Creativity, Action, Service – CAS

The creativity, action, service requirement focuses on the importance of life outside the classroom, providing a counterbalance to academic self absorption. The IBO’s goal of educating the whole person and fostering more caring and responsible attitudes comes alive in the element CAS. The educational benefits of CAS apply in the school, local, national and international communities. CAS challenges the student to develop a value system by which they enhance their personal growth and also to develop traits such as determination, commitment, initiative and leadership. CAS is a framework for experiential learning, designed to involve students in new roles. The emphasis is on learning by doing real tasks that have real consequences and then reflecting on these experiences.

For a number of years the CAS students have been involved in a variety of projects ranging from working in the local community of São Paulo at the crèche St. Agostinho, working with young children once a week, at GRAACC a hospital which treats children with cancer and in the community centre in Paraisopolis working with babies and older children. Each of these projects is supervised by a member of the CAS team, where a year 12 student takes a leadership role.

A yearly Intercas event takes place between 6 international schools in São Paulo where student prepare activities for 120 children from underprivileged communities. In addition students have gained work experience at the Infant school, participated in a CAS workshop, led by year 12 students for the year 11 students.

Student initiated projects have included “English for All” in the school community, leading of extra curricular activities and being involved in school festivals. Internationally students have participated in trips such as the outward bound course in the Andes and the leadership course and Model United Nations.

The Year 11 CAS students participate in a CAS trip which involves spending 4 days on a quilombo in the Vale do Paraiba, working at the school on the quilombo, constructing parts of the traditional mud and bamboo houses as well as cooking for themselves and the residents.

CAS activities have been publicized in a variety of ways through CAS assemblies, newsletters, yearbooks and display boards.