The purpose of CAS is to involve students in experimental learning by engaging in various, ongoing, and purposeful activities while reflecting upon these activities to discover how they are both profound and life changing. CAS projects and experiences should be documented regularly and should be ongoing and purposeful. Hours should be balanced between Creativity, Activity, and Service. Projects and experiences should address the 7 outcomes.
Creativity—exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance
Engage in website design for a non-profit organization
Teach an art/music/dance class
Develop workout plan for sporting team
Learn a new skill and create a youtube channel to teach others
Activity—physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle
Coach at Raleigh Recreation, the YMCA, or other youth-group sports organization
Join an athletic team/club/band
Begin a systematic individualized exercise program
Participate in a physically oriented fundraiser such as Relay for Life, Walk to Cure Diabetes, or Race for the Cure
Service—collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need
Volunteer at a local medical center or hospital
Become a peer tutor
Participate in a fundraising campaign for a charity
Help grow plants at the school greenhouse
CAS Advisors
All students will be assigned an advisor to help guide them through the CAS journey. The role of the advisor is to help the students develop purposeful reflection skills through personal interviews & group discussions as well as providing feedback on reflections. Advisors should serve as an additional support for students to help encourage, guide, and monitor the CAS process & the learning outcomes. Periodical reviews of the CAS portfolios will be conducted along the side of the CAS supervisor & documentation of interviews will be ensured. Please visit ManageBac to view your assigned advisor.
CAS Experiences
CAS Experiences CAS experiences are activities that you participate in on a consistent basis. CAS experiences are important to creating holistic students with a variety of interests. Students are NOT required to complete reflections for CAS experiences but should update the CAS Experience Log that states the strand and learning outcome that is met during each experience.
Each Experience should include each of the following which will be documented through ManageBac
Evidence - pictures, log of hours, emails, screenshots of communication etc.
Recording and Reporting - describes the project/experience that is being completed. Explain what you did, who you worked with, and your duties/actions during that time you worked with the particular person/group/agency.
Reflection - Your reflection should be ongoing, thorough, and meaningful and should delve into many aspects of your activity or project. Outcomes must be addressed & explained!
CAS Project Requirements
This is a one month minimum group project that must be completed before the end of your senior year. This project should include investigation, preparation, action, reflection and demonstration. Each group must submit a proposal that must be reviewed and approved by the CAS coordinator and the principal (if it is an on-campus project) before you can carry out your project. Purpose:“to ensure participation in sustained collaboration” and “to challenge students to show initiative, demonstrate perseverance, and develop skills such as those of cooperation, problem-solving, and decision-making.” Examples include:
Creativity: A student group plans, designs and creates a mural.
Activity: Students organize and participate in a sports team including training sessions and matches against other teams.
Service: Students set up and conduct tutoring for people in need.
Creativity and activity: Students choreograph a routine for their marching band.
Service and activity: Students plan and participate in the planting and maintenance of a garden with members of the local community.
Service and creativity: Students identify that children at a local school need backpacks and subsequently design and make the backpacks out of recycled materials.
Creativity, activity, and service: Students rehearse and perform a dance production for a community retirement home.
You are interviewing for a summer internship to travel abroad and complete community service for a non-profit organization. The interview will require you to discuss your previous involvement with community service, use your CAS experiences to describe why you would be the best person for this opportunity. Make sure to discuss challenges and accomplishments, how this has shaped your future goals and aspirations, and what has this experience taught you. Address specific outcomes in a 2-3 pages.