What's going on? (SEVEN) - THE END!

My CAS Program has finally come to an end!

I have been busy bringing projects to a finish - i.e. teaching Grade 11 students how to go about taking over my job as something of a 'CAS Journalist'. This project was a useful but demanding one so I wanted to help four students in the Grade below as they continued writing/taking photos for regular CAS articles. I have also been continuing my work in the Yearbook as the chief editor. The reason I had to bring these activities to an eventual close is because it is now the time for me to focus on my studies in preparation for the May 2012 exams.

I did complete another activity before this, however..!

My piano teacher, Bonnie Brown, hosts holiday music lessons for children and, as one of her mature students, asked me to take several photographs of the classes for her website. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to help my teacher and friend. It also gave me yet another opportunity to exercise my photography skills in a new environment. As the subjects were mainly a group of students, at times this could be very unpredictable! It was useful practice for me, personally but my teacher would also gain more publicity from her website (hopefully!) with the help of my photographs. I spent a day sitting in the two classes scheduled for that day, continuously taking photos where I saw fit. I also helped the students with their work on piano theory when they needed it. :)

Activity Completed - Creativity (5 hours)

The photos of the students with Bonnie are for her disposal so I cannot publish them here. However, shown below are two outtakes of some of the students during the classes!

In conclusion, CAS has been both an exhausting and fulfilling experience, as I had expected! Most notably, mentoring Sophie Stretch has been really meaningful for me while Piano lessons always gave me an escape when I needed it. Yearbook was extremely demanding and challenging and I learnt many things about working with others (which was a main goal for me in pursuing my CAS Program) while at the same time giving me an output for my creativity. Basketball also brought me closer to many wonderful people and my Service projects taught me to be conscious of those who need help locally and globally. Looking back at everything I have accomplished and knowing that I have been able to help a number of people is truly overwhelming. They won't be easily forgotten.  :)

Below is a full list of the activities I have completed throughout the course of my IB Dimploma (Session: May 2012).

CREATIVITY -

Yearbook (20 hours ++)

Piano (20 hours ++)

International Day Stand Ambassador (5 hours)

Contributing to Photos in ISP's Literary Magazine (5 hours)

Taking Photos for Eventual Publication on the Internet - for Bonnie Brown (5 hours)

TOTAL: 55 hours

ACTION -

Football (20 hours ++)

Basketball (20 hours ++)

Learning to Snowboard (15 hours)

SERVICE -

Christmas in Cambodia - Donation Collections (8 hours)

Website Upgrade for Bottle School Project - Illac Diaz (4 hours)

English Classroom Assistant (15 hours)

Mentoring & Aiding Sophie Stretch with CAS (15 hours)

Attending ISP's Student Council Open Meeting (1 hour)

Documenting 'Creative, Action and Service' (10 hours)

Assisting in Victor Narciso's Photo Shoot (3 hours)

Volunteering for Gawad Kalinga - Philippines (4 hours)

CAS GRAND TOTAL: 170 hours

8th of January, 2012.

Isabella Borgers