Prelude⌗

It’s fascinating to look back on the creation of this portfolio. I remember the days at the Bury Mis camp, waking up early to work on this site in peace. The struggle with understanding Hugo’s folder structure, now trivial, was so daunting back then. Even after the summer of 2022, I still hadn’t figured out all the inner workings, like how to place pictures side by side. I felt the weight of my promise to finish my CAS portfolio by the start of my junior year, and the pressure was intense.

Despite these challenges, I managed to piece everything together as I intended and launch my portfolio. What’s important to note is that I never saw this website as merely a CAS portfolio. I envisioned it as more of a blog—a place where I not only reflect on my CAS strands but also engage my audience, reference previous posts and reflections, and publish guides or announcements.

To my delight, I not only achieved this vision but also integrated it successfully into my CAS program. Through this process, I discovered that CAS was a perfect fit for me. It allowed me to fulfill my desire to create a blog while also growing as a person through my CAS activities.

Essentially, I would likely be doing everything I am now, including developing this blog, with or without CAS. However, CAS provided that extra push—an external motivation to continuously reflect on my actions, try new things, and persevere in my activities.

Organizing workshops at school, meeting with my charges, practicing the splits—these activities might not have materialized, or I might not have pursued them with such tenacity, without that final motivational push from CAS.

Certainly, not everything I attempted worked out as I hoped. For example, running the Youtube channel and creating the “Around the world” series didn’t bring me the enjoyment I expected, leading me to abandon them in favor of other, more fulfilling activities.

Overall, this CAS journey has been a well-balanced exploration of self-discovery that has shaped me and set a solid path for my future, one that I plan to meticulously continue.

Now, regarding the formal requirements, let’s delve into the discussion of the 7 learning outcomes (LO) that form the core of all CAS activities.

Learning outcomes⌗

LO 1 Strength and Growth⌗

It seems that I can’t recall a single reflection that would not include this LO. This is because I’ve always made it a point to identify what’s going well and what areas could benefit from improvement. Every time I ventured into something new or refreshing, especially within my interests in sports, programming, and writing, I made sure to reflect on those experiences.

LO 2 Challenge and Skills⌗

Throughout my CAS journey, I have enthusiastically embraced numerous new activities without hesitation. I believe I possess the ability to adapt to the conditions and requirements of any given task, regardless of its nature. This flexibility has allowed me to acquire new skills, particularly in the realm of working with individuals with disabilities, a significant aspect of my involvement with the Bury Mis Foundation.

LO 3 Initiative and Planning⌗

I believe I have demonstrated my initiative on many occasions, with one particularly notable example being the initiative to sell handmade Kashubian cheese at my school to raise funds for the Bury Mis Foundation. This endeavor exemplifies the CAS stages in action: I had to investigate the feasibility of the idea, make preparations, take action, reflect on the experience, and later demonstrate the positive impact of the initiative.

LO 4 Commitment and Perseverance⌗

Despite withdrawing from some activities, such as my YouTube channel as mentioned earlier, I believe I have consistently demonstrated my commitment and perseverance. Whether it was working towards achieving the splits or meeting with my charges, I faced obstacles head-on and continued to grow and progress in these endeavors. Moreover, I found great satisfaction in being actively engaged on a regular basis.

LO 5 Collaborative Skills⌗

I acknowledge that I can sometimes be challenging to work with due to my perfectionist tendencies, often expecting others to meet the standards I set for myself. However, as I progressed through high school, I learned to listen more attentively to others and adopt a more relaxed approach in my interactions. Additionally, I have become adept at receiving feedback and using it constructively, a skill I apply to my writing for the IBlieve blog.

LO 6 Global Engagement⌗

The global impact of my actions has always been a guiding principle for me. This is perhaps best exemplified by my involvement in open-source programming, such as the CSV-SQLite converter project and the development of the Resource Center. Over time, I expanded this global reach by writing for the IBlieve blog, thereby contributing to the broader community of IB students worldwide.

LO 7 Ethics of Choices and Actions⌗

What’s wrong or bad will forever remain an unanswered question, but it’s still important to be mindful of it. This is the attitude I aimed to embrace at every step of my CAS activities. This mindset was particularly evident in my involvement with the Bury Mis Foundation, but it extended to all areas of my participation, including programming, writing, and various other activities.

Last words⌗

That about sums it up. It’s strange, reflecting on all that’s been done in just two years. My fingers tremble a bit as I begin to grasp that something that has constituted a significant part of my life is rapidly coming to an end. I’m not just talking about CAS, but high school as a whole. But I suppose that’s just the way of things - people come and people go.

Yet, looking back, I feel a sense of pride. Remembering who I was as a freshman and comparing that with who I am now as a senior is quite comforting. There’s a tinge of sadness, I’ll admit, but also a sense of excitement for the new doors opening ahead of me. I’m eager to see what lies beyond.

For now, I bid a proper farewell, but only for a while. I’ll see you after the final exams, just not as a part of CAS. Salud!