I had the opportunity to begin the CAS experience before I was even an IB student. Three months prior to my first IB year, I had the opportunity to create a group with two other classmates. I proposed to them the idea of starting earlier since there was going to be a castration campaign in Huacas during that month and it should be our first event. The problem back then wasn’t that I wasn’t motivated enough or knowledgeable enough to help out. The problem was that my leadership and communication skills were very lacking and it resulted in having a clash of ideas with the other volunteers and never coming to an effective solution. After creating other types of events, not only animal-related but also social and environmental I became a better vocal person that can clearly get her ideas through. This made me realize that a leader needs to balance 4 important elements. Finding the balance between being a thinker and taking risks since once you are a leader, your decision making will affect the group positively or not. Similarly, the balance between being open-minded and reflective since a leader must know when it’s time for fun and when it’s the time for hard work. CAS has helped become a person that isn’t afraid to say her perspective on things while still being respectful of the ideas of others. I still have much more to learn but with the skill set, I have now I will be set in the future for great opportunities.
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