A look into IB CAS projects

International Baccalaureate Program promotes community service through CAS requirement

LUCIA PERFETTI

cover editor At a time when students are wrapped up in the hectic weeks of tests and presentations, it can be hard to keep perspective on the important things, like giving back to the community. Although WHS does not have a service requirement, the IB program incorporates service into the required curriculum, by way of CAS. “The Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component of the IB program encourages students to demonstrate the ten attributes of the IB learner profile,” Victoria Birk, the IB Programme Coordinator, explained, continuing, “Students use an electronic portfolio to document their various CAS experiences with photos, summaries, and reflections. A highlight of the CAS component is a longterm project that each student engages in which demonstrates initiative, planning, leadership, collaboration, and commitment.” Several students who are part of the program agreed to talk about their CAS projects, and what the experience of giving back meant to them. One such student was Mackenzie Wilkes, who, like many others, was inspired by her own experiences to give back by putting together an Adopt a Family project last year to provide Christmas gifts to a family in need. “I chose this project actually from having gone through financial struggles as a family for a period of time, and it felt good to give back and help others who need it,” Wilkes said, explaining that the process was smoother than she had expected. “I was able to engage the entire senior class in helping me with purchasing gifts and wrapping them as well.” Overall, Wilkes said that the best part was the end result, and she is grateful for the experience, saying, “It was really rewarding when the people came to pick up all the gifts for the little family to see how happy they were with the crazy amount of gifts we were able to get for this family.” Wilkes was not the only one who was inspired by her own childhood to give back. Emily Case, a Triway IB student came up with the idea for doing a book drive for children because she, “grew up going to the library because I loved reading books…and when COVID hit, all the libraries shut down.” Case knew that some did not have access to technology to read books online during COVID, so she began collecting books from friends, family, and even donations from the Boys and Girls Club, all of which together ended up being more than enough. “I was pretty overwhelmed because I didn’t expect that many, but I was very fortunate to even get them,” Case said. Case was able to donate the books she collected to Shreve and Triway for them to, hopefully, give away as gifts at the beginning of the school year. Ultimately, Case said, “My hope was that they could just take them home and actually read.” Interestingly, teaching youth seemed to be a common theme among the IB scholars. Both Ally Gatchal and Emma Arnold used their CAS projects as a way to teach youth about their passions. Gathcal, who chose to run a Kids Airport Day, says, “Aviation’s a big thing for me, and I wanted to share that with kids.” To do this, Gatchal found 12 kids with interests in aviation, and showed them around planes in the Galion Airport, playing games and teaching them about aviation. “The main thing for me is that the kids had fun, and hopefully they learned something new,” Gatchal said, declaring the project a success although there were complications with the weather. Emma Arnold also ran a camp for kids, inspired by her passion for robotics, which she has been involved in since seventh grade. Working alongside her robotics teacher, Arnold created and advertised a weeklong robotics camp over the summer. “The kids were really good at it,” Arnold remarked. “ I don’t know why because when I was in elementary school….(coding) was one of my weaknesses.” Arnold went on to say that it was rewarding to be able to help kids with something that once challenged her, although it was a struggle to fill up time once they finished the hardest activities in under an hour. “I learned that STEM in general is becoming more common in younger ages,” Arnold said of the project. “I never had those experiences in elementary school” Wooster senior Kyla Yarger got the idea for her CAS project after multiple other ideas that fell through. She was in the IB office, and noticed old IB yearbooks lying around. “After I was told there hadn’t been one made in several years, I knew I had to make one,” Yarger said, explaining that it clicked after that. Although creating the yearbook did have its ups and downs, including format, editing, and organizational issues; Yarger was glad to have it done, saying, “the result was well worth the wait,” and the experience allowed her a way to “reflect on this time in IB.” Although building service into the curriculum is ingenious, it should not be the only reason for students to give back. As the IB student learn through doing their CAS projects, service is about a lot more than just giving; it is about spreading love, teaching, learning, and growing oneself as well.

“CAS ENABLES STUDENTS TO ENHANCE THEIR PERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL DEELOPMENT BY LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE. IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DETERMINATION AND COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS, FOSTERING A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT ANDN ENJOYMENT FROM THEIR WORK,” ACCORDING TO IBO.ORG.

Photo courtesy of Victoria Birk

Photo courtesy of Emma Arnold

Photo courtesy of Victoria Birk

IB students have to document parts of their CAS journey through photos. Top is Kyla Yarger with her completed IB yearbook. Middle is an example of robots used by kids at Emma Arnold’s robotics camp, and bottom Mackenzie Wilkes (middle) is pictured with other IB seniors during the Christmastime adopt a family project she ran.