Extracurriculars at Appleby College

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Appleby College EXTRACURRICULARS

Extracurriculars at Appleby College offer a rich tapestry of opportunities, from competitive sports achievements like multiple CISAA championships across various sports to diverse clubs such as the Integrated Science Club and the Model United Nations. Families highlight the balance and diversity of these offerings, with an emphasis on leadership development and experiential education that fosters personal connections and global exposure.

Facts and analysis

SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

Sports at Appleby College are diverse, with a stronger emphasis on competitive sports.

For comparison, other Canadian schools we cover typically offer around 7 competitive sports and 8 recreational sport options.

Competitive offered

Recreational offered

Signature sport

Uncommon sport

Archery
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Canoeing/Kayaking
Cricket
Cross-country skiing
Curling
Cycling
Downhill skiing
Equestrian
Fencing
Field Hockey
Figure Skating
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Ice Skating
Lacrosse
Martial Arts
Mountain biking
Racquet Ball
Rowing
Rugby
Running
Sailing
Skateboarding
Snowboarding
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming
Tennis
Track & Field
Ultimate
Volleyball
Weightlifting
Wrestling

Why it matters

Beyond promoting physical fitness, school athletics teach life skills like discipline, teamwork, and resilience. A greater variety of sports creates more opportunities for students to develop these skills while building peer connections and a sense of belonging. While competitive sports encourage student-athletes to strive for excellence, recreational sports foster inclusion, exploration, and enjoyment.

CLUBS AND PROGRAMS

Appleby College offers a highly diverse array of extracurricular clubs and programs.

Other schools we review usually provide about 14 clubs and programs.

Clubs offered

Clubs not offered

Signature program

all clubs and programs]

Animation

Art Club

Astronomy Club

Audiovisual Club

Ballet and Classical Ballet

Band

Chess Club

Choir

Community Service

Computer Club

Dance Club

Debate Club

Drama Club

Environmental Club

Foreign Language Club

Habitat for Humanity

Jazz Ensemble

Math Club

Musical theatre/Opera

Online Magazine

Outdoor Club

Outdoor Education

Paintball

Photography

Poetry/Literature club

Radio club

Robotics club

Round Square

School newspaper

Science Club

Scouting

Student Council

Yearbook

Yoga

Why it matters

Clubs and enrichment programs, including after-school clubs, extend learning beyond the classroom. They encourage creativity, leadership, and friendships while helping students explore passions, build skills, and gain confidence in a low-pressure environment.

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

There is a focus on experiential education.

According to administrators and students, Appleby College's experiential education programming is a standout feature, providing opportunities for deep self-reflection, international travel, and engaging with diverse communities, which collectively contribute to students' development as global citizens.

The experiential education programming allows you to think deeply about who you are as a person, enter the world at the age of 18 with a sound understanding of yourself, and approach new challenges and new communities in a really thoughtful way. ... Grade 12 boarding at Appleby College is so incredible.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

I had the chance to go on service trips to Nepal and Costa Rica, to try new sports, like squash, and to get involved with community outreach and outdoor education. I could try winter camping for the first time. And there was just a massive selection of extracurriculars. Transitioning into university, I really appreciate having had all those experiences. ... What I appreciated the most about Appleby College was the wide array of experiences. I had the opportunity to try things that I never would have been able to try if it were not for Appleby.

—Dawson Meloche, alum (see full interview)

I think that Appleby has a lot of really unique opportunities and experiences; they provide a lot of different clubs, a lot of different excursions. I really appreciated the camping trip we went on. And it really helps you develop relationships with each other.

—Jaime Bourbonnais, alum (see full interview)

We have a campus up in Temagami. We have a huge outdoor education program. I might spend three hours hiking to our island across Lake Temagami in winter, or canoeing there in the summer, and that’s a great change from stuff I might be doing on campus, or the following week on a different trip. I find that variety is energizing and positive.

—Innes van Nostrand, Principal (see full interview)

I've realized, after making the transition into university and meeting many new people, how incredible the academics were at Appleby, including the courses you can take but also the experiences beyond the classroom. That outdoor education, which can now naturally teach many different leadership skills in an environment that is a lot more flexible than a structured classroom environment, is really something. It's stuff like that, and that massively diverse experience in all areas of school life, that I realized in my personal experience, was quite different from other people's experiences that I've talked to in university who reflect on their high school experiences.

—Dawson Meloche, alum (see full interview)

My son's fear was actually to be able to adapt to a new school system and whether he would be able to make friends, but the school is just a warm and friendly environment for any students that come to Appleby. And what happened at Appleby is they have a wonderful program, which is the Orientation Trip. He went on this trip because, until he started school, he was not confident in being able to make friends—and this trip actually made a big difference to him. He went on the trip, and he came back a happy child. It was an environment that Appleby created outside school where the kids were able to meet their colleagues and meet the teachers. So it was a very informal environment for them.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

The school experience is intense, with long days, but this teaches students how to manage their time wisely. That’s a skill that proves invaluable in their life after high school. The mandatory boarding in Grade 12 is an amazing experience that prepares them well for university. It teaches them discipline and self-care habits. When they proceed to university, they find that they have more time on their hands, they join clubs and other extracurricular activities, thanks to the skills they developed at Appleby.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

The programs are balanced and diverse.

Insights from faculty and students indicate that Appleby College ensures a balance of arts, athletics, and service through structured co-curricular programs, offering an exceptional variety of activities that allow students to explore new interests and develop diverse skills beyond the classroom.

I was pretty surprised by just the sheer amount of offerings and ways that you could get involved at Appleby College. We had so many clubs. I was coming from a school where we only had a few. At Appleby College, there was no way you could be in everything. There were so many offerings, and I found my home in a few.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

Without Appleby, I don't think I'd be where I am today, especially in my hockey career. Hockey definitely helped me. Just the relationships I formed through hockey, the networking that I was able to do through Appleby hockey was really important and has helped me get to where I am today. I just learned so much from Appleby in terms of life skills and just values. For me, speaking personally, I am forever in debt to my parents for enrolling me in Appleby.

—Jaime Bourbonnais, alum (see full interview)

With the extracurricular opportunities, no matter what you are interested in, there is something for you at Appleby College. If you are interested in sports, there is something for you. If you’re like an amazing volleyball player, the volleyball team is competitive, and there are a lot of competitions, and you can join that at whatever level you’re at. If you love service, volunteering, working with youth, and youth empowerment, there’s something for you. If you want to be a leader of culture, and leading the student body, and creating new and cutting-edge programming for Appleby itself, then there’s something for you.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

Students must have three co-curriculars: one for each term, and one or two club experiences on top of that. So that could be Arts, Athletics, Service, or a wide variety of other things. Kids have to do that through to Grade 12. We require them to have a minimum number of Athletics, and it’s the same thing with Arts and Service: so even if you’re a jock, you’ve got to do something in the Arts area. If you’re passionate about more academically-oriented things, you’ve still got to do a sport. Part of that is giving students a taste for things.

—Innes van Nostrand, Principal (see full interview)

Appleby College has programs that are high-quality enough that, if you’re passionate about Drama, or Singing, or Rugby, or Mathematics, the calibre of the program is strong enough you can actually go and pursue that at a really high level. So finding that balance between excellence and breadth is important in the younger years. In the younger years, it’s more about breadth; as the kids get older, there’s a higher degree of choice.

—Innes van Nostrand, Principal (see full interview)

I think one big thing about Appleby is that it focuses on the whole student. It focuses on creating well-rounded students. Of course, you've got strong academics. Of course, you've got arts, you've got athletics, you've got service. But there's so much more on top of that. There's leadership. There's global education. The school prepares kids to be sent off into the world to be global citizens.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

What stands out is the love my children have for the school. They never once said they didn't want to go to school. They were excited to attend every day. They are excited to participate in sports, co-curricular activities, and they enjoy time with their classmates and friends. This fondness for the school persists, and it makes them look forward to events like homecoming where they can reconnect with friends and teachers. Their engagement with various school activities and their love for the school culture and climate are testament to the positive environment that Appleby provides.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

The door is wide open at Appleby in terms of what these children can try, and they really are encouraged to try different things. Initially, we thought my son would engage in specific co-curriculars and clubs, but he's doing something completely different every term, which I love. Both my children have indeed been introduced to new opportunities and managed to step outside of their comfort zone.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

What I truly value is the advisor system in both the middle and the upper school. Students have an advisor who accompanies them throughout their time at Appleby and helps them become their own individual. This person serves as their ambassador at school, facilitating the exploration of opportunities outside the regular curriculum, something that has been greatly appreciated.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

I was so impressed by the beautiful campus and so many activities, after-school activities and so many options for extracurricular activities. That’s my dream school. Then I applied for Appleby and my daughter had a really great time. Four years at Appleby, from Grade 9 to Grade 12.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

Appleby provides many opportunities for the students. The students can join or start different clubs, they can have a dance club, you can start an art club, anything. You can build your own club. And many after-school activities start from Grade 9. They also have very good hockey and swimming teams. There are many different choices for the students. With languages, too, you can learn Chinese, you can learn Spanish, you can learn German.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

It’s the amazing grounds, the sports facilities, the variety of activities that school has to offer—being Music, being Drama, whatever the kids want to do. I find that will be a surprise for parents compared to other schools.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

Because co-curricular involvement is mandatory, I think it’s fantastic. I think my kids might have been those kids, but because it was mandatory, I think that they were pleasantly surprised, and so were we as a family, at some of the cool things they got to do. And then in the end, when they’re writing their equivalent of a résumé to get into university, they have this beautiful list of all these things they have done—whether it was the newsletter or it was organising the formals or being on the Student Council, all of these things that they had on their résumé that was just part of their everyday life there. And it was considered absolutely normal, and everyone participated.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

The sports and everything have been fantastic. For us it was important because our kids weren’t super sporty and Appleby created environments where they kind of had to be sporty and they really enjoyed it. I don’t think they would have been able to do that at a regular school. I just think there were lots more opportunities and resources for them to experience, just a wider breadth of things to do.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

I think what would surprise families is the sheer breadth of classes, activities, and resources that Appleby has compared to all other schools. Say you are a new student coming in: not only do you have the regular Ontario curriculum that Appleby offers, but you also have all these different streams of classes that you can take. You also have tons of extracurriculars, as well as sports teams. And then on top of that, you have service, you have new skills, you have leadership, you have your friends, and then you have outdoor education, like Temagami. It’s a lot of stuff that’s coming right at you. Better to have more choices than less.

—Gabby Ponikvar, parent (see full discussion)

I have three boys who have gone to Appleby. They are all such different characters, and yet all three of them found what they needed. They found something that supported their character, and exposed them to other things. Whether it be Athletics, or musicals, or Arts, they were always exposed to new things, well supported, and able to find their niche and then developed it even more.

—Gabby Ponikvar, parent (see full discussion)

Appleby offers a great academic program, but also a number of opportunities outside academics. There's great athletic programs, arts programs, there are service opportunities and clubs. There's really a lot of different ways that they learn, not just in the classroom, but outside of the classroom as well.

—Stephanie Shorey, parent (see full interview)

I've always had a passion for music and arts, and whether that's performing or setting up shows. Those sort of things for me are really what bring me joy, and so setting them up and then running them and performing alongside my peers and being able to sort of showcase my passion and allow others to showcase their passion, that's a really big highlight for me.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

There is a strong focus on leadership skills.

Insights from former students indicate that Appleby College emphasizes leadership development through various roles and initiatives, fostering a culture where students can create and lead projects with meaningful support.

If you want to be a student leader, you can be a student leader. In the older grades, at Appleby, you can become a mentor, or a prefect, and you look after younger middle school students. And then you've got your student ambassadors, who represent the school. You've got your house councils who work together to put together events and ideas for houses. As prefects, one of our goals was to develop the next generation of student leaders, and to spread that culture down to the lower grades.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

We go to Chapel a couple of times a week. There’s always an hour-long Chapel on Fridays at Appleby College. It wasn’t meant to be a particularly religious experience. It was more so a place where you could get outside your head, and whatever stresses you may be feeling that day, and just reflect and think about these greater questions of morals and ethics—what it means to be yourself, and what it means to be a leader of character. All of these bigger questions. And we have amazing people who lead that programming. So I think Chapel is a great piece of programming at Appleby. It is where I came to a lot of my own conclusions about my own morals and what I’m grounded in.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

At Appleby College, they not only create cool opportunities for students but they create opportunities where you can learn to create things for yourself. I know how to plan events and plan initiatives, because of the work that I did as a student ambassador. The leadership opportunities, and the opportunities to create things, initiatives, and events, and work with the team to bring your dream to fruition to actually see it through was amazing because there was leadership and there were people and teachers to guide us, but very much they just let us do our own thing and helped us out along the way.

—Simi Ogunsola, alum (see full interview)

There are lots of opportunity to form personal connections through shared interests.

Conversations with students and alumni highlight the emphasis Appleby College places on fostering creativity and personal connections through diverse clubs, activities, and a strong sense of community.

There were so many opportunities for me to connect with others through things that I loved. There were so many areas of interest that I could sort of dive into that it was hard to not relate to people. That's just one way that kids can come out of their shell and sort of transition smoothly, is just getting involved in what they love and the transition follows.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

I know this is an answer that I’m sure a lot of people give, but it was so true for me—the community and people were everything for me at Appleby College. There were amazing academics, amazing extracurriculars, and all of that was rooted in this community of people who really cared. Even though you’re surrounded by these people who have amazing goals and want to achieve so much, it never feels competitive. It always felt so supportive.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

When I asked my kids about what they value most about the school, they both said it’s the friendships they have built. They have managed to find their core group, which has stood by them in various situations. And they've made friends outside this core group through co-curriculars and sports teams, some of whom might become lifelong friends. It's wonderful to witness the large network they are building at this young age.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

International programming offers unique global exposure.

Accounts from alumni and parents highlight how Appleby College’s strong emphasis on global education and international travel experiences significantly contribute to its unique educational offering, fostering self-reliance and cultural appreciation among students.

Even just from a strict programming point of view, there are some things that Appleby does that are really ahead of the curve. We have this incredible experiential education program, where many, many students participate in international trips. I had the opportunity to go to Thailand in Grade 10 and Mongolia in Grade 11 over March break. Mongolia in particular was a service trip. We were building a fence for a daycare for young children with developmental disabilities, as well as working with students and teaching English. It was an amazing experience to get out of your bubble for a little bit and see the world for what it is.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

Global education has been something we see as a really central part of experiences for kids as they’re developing ‘global citizenship’ — being able to live and work with people of all sorts of different backgrounds, and appreciating different cultures. That’s grown significantly at Appleby over the last 15 years. A few years ago, we made it a mandatory part of the program. So whether it’s a service trip, an intercultural trip, an academic exchange, or an international conference, every student who goes to Appleby will have a global experience through Appleby.

—Innes van Nostrand, Principal (see full interview)

At Appleby College, I really appreciated the international community, and the way that it allowed us to be creative, the opportunities that they had for students to step up and decide how they wanted to do things. For the international community, I was a part of Round Square for a bit, which I loved. I hosted people at my house during a conference a couple of years ago.

—Simi Ogunsola, alum (see full interview)

It is Appleby’s global perspective that sets the school apart. Various other independent schools might be a part of Round Square, or various other organizations. Appleby can say all that, too, while having the software and hardware and history to back that statement up. We hosted the Round Square International Conference back when I was in my senior year. We have an extensive Global Education department that gives students opportunities to go all over the world. I went on three different trips with them. Then you have the Duke of Edinburgh program. All this support for students to explore internationally makes Appleby very unique.

—Gabby Ponikvar, parent (see full discussion)

The international travel that Appleby provided makes the children have to think a little bit more and be self-reliant. Our dinner conversations after these trips were lovely and unforgettable. A lot of the travel that our children did exposed them to cultures and environments that are radically different to ours. They have learned an appreciation for what they have.

—Gabby Ponikvar, parent (see full discussion)

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Appleby College EXTRACURRICULARS

Page Contents

Facts and analysis

SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

Why it matters

CLUBS AND PROGRAMS

Why it matters

DISTINCT EXTRACURRICULAR FEATURES

Why it matters

Qualitative insights

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My Shortlist

BUILD YOUR SHORTLIST

EVALUATE YOUR SCHOOLS

TRACK IMPORTANT DATES

Appleby College EXTRACURRICULARS

Page Contents

Facts and analysis

SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

Why it matters

CLUBS AND PROGRAMS

Why it matters

DISTINCT EXTRACURRICULAR FEATURES

Why it matters

Qualitative insights

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