CAS project

Investigation:

 Before deciding what to do for my CAS project, me and my team found The Belonging Project done by the other IB students. I did further research on the project and it aims to bring together the community by taking pictures of the person and their favorite things and to celebrate the diversity. I hesitated at first as this project needed effective planning and socializing with the whole community at school. But I decided to do it since this project would help me to overcome my weakness, which is socializing and collaborating with people as well as how to structure the planning of a month-long project.  

Preparation and Action:

 To conduct a successful project, me and my team planned the timeline first. Since we are showcasing our work at the school's literature fair, we planned to put as many people as we can to get the diversity. Before I took pictures, I contacted them first and explained the theme of the projects. Then, we choose a suitable time and date. This whole process took me for 3 weeks. After receiving the amount of pictures we wanted, we started to print them out with the name tags. For the booth, our team personally decorated it together the day before the actual fair day. Although it gave me a huge workload, I enjoyed doing it. On that fair day, our team took a turn to deliver the presentation to the guests who came to observe our booth. The smile on their face made me forget about the nervousness that I was carrying. It was worth it and it is a successful project.  

Reflection:

Taking on The Belonging Project was a challenge that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Socializing has never been my strength, and this project required constant interaction with students and staff. Additionally, organizing a month-long project meant I had to plan carefully and stay committed throughout the process. Despite my initial hesitation, I saw this as an opportunity to improve my collaboration and leadership skills. The first challenge was coordinating with participants. Reaching out, explaining the theme, and setting up a schedule took patience and persistence. Some people were hesitant, so I had to communicate effectively to encourage participation. Managing my time was another obstacle, as I had to balance this project with my academic workload. Printing the photos, preparing name tags, and setting up the booth added to the pressure, but I stayed committed. On the day of the literature fair, I was nervous about presenting, but as I spoke to visitors, my confidence grew. Seeing people appreciate our work made every effort worth it. Through this experience, I developed stronger communication, planning, and problem-solving skills. Overcoming these challenges taught me perseverance, and I’m proud of how much I’ve grown through this CAS project.

Demonstration: 

This project is shared on social media to reach a wider audience. It is posted on the school the Facebook page, "Brainworks" and here is the link to the post: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FYCtg1udH/?mibextid=wwXIfr . 

CAS Learning outcomes

• Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

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

• Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

• Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

• Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively

• Recognise and consider the ethics of choices and actions