CAS Tips for Juniors
- Draft proposals in ManageBAC for all the projects you know you will be completing in the next two years.
- Make a list of any goals you’ve always wanted to achieve and see if they fit any CAS requirements.
- Find out which categories and learner outcomes you are lacking, and think of projects you could complete or organizations you could join that would fulfill any missing requirements.
- Set aside one morning or afternoon a week to check ManageBAC and update CAS proposals and reflections.
CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) is an integral part of the International Baccalaureate program that is designed to demonstrate a student’s extracurricular involvement.
Each of the three facets of CAS are also designed to ensure that the IB student emerges from the Diploma Programme as a more well-rounded individual.
The CAS requirement states that each student is to acquire 150 hours completing activities that meet either the Creativity, Action or Service criteria. Such hours are also required to be distributed evenly amongst the three criteria.
In addition to meeting hours in the three CAS areas, the student is asked to complete eight learner outcomes: (1) increased awareness of individual strengths and areas for growth, (2) undertaken new challenges, (3) planned and initiated activities, (4) worked corroboratively with others, (5) shown perseverance and commitment to your activities, (6) engaged with issues of global importance, (7) considered the ethical implications of your actions and (8) developed new skills.
During the two years of the Diploma Programme, the student is asked to propose and record each of their activities that meet one or more of the CAS areas and at least one of the learner outcomes. Activities can be proposed through the ManageBAC program.
School Organizations that Help with CAS Hours
- Student Council – Wednesdays, 4:00; Room 1200
- Class Councils – Wednesdays, 3:45-4:00
- Key Club – Tuesdays, 3:45; room 6129
- Thespians/Theatre – See Mr. Rogers
- The Norseman – See Mrs. Dominy, room 6160
- Vikingoteo – See Mr. Morales, room 2109
After a proposed activity is approved by the CAS Coordinator (Laura Wagner), students must conduct the activity and then reflect on such activity.
Reflections can be done in a myriad of ways, including a written response, YouTube video, or through photographs. Each reflection should demonstrate how the student achieved their learner objectives.
Following the proposal and reflection of a given activity, students must have their activity reviewed by an activity supervisor that oversaw the completion of their activity, such as a club sponsor or coach.
Additional stipulations regarding CAS activities include: no single activity may amass more than 30 hours, no activity may receive paid compensation, no activity can correspond with a graded assignment of an IB course and each activity must demonstrate some sort of goal the student is looking to achieve.
Students are welcome to count CAS hours for activities they are already doing and count for other school organizations.
All 150 CAS hours must be completed by February 14 of the student’s senior year.
