Creativity, Action, Service (CAS)

The Creativity/Action/Service Programme is central to the IB vision of the “well-rounded student”. While academics are an important part of the Pre-IB Programme, it is also important for students to establish a sense of balance between school and extra-curricular activities. The CAS Programme gives students the encouragement and opportunities to participate in new and challenging activities in their school and their community.

The ideal CAS activity is:

• - active not passive. For example, while taking piano lessons may help you to develop a set of skills, you are receiving the benefits of someone else’s talents as part of your instruction. A better CAS activity is teaching young children what you have learned about playing the piano, or performing in a concert at a seniors’ home.
• - one that allows you to share your talents with others. For example, while selling tickets for a fundraiser ultimately has a worthy goal, it requires very little effort on your part. A better activity would be one where you take an active role in organizing a fundraising activity, or where you work as part of a team to accomplish a larger task, such as packing food hampers for the Christmas Cheer program.
• - one that encompasses two or more of the CAS components. Choosing activities that are creative and active (eg. performing with the school’s concert band at community functions) makes your CAS experience more meaningful, and allows you to develop a wider variety of skills.
• - one that is supervised by an adult, as you will need a supervisor to verify your hours.