maintain the fast pace or soon learn new techniques. Our children love the constant activity at the school. Their own classes and extra-curricular activities are already a lot to manage, but Ashbury also hosts a variety of events and programs and students not directly involved in a particular event, i.e. a soccer tournament, are often recruited to support it in some indirect way, adding to the richness of the student experience. I've often thought that parents could perhaps do more to contribute to school activities, but Ashbury does such a good job that parents would likely just get in the way. Also, it should be a comfort to know that, while pushing the children to excel, all sorts of extra assistance and wellness services are readily available and effectively support students who become ill, are slightly injured, or who are experiencing some stress or difficulty in their lives. Ashbury is a second home.