Over my DP years, I was able to explore many CAS experiences. I participated in a wide range of physical, creative, and service-related activities. Through constant reflections and evaluations, I started to realize my ability to make changes within and around my community through ways of art, service, and most importantly, my CAS project.

 

Creativity:

LO2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

LO3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.

LO6. Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

I’ve always been interested in art, and I try to link culture and art together in my Creativity experiences. One of my most important projects in Creativity is the HuiRight YouTube channel where I voice over time-lapses of me painting cultural arts o promote cultural empathy amongst global audiences. I received 20k views, and I was happy to realize that my extra-curricular interest can create some social impact. I also hosted the Dragon-Boat Festival Origami Session where I engaged 50 Sri Lankan children at the traditional Chinese festival to teach them origami. Apart from major events such as curating my final DPVA exhibition, I also kept up with small practices of art in life, such as photography, poster-making, small crafts, collections, etc.

 

Activities:

LO1. Identify your own strengths and develop areas for personal growth.

LO2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

LO3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.

LO4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.

I struggled with coming up with action ideas, for I am not a huge fan of sports. However, because the gym in Port City was built accessible to me, I found it fun to keep up with some fitness routine, and come up with different exercise plans. I adjust the plan based on my needs, such as a 40 min run+walk on treadmills to burn calories, or 50 sit-ups + lifts to build strength, etc.  I have also signed up for several Yoga sessions and advanced from a yoga noob to a beginner level. I am able to do many moves and improve my flexibility. I also recognized the benefits of going for long walks. Experiences during WWW and Geo field trips made me realize the beauty of hiking, which is less tiring but can also burn calories. Therefore, I started to go on occasional long walks within Port City, taking photography on the way. My action blogs have slowly built up over the years, showing my perseverance and dedication, and I was very happy to realize that.

 

Service: 

LO3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.

LO4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.

LO5. Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.

LO6. Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

LO7. Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

As the service leader of Recycling and Sustainability, I make constant reflections on what our service is doing, and how we can improve. My service targets solid and wet waste on campus, and aims to find sustainable ways of disposal. I engaged with the biogas plant and helped with promoting it using popcorn, and I have also preserved the tradition of weekly collections of recyclable materials around campus. I am also a member of the Eco School Committee, which exposed me to lots of opportunities. I participated in the Green Flag Audit and presented before FEE on the waste management aspects at OSC. From our collective effort, OSC received the first Green Flag in Sri Lanka. I joined the service as soon as I arrived at OSC in 7th grade, without skipping any session, I’ve done it till the last day possible. All the best to R&S, and I will continue my dedication in environmental protection at the university.

 

 

 

CAS Project:

LO1. Identify your own strengths and develop areas for personal growth

LO2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

LO3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.

LO4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.

LO5. Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.

LO6. Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

LO7. Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

I did not struggle with planning my CAS project at all for I was very dedicated to the idea of “Target Aid” in Sri Lanka ever since I joined CLFA for their charity career. China Lanka Friendship Association focused on addressing hunger in Sri Lanka after the 2022 Economic Crisis, and I was prompted to think of more solutions after having participated in 5 Poya Day rice distribution sessions around the outskirt of Colombo. Seeing the desperate needs of the locals for food and necessities, and realizing the limited coverage of our distributions, I decided to design a project that purely targets the need of the people in the most extreme poverty. The “Target Aid” project focuses mainly on the population with dire needs for financial and food support. I carefully selected 50 households after assessing the conditions of each family on a government name list. These households are in miserable conditions, such as contracting serious diseases, losing family members, or struggling to make ends meet. I then connected them with Chinese families either in Sri Lanka or in other countries

to provide them with direct financial support, they will also receive allowances which we will convert into staple food supplies such as oil, rice, sugar, etc. I tried my best to raise funds and connections to support this project, and 50 households have been the most I could do. This CAS project makes me become more aware of the community I’m living in and gives me an opportunity to pay back to the host country where I grew up for 6 years.

 

 

 

 

At last, I would like to thank Mr.Lockwood and all the teachers who have given me support and opportunities during my CAS journey. I was guided to have thorough perspectives on my projects and was encouraged to make reflections along the way. CAS has been a valuable experience in my IB career, and I am happy to continue my commitment to social services using my knowledge from this program.