Defining CAS Strands:
Creativity: Creativity in CAS provides students with the opportunity to explore their own sense of original thinking and expression. Creativity will come from the student’s talents, interests, passions, emotional responses,and imagination; the form of expression is limitless. This may include visual and performing arts, digital design, writing, film, culinary arts, crafts and composition.
Action: The aim of the “Activity” strand is to promote lifelong healthy habits related to physical well-being. Pursuits may include individual and team sports, aerobic exercise, dance, outdoor recreation, fitness training, and any other form of physical exertion that purposefully contributes to a healthy lifestyle.
Service: The aim of the “Service” strand is for students to understand their capacity to make a meaningful contribution to their community and society. Through service, students develop and apply personal and social skills in real-life situations involving decision-making, problem-solving, initiative, responsibility, and accountability for their actions.
Four types of service action It is recommended that students engage with different types of service within their CAS programme. These types of action are as follows.
• Direct service: Student interaction involves people, the environment or animals. For example, this can appear as one-on-one tutoring, developing a garden in partnership with refugees, or working in an animal shelter.
• Indirect service: Though students do not see the recipients of indirect service, they have verified their actions will benefit the community or environment. For example, this can appear as re-designing a non-profit organization’s website, writing original picture books to teach a language, or nurturing tree seedlings for planting.
• Advocacy: Students speak on behalf of a cause or concern to promote action on an issue of public interest. For example, this may appear as initiating an awareness campaign on hunger, performing a play on replacing bullying with respect, or creating a video on sustainable water solutions.
• Research: Students collect information through varied sources, analyse data, and report on a topic of importance to influence policy or practice. For example, they may conduct environmental surveys to influence their school, contribute to a study of animal migration, compile effective means to reduce litter in public spaces, or conduct social research by interviewing people on topics such as homelessness, unemployment or isolation.
All proposed CAS activities must meet four criteria:
Real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes
Personal challenge – tasks must extend the student and be achievable in scope
Thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting
Reflection on outcomes and personal learning
Suggested CAS Activities:
Creativity
| Art Club | Drama & Theater |
| Band/Orchestra | Literary Magazine |
| Ceramics | Photography |
| Choreography | Science Club |
| Chorus/Madrigals | Writing Club |
| Debate & Forensics |
Tutoring, Yearbook, Newspaper
Action
An Action activity must have a measurable and obtainable goal that you, the student, develop. If you have a running plan or fitness plan please keep a log with dates as evidence of the activity.
| Baseball | Horse Back Riding |
| Basketball | Indoor Track |
| Cheerleading | Pompon |
| Cross Country | Soccer |
| Crew | Softball |
| Cycling | Swimming |
| Dance | Tennis |
| Field Hockey | Volleyball |
| Football | Wrestling |
| Golf |
Sport training program such as an organized fitness plan or running plan, Activity Classes/Lessons such as Martial Arts and Yoga
Service
| Bethesda Cares | Mathletes |
| C & O Canal Preservation | Wider Circle |
| Computer Club | Scouting Service |
| International Club | Student Government |
| Habitat for Humanity/Rebuilding Together | Tutoring |
| Welcoming Diversity |
Volunteering in:
| Camps | Women’s Shelters |
| Day Care Centers | Nursing Homes |
| Elementary Schools |
Museums, Soup Kitchens
