One of the requirements for the International Baccalaureate Diploma is fulfilling the CAS criteria. Throughout my 2 years in high school I have done many different activities and projects to fulfill these.
To Increase my awareness of my own strengths and areas of growth:
I joined OSC in Grade 11, and for the two years that I have been in this school I was part of the SAISA football team. Playing football after a long time, made me realize many things many things about myself. The positions that were given to me to play were at the beginning confusing, however towards the end of the season, I was very surprised of my own strengths of being able to play. Sometimes, I knew that I need to work on some of the skills; therefore I have also increased my awareness of my areas of growth during the practices. (Action)In Grade 12, I was part of the RCCI Service group. Being the first time interacting with children of these time there were times that I was surprised at myself of how I can deal with the children. This also go with times the One World Volunteers Service group which I am part of interacts with children. However, I always find a place where I need to improve on when interacting with the children, as I always like to get better and communicating with them, to make them feel more secure around me.(Service)
Different piano pieces need different skill levels. I usually like to play the harder pieces as this is a new challenge for me, and what I think is hard usually seems to be really easy. Therefore I recognize my strengths. There is also times where I realize what I need to improve on, because of the method used to play a certain part in the piece. Thus I practice and improve on this. This was also established in COMUN. (Creativity)To Undertake new challenges:
I was involved in basketball, football. I played basketball for the first time in my life. Therefore, I was undertaking a new challenge. Playing defensive position in football after being striker after a long time was a new challenge. (Action)For the first time I went to the Alzheimer’s home to meet the patients there and interact with them. It was the first time working with RCCI children too. (Service)
Tamil is my mother tongue, however my Tamil grammar isn’t that good. Therefore, writing a tamil article consisted of taking on a new challenge. I only play the piano and playing the keyboard has a different touch. Therefore playing the keyboard, in a band (something that I have no done before) is something new to me. (Creativity)Planning and Initiating Activities:
As part of one world volunteers, we plan and initiate activities. This is really important, especially if we are working with a bunch of children as we’ll need to have the evening or time period planned. For the ‘Light Up’ Carnival which was organized by the one world volunteer group that I’m part of, I was in charge of the sponge throw game stall. Therefore I had to plan exactly what went on and how it went on. (Creativity and Service)Working collaboratively with others:
In sports, especially in team sports the participants in the team need to work together collaboratively. This will aid the game being played and also maintains the discipline of the sport and the game. This is shown in football and basketball that I played in. (Action)When working with service projects, in helping the community we need to make plans strategically which will aid us in portraying our service to the community that we’re helping. Therefore this had to be done in many of the service projects that I did. (Service)
In order to play a musical instrument within a band, collaboration is needed. When I played for the school band, in the concert, I made sure to collaborate with other students in the band so that we went together. (Creativity)Showing perseverance and commitment in my activities:
When part of a sports team, in order to get good practice and develop the skills further thoroughly, I needed to show perseverance and commitment in the activities that I was part of. Therefore I made sure that I went to all the practices which were held. (Action)Being par the One World Volunteers, we initiate many activities. Therefore I as part of my team need to show perseverance and commitment in all the activities. This is so that we are involved with the children in the Service groups. I also made sure that I attended all the meetings regarding the ‘Light Up’ in or der to made the carnival a success. (Service)
For organizing a game for the game stall section, I had to make sure that I showed perseverance in designing this and keeping everyone updated, so that we all knew what was going on. (Creativity)Engaging with issues of global importance:
The Light Up carnival was to raise money for buying bikes for kids to help them to get to school. This is an issue of global importance. Therefore designing a game, for a stall in the carnival is important.(Creativity)Many of the services that I do is to do with children. Two of them are for children from traumatized backgrounds and others are or impaired children. People usually neglect such sorts of children, and playing with these types of children is helping with an issue of global importance. (Service)
Considering the ethical implications of my:When working with children, and children who are slightly impaired and old people who have Alzheimer’s I need to consider the ethical implication to make sure that whatever we do with them does not hurt them either mentally or physically. (Service)
Developing New Skills:In grade 11 and 12, I have done many sports, and this has enabled me to learn many new skills. These are not only the tactics needed to get the ball during football and basketball also collaborative skills when working as a team by using sign language when asking for the ball so that the opponent does not know. (Action)
When playing the piano, I have realized that I have improved so much as I can play some pieces better and play some songs which have hard finger tactics without struggling. This is because have developed new skills. (Creativity)Skills also have been developed during my high school carrier about how to handle sensitive children. This will be useful for the future especially for communication skills. (Service)
Personally, I'm very thankful to be able to do these different acitivities as I've learnt a lot from them that will help me in my future.
