CAS Learning Outcomes - Ethical Implications

I selected my projects so that none of them would have negative ethical implications and i did so by thinking carefully about each project that was offered in school and relating it to what I really wanted to do. The final list was then used to make my first, second and third choices for service projects. Both Habitat for Humanity and Hope For Kids are humanitarian projects, and hence were projects that had no ethical implications.

CAS Learning Outcomes - Worked Collabaratively with others

I collaborated with Remor on many occasions when we led the basketball elective, since we had to plan many activities for the elective. Also playing basketball, a team sport, was important as it taught me important team skills that will help me later on in my work environment. Furthermore, planning activities for Habitat for Humanity also involved working with other people, and enhanced my social skills.

CAS Learning Outcomes - Developed new skills

I started Photography, a new skill for me and it turned out to be a good experience for me since I learned about some strengths and weaknesses that I didn't know I had. I learned many more new skills in basketball, since my coach wanted me to play post. It was challenging at first, but with practice I felt better and more confident that I will be able to execute them better. Although it was not successful in the tournament, it is useful to me when I am playing every Saturday.

CAS Learning Outcomes - Shown perseverance and commitment in their activites

I played basketball for two years I was in Overseas School of Colombo, continuing from British School in Colombo, and after season we played every Saturday which I feel shows my commitment to the sport and also helped me show commitment in other aspects of my life like the IB Diploma, and service projects. I continued my goal of making the team every year and I achieved this goal in my opinion.

CAS Learning Outcomes - Engaged with issues of global importance

Both my service projects have been linked to global concepts; Habitat for Humanity is a global project with many branches worldwide, and our goal was receive the charter so that we may participate in more builds in Sri Lanka, while Cancer hospital treated one of the most common diseases that affects mankind. Both taught me that my actions can and will have a global consequence, since by helping people in my community I an spreading awareness, causing more people to get involved, and also helped me understand that I can make a difference locally; and this helped me change my previous mindset that I should only take part if I can make a difference globally.

CAS Learning Outcomes - Planned and Initiated activities

In Habitat for Humanity, I was part of the team that planned our first fundraiser; the Halloween Movie Night, which was a success for the group, as we raised money to obtain our charter, which would allow us to take part in more builds across the country. Also, leading an elective was mostly based on planning as we had to come up with structured plans to ensure that the students did not get bored and that we achieved our goals for the elective. The planning taught me initiative as I had to step up to the plate to ensure that my ideas were used. Also, it helped me in my Diploma, because now I use these planning skills to plan out my day so that I will have a stress free life style.

CAS Learning Outcomes - Undertaken New Challenges

I undertook a new challenge by learning photography during Semester two of my junior year (Grade 11). Since I was used to normal cameras, the idea of using a pinhole camera put me off but once I started the elective I really enjoyed the hands on experience I got. First off, making my own camera, although sounded easy, was a very daunting task; it took me three tries to get the correct alignment for the photographic paper. Then I tried my hand at taking pictures, but to my dismay, all of them turned out as smudges. It was pretty disheartening, but on a more positive note, I became proficient at using Photoshop, as I volunteered to scan the pictures after they were taken by the rest of the members of our elective. Another new challenge was leading an elective, which I did this year; it taught me some important leadership skills that will help me with my post secondary and university life; most importantly it taught me about responsibility, since me and Remor had to organize everything from equipment to drills.