CAS Final Essay

Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) has been a wonderful experience these past two years. It has definitely made me a more well rounded person and has gotten me involved with activities and events in and out of school. CAS has taught me how to work with other students and volunteers alike, as well as interact with new people from around the community. Risks had to be taken, and courage was needed when it came to sport competitions and school musicals. CAS taught me how to deal with frustration and loss and to convert negativity into something positive and helpful to other people. Lastly, CAS has taught me how to appreciate what I have and to be thankful, as other people have less than I do yet they are still grateful and positive about life.

CAS aims to teach us about the eight learning outcomes, all of which I believe I have touched based on someway or another, some more than others, throughout the two years of IB. The eight learning outcomes, taken directly from IB, are the following:

Increased awareness of his/her own strengths and areas of growth
Undertaken new challenges
Planned and Initiated Activities
Worked Collaboratively with others
Shown Perseverance and commitment in their activities
Engaged with issues of global importance
Considered ethical implications of their actions
Developed new skills

I believe taking a part of Varsity teams such as Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball has increased my awareness of my strengths and weaknesses, as each week I had to assess my progress and to check if I was meeting my goals, and I'd say for the most part, I met my goals and improved where I wanted, whether it was the stability of my setting, my aggressiveness towards the hoop, or my stamina on the field.  Of course, there are also weaknesses or areas of growth that I recognized such as composure, or court vision which I gave my best effort to improve on during the practices.
I also believe that I did in fact take on new challenges, such as take on the role of captain in the varsity teams, or join the school play after a long time away from it, or leading a school wide activity in the beach clean-up. It took a lot of courage to do some of the things I did in the past two years, but it was all worth it in the end, and I'm glad I did it.
I did plan and initiate activities such as the International Coastal Cleanup Organizing Committee, and of course my yearly project with the NHS concerning the Agusuhin Village, and this year's POCCH activities.
And of course, and I would say, in all the activities relating to CAS in the past two years, I have constantly been working collaboratively with others in team sports, NHS activities, in the School Play, in the International Coastal Cleanup, Tzu Chi Medical Mission, and the list goes on. Working with others is always a pleasure, and it is always fun to share good memories with other people rather than just yourself.
I also feel that I have shown perseverance and commitment in my activities. I was  a part of the LS Soccer Club, which taught young kids the fundamentals of soccer every weekend, I also led the International Coastal Cleanup two years straight, I was always committed to my athletics and kept persevering in my NHS project even when things weren't going as planned. There are times where I felt like giving up or not participating, but I would always find a way to motivate myself and to keep myself focused towards my overall objective.
Being a part of the International Coastal Cleanup, and the Tzu Chi Medical Mission kept me engaged with issues of global importance. ICC kept me aware of the environment and how important it is for us to keep it clean and green, and Tzu Chi opened my eyes to the poor healthcare of this country, and how many poor people are sick but cannot afford medication. I am glad that somehow, I was able to make a difference towards the improvement of the environment and healthcare of some people.
One experience that stood out concerning the ethical implications of my actions was during my experience in the Tzu Chi Medical Mission where I was put in a difficult situation when I was in charge of letting people in and out of the clinic. There were people who had been falling in line for quite some time already, but then there was more than one instance where someone would ask me if they could go first, infront of everybody else who was waiting in line. I remember one time, where this woman was asking me to ask for her grandfather's medication first, since they really had to go somewhere already. I felt bad because the old man had a patch in his eye and he looked quite frail, so I hurried in and bugged one of the assistants to prioritize their medication first. Of course, this was unfair to those who've been in line for more than an hour, packed like sardines in a hot waiting area, but I felt like the old man, and some other few patients who asked for the same service, needed it more than the others. It was a hard decision for me, but with hindsight, I believe I did the right thing.
I surely developed new skills throughout my CAS endeavors, obvious in my athletic undertakings, my attempt in honing my lost skills in drama/acting, and my improved leadership and collaborative skills in my NHS activities, and other service events.

I honestly believe that throughout my two years of CAS, in the International Baccalaureate Program, I have experienced the 8 Learning Outcomes through a multitude of wide-ranging, yet balanced (Creativity, Action, Service) activities. Going through these undertakings, both positive and negative has made me a stronger person, able and willing to go through failures and frustrations, but also more emotional and reflective of my successes. CAS was truly a great opportunity and I am almost certain that the memories, as well as the values and virtues that I have developed from my experiences will stay with me forever.