Final Reflection

Through my two years of engagement in the CAS program I have learnt many things and grown in many ways. I have not always been successful in meeting my goals, for example, I didn’t learn to swim. But the CAS program has kept me actively involved in extracurricular activities creating a balance which is very important in life, more so in the IB program where you tend to be overwhelmed with work. The most significant aspect for me is the service component. I am left with a strengthened passion for community service. The experiences I have gained through my service involvement have instilled a driving force in me and I know I will always be motivated by the memory of the satisfaction I gained through service at OSC. In addition, the program has not only strengthened my passion but has also given me the skills such as leadership, practical problem solving and just the skill of getting things done which will help me to realize this passion.

Global Issues

I addressed several global issues though the community service aspect of the program

• Childhood Cancer
• Poverty
• Victims of a natural disaster – the 2004 tsunami in South Asia
  

New Challenges

I am not a sporty person and any sporting venture, particularly football, was a challenge. The leadership roles I undertook during the program – Red House captain, Hope fpr Kids co-leader, WWW group co-leader - also were a challenge in the form of responsibility, accountability and collaboration with others. MUN was also a challenge because I had never done Model United Nations before and even though I am generally confident when it comes to public speaking, initially I was very hesitant because it involved debating about foreign policies and global issues.

  

Planning and Initiative

I demonstrated planning and initiative through all my leadership roles, particularly the charity concert ‘Versus Cancer’. Versus Cancer was an immense effort which required a considerable amount of planning especially since it was during the first semester of grade 12, the most strenuous semester.

Collaboration, Perseverance and Commitment
Again the charity concert called in a significant amount of collaboration. I faced many challenges but ultimately the concert was a success because of my perseverance and commitment to the project. I had to be committed to my creative writing too because often the tendency was to completely ignore it even though I had an idea or an inspiration to write about due to all the school work. However, I kept writing and I see I have improved greatly and I am starting to develop my own style of writing.

Developed New Skills, Awareness of Strengths and Areas for Growth

I developed leadership skills and became aware that I am good planning and getting things done methodically. I also learnt that I have a knack for practical thinking and problem solving in practical, real life situations. However I must grow in my involvement in physical activity as I see that is something lacking in my daily routine. I must develop a sense of consistency. Another area for growth is of course my writing which I will continue to do.

Ethical Implications

Throughout my service involvement I was constantly forced to consider the ethical implications of my actions and decisions. This occurred particularly during the concert as I was making financial decisions and I had to consider if it was worth spending so much money on a certain aspect, if it was a waste, if the return in terms of awareness and fundraising would be worth it etc. Through MUN I was also forced to consider the larger implications of countries’ foreign policies and certain actions which were taken for their own interest but could be detrimental for other counties. I truly learnt to appreciate the role of the UN and other international and national governing bodies as coming to a consensus and making a decision is an extremely difficult thing.