CAS Project

Each Diploma Programme (DP) candidate must undertake a CAS Project, in which the “action” stage lasts for at least one month’s duration. The project itself should challenge the student to show initiative and leadership, demonstrate perseverance, develop new skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making, and grapple with ethical implications and global significance. The CAS project can address any single strand of CAS, or combine two or all three strands. The following are requirements of the CAS Project:

• Must take place over an extended period of time: junior year, senior year, or both. If the project will take place over the summer, see the CAS coordinator for pre-approval.

• Must incorporate at least one of the three categories: Creativity, Activity, and/or Service.

• Must be collaborative with others (this can be peers from the student’s school, another school, or members of the wider community).

• Must involve some planning and initiating of activities in a leadership role before and during the project.

• Must, in some way, challenge the student toward a new role.

• Must include some global and ethical implications.

Sample Projects:

• Hosting a cultural awareness night at West Jordan High School

• A student group plans, designs, and creates a community mural

• Run a soccer (sports) camp for local elementary students 

• Hosting a charity fashion show to earn money for a specific cause

• Students write, plan, film, edit, and release a movie. Screen this movie at the school and donate proceeds to a local charity

• Students sets up regular after school music classes for younger students and have a community performance at the end

• Setting-up a camp for students with special needs and/or learning disabilities at your school. This could involve competitions, games, and/or learning activities

• Starting a recycling club. Another great way to help improve your community is to raise awareness for recycling and sustainable living

• Hosting dance nights at local retirement centers

• Adopting a family for Christmas and hosting events to help this family in need

• Volunteer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to engage in forest clean-up projects and/or trail preservation projects

• Establishing a virtual online exhibition for community art and promoting the site to the larger community

• Establishing a live or virtual education night. Establish a topic and gather experts in the field to talk about the topic from a variety of perspectives to educate the larger community

• Work with Habitat for Humanity or another service-based organization during the summer 

• Set-up and run a series of free technology classes for senior citizens at a local library

• Create a study buddy program with elementary students in collaboration with an elementary school/teacher

• Volunteer with Operation Smile

• Write original songs with your band, aiming to record them and produce an album

• Start a Model United Nations club. These clubs are great to learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the UN itself. MUN is great for developing speaking, debating, and writing skills, in addition to critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership

CAS Documentation Approval

• The DP candidate must propose a project at the end of his/her junior year. Though the student need not begin the project at that time, it is strongly recommended that all students complete their projects by the end of fall of their senior year, so that the project may become a focal point on college and scholarship applications.

• Both CAS experiences and projects are approved by the CAS Coordinator when the activity summary, reflections, questions, and the signed “CAS Completion Form” are submitted successfully on ManageBac for each experience, according to published CAS deadlines, and the CAS project.

• The CAS Celebration Night (see below) serves as a demonstration of each student’s learning and growth through the CAS programme.

West Jordan’s CAS Celebration Night

Each candidate will share an authentic demonstration of his/her experiences fulfilling the CAS requirements with other candidates and invited guests at the end of their senior year. This night of celebration will allow each DP® student the opportunity to prepare a meaningful documentation of his/her experiences as they align with the seven CAS learner outcomes.