Jerry's CAS Journey

Introduction

Over the course of high school, I have developed interests in a multitude of disciplines that reside outside of my academic prowess. Of which, CAS has played a pivotal role in my development as a well-rounded and altruistic individual. On top of that, I have also matured as a critical thinker and prospered in my ability to solve complex problems, as demonstrated by my leadership in the planning for and operation of our school’s sports day, street cleansing activity, English teaching, as well as other miscellaneous clubs and service activities. This blog will provide a strong recap of the learning outcomes I have achieved during my journey of undertaking challenges and making positive changes.

Identify your own strengths and areas for growth

As a self-motivated and highly collaborative individual, I believe that I resonate well with activities that emphasize teamwork, perseverance, and collaboration the most. I find working with people towards a common, challenging goal a highly rewarding and enjoyable process, as I believe I have the dexterity to motivate and uplift others while also developing my personal skills and shortcomings. For instance, my participation in the 3 versus 3 intermittent basketball competition held by the Taoyuan Department of Sports really enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and compete against different individuals and age groups at the highest level. By observing and physically competing with them on the court, I’ve come to realize where my strengths lie as well as where there may be areas of weakness, which can be better developed in the forthcoming months.

Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

The saying “no one makes a lock without the key” acknowledges that every challenge comes with a solution of its own, one that needs to be worked out in the course of time with patience and perseverance. Undertaking these challenges has helped me recognize the value of hard work and commitment, and has helped me develop both hard and soft skills. For instance, my friends and I decided to partake in the intramural basketball competition held by the Department of Sports at the Taoyuan City Government because we wanted to develop new skills while challenging ourselves to play at the highest level. By foregoing these challenges, I have developed the mindset to always challenge myself with things I want to improve on; and to enrich my skills by arduously challenging the more skilled.

Demonstrate how to plan and initiate a CAS experience

Planning and initiating a CAS experience can be difficult for some. However, I find it somewhat of an enjoyable process considering the number of skills and exciting memories I will be able to attain at the end of the day. By taking initiative in areas we recognize that need help, such as our street cleansing activity that aims to mitigate neighborhood garbage while advocating for a clean, healthy environment. Prior to our initiation of the street cleansing activity, our group came together and carried out a lot of research and scouting before we identified the core of the problem and the areas in which we may be helpful. As a result, we devised a specified route that will enable us to optimize our efforts in terms of garbage collection and ultimately, make the most impact to the wellbeing of the community environment.

Show commitment and perseverance in CAS project

At the heart of every sport, consists of inflamed commitment and perseverance. That goes without saying, basketball is one of those sports. My participation in varsity basketball has taught me the true value of commitment in terms of working towards a common goal, despite how far off it may seem. By being constantly engaged with the team within the practice and outside of practice, and persevering through the hard times and rough patches in a season, our team was ultimately able to pull off a somewhat successful season despite our final standings. The amount of road that we have covered together as a team simply shows how dedicated and focused we are on getting better every day, and working towards a common goal.

Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively

My participation in the sports day referee mission has taught me the essence of working collaboratively by delegating tasks, as well as clear roles and responsibilities. Our constant communication and team-oriented mindset has enabled us to become more enduring in the face of versatility. For instance, our group was constantly needing to deal with changes in the choice of sport, and there were certain miscommunication issues here and there between our teachers and our fellow teammates. However, we were able to resolve that by constantly engaging in a direct flow of communication and double-checking everything wherever possible. This has built a culture of trust and constant teamwork, as the referee mission is not a sole performance, but rather, the outcomes of a functioning, collaborative team.

Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

As an IB learner, it is prevalent that one finds ways to help resolve issues of global significance one way or another. I believe that education is the gateway to a brighter future, and thus, by partaking in Beyond Horiozn’s English teaching program, I believe that I can make a huge difference in the lives of those that are in disadvantaged or even underprivileged communities. My aspiration to mitigate educational disparity stems from the fact that I realize how valuable a fully functioning and supported educational system can be, and without it, I would not be able to thrive. For an entire year, I have created a personalized syllabus for my student, and we have conversed over every topic imaginable. I believe that my footprint will be more than simply English teaching, but would inspire and change her life for the better.

Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

I believe ethics of choices and actions is the way that is the hardest of the lot, owing to the fact that sometimes it is difficult to precisely quantify the ethical or unethical dilemmas associated with a course of action. However, I do believe that I have contributed to my fair share of ethical choices and actions by participating in the “Beyond Horizon charity fundraising” event where our goal is to help raise finance for underprivileged educational minorities in the rural parts of Taiwan. These financial resources have the potential to positively impact the livelihoods of those that are seeking a better education. As mentioned prior, even though our impacts may be hard to quantify, I truly believe that this is the right course of action.

Conclusion

Despite the pandemic adding an extra layer of difficulty and estrangement to the people in various communities, my vision to help serve and reconnect people has remained unfaltered. Looking back, I am extremely grateful for what the CAS curriculum has molded me into. In spite of the fact that CAS may be a very time-consuming, mentally, and physically draining project at times, I believe that this was definitely worth the time and effort, as I've experienced and undertaken problems and challenges I would never have elsewhere. These initiatives and activities have helped me develop transferable skills that will be prevalent for my future growth, all of which make CAS such a vital journey that all students must undergo in order to experience personal growth.

A little word of advice for people who are just beginning to start CAS.

• Step out of your comfort zone

• Diversify experiences and projects (interdisciplinary)

• Start early, keep a tab on your projects