On October 12, 2009, the International School of Choueifat-Erbil hosted a prominent visitor, Captain William Shepherd, NASA Astronaut and former manager in the Space Station Program.

Captain Shepherd was greeted by the ISC-Erbil admin team and then given a tour of the school campus by the SLO™ prefects. Later, he addressed the students from grades 7 and 8 in the auditorium. The students watched a video of the initial survival training astronauts have and then watched some parts of a space flight. They also had the chance to witness what the astronauts actually do during their long stay on the space station.

Captain Shepherd helped the students delve into the world of space and shared some of his exploits with them. Students were eager to learn more and seized the opportunity to ask Captain Shepherd some questions. He was very impressed by the student's awareness of space history and information and promised to visit them again on his next trip to Kurdistan.

Welcoming Captain Shepherd aroused ISC-Erbil students' interest in space and encouraged them to inquire more about the topic whether for enjoyment or learning. In addition, it allowed them to strengthen their social skills by interacting with top-notch guests hailing from various fields.

A member of the SABIS^® School Network, ISC-Erbil recently celebrated the achievement of reaching the 1000 student mark, a growth that reflects the school's successful implementation of the SABIS^® Educational System.