Final Reflection

It's getting closer and closer to the IB May exams, and so I now I have to say goodbye to my CAS temporarily. However, over the two years here at OSC, I believe that I managed to achieve all eight of the CAS criteria.

1) Increased their awareness of their strengths and areas for growth

2) Undertaken new challenges

3) Planned and initiated activities

4) Worked collaboratively with others

5) Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities

6) Engaged with issues of global improtance

7) Considered the ethical implication of their actions

8) Developed new skills

At the beginning of the IB CAS program, I chose Recycling as my service. Now, two years later I leave as the old leader welcoming the new ones to take my place. I've tried to attend every session possible and have physically participated in the drop off of the recycable materials ( 5. Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities). I chose this as my service mainly because I believe that helping our world takes one step at a time. Right now, my first step is with Recycling (6. Engaged with issues of global improtance).

I've also demonstrated this criteria with my soccer. It was one of my methods of getting excersize and I even particpated in the SAISA team for my school, twice!

I regularly attented practices and games that occured during and before the season. In fact, while playing a match before the second season began, I learnt a lot of what I needed to improve on (1. Increased their awareness of their strengths and areas for growth). Mainly it boiled down to my stamina and so I planned a workout where I would utilize my weights, punching bag, and treadmill at my house. I didn't manage to use the treadmill as much as I wanted, but I used my weights and punching bag on a regular basis ( 3. Planned and initiated activities).

However, after the first season, a majority of the team left since they were seniors and so in my second season of soccer, I was among a number of new teamates. However, we worked as a team and accomplished a lot during our tournament. In fact, due to our strong teamwork and lack of a full team, we were dubbed as the "Iron Men" in the SAISA tournament in Dhaka (4. Worked collaboratively with others).

When it came to taking new activites, it was a little more difficult to accomplish. However, I soon set my sights on the Yearbook activity and the play "The Crucible". In my life, I have never used Adobe photoshop as a serious tool to create something for everyone to see. The Yearbook activity gave me the chance to hone my skills and develop new ones while performing a community service (8. Developed new skills). Also, "The Crucible" was a new activity for me since I'm sort of shy guy. However, I performed the play to the best of my ability and I was pleased with my performance (2. Undertaken new challenges).

I also helped my American community by volunteering at the Haunted House. It was a new, but fun activity which I enjoyed doing so much that I did it for both years that I was here. It also gave me the chance to work collabritively with people from my Embassy since we had to discuss plans on how we were going to really scare some kids/adults. In the end that "/" sort of blurred.

The last criteria that I had to cover was the ethical implications of my actions. Honestly, the only service where this could apply was with my Recycling. As a leader of the group, I had to set an example to the members and so I couldn't slack off or anything. It would have sent a wrong message and wouldn't have been ethically correct for me to sit around and order the kids around. I believe that this showed since we always worked efficiently at each meeting (7. Considered the ethical implication of their actions).