CAS Journey Reflection:

Throughout my CAS journey, I was able to participate in and initiate many different non-academic experiences. Some highlights include: Being a service leader, being a part of OSC’s Eco-Schools Council, participating in SAISA Art, Orientation & Week Without Walls trip, planning and creating my own 3D designs and helping OSC achieve their Eco-Schools Green Flag. Special thanks to Mr. Lockwood, who as the Service teacher, helped with service-related experiences, and Mr Poulus, who gave me the opportunity to participate in the Eco Schools Council, The Eco-Schools audit, and OSC’s open day.

 

Creativity:

Learning Outcomes [LO]: 

1. Identify your own strengths and develop areas for personal growth.
2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.
3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.
4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.
5. Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.

 

Creativity has been the aspect I focused and developed on the most during my CAS experience. All of my explorations into the creative aspect of CAS, with the exception of the CAS project, have been largely individual. This means that for creative projects, I initiated, planned and completed them individually. For example, my 3D-designed and printed Nerf Turrets or 3D Designed and Printed Watch Charger all show LO1 LO2 LO3 and LO4, as these projects took a long time to complete, were completed myself, and I had to learn new skills to complete them. There was also collaboration in some of my explorations into creativity. For example, my posts on my SAISA Art Trip, highlight how I worked collaboratively to explore different types of art, in Jordan, LO5. My CAS Project also focused on creativity, in addition to service, demonstrating LO3 and LO4.

Activity

Learning Outcomes [LO]: 

1. Identify your own strengths and develop areas for personal growth.
2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.
3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.
4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.

 

When I began my CAS journey, I struggled to think of ways I could remain active. I was not the biggest fan of afterschool sports as they are very competitive, so I decided to do individual activities to keep myself active, all of which I planned individually, for my own personal benefit. I would frequently go on 10-20km bike rides around Colombo, demonstrating LO2, and LO3. Also, frequent long walks, as not only does it improve my physical fitness, but also help clear my mind, and keep me focused. For long weekends or holidays, my family often goes to Amba Tea Estate in the hill country of Sri Lanka, which has numerous hikes and walking trails demonstrating LO2, and LO4. Hikes are one of my favourite ways to be active and whenever I get the chance to do one, I will. Near the end of my CAS journey, I began a swimming routine and was able to track my progress using my smartwatch demonstrating LO1, LO2, and LO4. 

 

Service

Learning Outcomes [LO]: 

2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.
3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.
4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.
5. Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

 

Service has been a large part of my CAS journey. I am a service leader for OSC’s Recycling and Sustainability, so a lot of my posts focus on what our service is working on, and our future goals. I am also a part of OSC’s Eco schools Council. For the Eco schools council, I played a major part in representing OSC in our Eco-Schools Green Flag Audit demonstrating LO4, and LO6. We are the first school in Sri Lanka to receive the eco school’s green flag, making Sri Lanka the 74th country to have an eco-school. I also was a part of OSC’s open day, where new families are able to see the campus and learn about OSC. I gave a presentation during the open day about OSC’s environmental progression. Demonstrating  LO6. My CAS project was also aimed at service, as I designed, created, and printed signs on our service new recycling room demonstrating LO2, LO3, LO4, and LO6.

CAS Goals:

 

Service: I have several goals for service this year. Since this is my senior year, I want to achieve a lot within my service, recycling and sustainability. Currently there are alot of bottlenecks within our process, slowing us down and preventing us from achieving new things. I aim to optimize the recycling room and prevent dumping of non recyclable materials. I want to utilize the biogas plant more frequently, involving more people.  

 

Activity: Currently my main activity is a bi-weekly day hike I have with my family. However during the week, apart from a daily 6km walk around our local park, I do not have another type of activity. This year I want to expand the scope of my activity by implementing a new form of activity, such as volleyball. 

 

My goals for creativity is to continue with my 3D modeling. Since I plan on doing some form of arts/ design for university, my AutoCAD skills will help me greatly within those courses. I want to also increase my knowledge within mechanical design, utilizing more simulation programs, and different design softwares. 

 

Here are my CAS goals. How I plan to utilize my time outside of school to develop my interests and accomplish tasks within service, creativity, and activity.

Creativity:
While during classes such as visual art, I get to explore and develop my skill through the medium of artwork, I want to further develop my creativity and branch out to other aspects of creativity.

My first goal is to further develop my creative skills within 3D modelling, using software such as Fusion 360. I will achieve this by creating tasks that challenge me, and that I enjoy doing. This will allow me to improve my skills within fusion 360, and it will allow me to enjoy the process.

My second goal is to develop a new creative skill. I want to branch out into other types of visual art. I want to try landscape sketches. While I have done in the past a few landscape sketches within visual art. Since I enjoy landscape sketching, I want to devote more time to it, so I can develop my skills further and enjoy the process.

My third goal is to improve my skills in bird photography. While I have taken some pictures of birds before, I want to develop this skill further. Not only do I want to take photos of them, but I also want to learn more about them, species, migration patterns..etc. I will achieve this goal by practising photography on the birds in my backyard, using my parent’s camera. I will do some research on my local birds, and try to develop my understanding of some of Sri Lanka’s birds.

All the goals above have been specific, however, they will change as I go along my journey within CAS. However, no matter the examples, I want to develop my existing creative skills within computer design, and visual art. And develop new skills relating to creativity within nature.
Learning Outcomes: Growth, and skills

Action:
Action has been an element of CAS that I have not focused on too much during the pandemic, so I have several goals to change this.

Firstly, I want to develop a new fitness regimen. Currently, my only activity is a daily 3 km evening walk, and various bike rides around the city. However, I want to be more active during the day. I want to develop a fitness routine that allows me to stay active and healthy, both during, and outside of a lockdown. I will do this by researching common types of fitness regimes, and which types of workouts benefit you the most. Then I will develop a daily routine, and adjust it as a go along so it matches my needs.

And secondly, I want to participate in some type of sport. While I haven’t decided which sport yet, I have developed a few ideas. Doing laps within the swimming pool, using various types of strokes. Or if we are in-person school, joining clubs such as the ‘fun volleyball’ ASA.
Learning Outcomes: Planing, Growth, Perseverance

Service:
While service during a pandemic is different from if we were in person, there are still many ways I could serve the community.

I have a few goals for my service development during CAS. I firstly want to fully participate within a service group, and invest a lot of effort into it. I want to continue my work within Recycling and Sustainability, and help serve the school and the community.

I also want to participate in service outside of school, relating to the environment. Such as beach cleanups. I want to make a commitment to help preserve and protect the environment, as a part of my service.

I also aim to participate in local service projects. This could be a trash pick up within my neighbourhood. Or raising awareness about local issues within my neighbourhood, such as improper recycling.
Learning Outcomes: Global Engagement, Growth, Action, Working Colabartively

All of the goals mentioned above can change as I go along my CAS journey, but the one goal, that will not change, is my commitment to developing my CAS areas, within service, creativity, and action.