Journal Entry

1. What is the meaning of CAS to you? Why is it something that is required by the IB and the MEP? Why did you choose to do your project? What resources are available to help you succeed?

CAS to me is a way to help someone and make a difference while doing something you love. It helps us develop our abilities and skills as well as creating new experiences to learn from. I believe it is something required by the IB and MEP because it gives us as students the ability to show initiative, demonstrate perseverance, and show skills of problem solving, teamwork, communication, cooperation, etc. It needs the IB learner profiles of risk takers but also inquires because the project needs to be bold and also well thought out. I chose to do my project of giving dance opportunities because dance is something I am passionate about and I want people to get that opportunity to feel and understand that. I also wanted to choose something that I had the motivation to spend time on every week and because I love dance I feel this project is a good fit. Some resources available to help me succeed is that I am working with two amazing hardworking partners who are also passionate about dance. On top of that we want to work with the studio we all dance with and have many connections with. Another resource is the approval of CEPIA to work with us and the availability of the CAS teacher because I live with her. 

2. How has CAS changed because of COVID? Or has it? Have the community’s needs changed? If so, how? If not, explain.

I think COVID has created restrictions and challenges for many people to overcome for their CAS project. It could pose a threat to our CAS project because of the dance studios restrictions. This connects to the fifth learning outcome of identifying challenges and gaining collaboration because my group will have to work together to overcome this challenge. I think the community needs positivity through COVID and what we are trying to do with our project is getting kids to get out of the house and exercise. As well as give an opportunity to someone to have some sort of routine of dance classes and have something normal in their lives. 

3. Evaluate the project that you are doing. Is there a way to start the project over the summer, at least lay the groundwork? If not, why? If so, how and what will you do?

I don’t think there is a lot our group can do over the summer because throughout the whole summer not all of us will be in Costa Rica. What we can do is brainstorm possible ways to move forward and create communication with the organizations we want to work with. We will use the seventh learning outcome by showing awareness of the consequences us not being able to work together will have. But we will use the IB learner profile of thinkers to find a way to make up for it.