CAS & Volunteer

 

CAS stands for Creativity/Action/Service. CAS is fundamental to the IB Diploma Program and provides a refreshing counterbalance to the academic demands of the IB Program. For successful completion of the IB Diploma, each student must have documented a minimum number of after-school activities that are evenly split among creative, action, and service oriented endeavors.  Each student must also have a 100 hour CAS project completed by his Senior year.  

The goal of CAS is to ensure that students reach beyond themselves and academics during their high school years, and to help them become informed and compassionate citizens.

Students may begin accumulation of CAS hours immediately after completion of 8th grade.  The summer affords students the time and opportunities to make a good start.  Keep track of dates, hours, and contact information for whoever can verify your participation to enter into an online docmentation system, Moodle. 

CAS Coordinator at PHS:  Deanna Gordon dgordon@escambia.k12.fl.us

 

CAS Opportunities:

The following list is provided to assist students in finding volunteer opportunities in our community.  The IBSF does not endorse or guarantee any particular group or charity.  We urge all parents to satisfy themselves that the volunteer opportunities chosen by their children are safe and appropriate.

Chain Reaction (http://www.mychainreaction.org/), is your entry into over 125 agencies in Pensacola who welcome teen volunteers. These agencies provide over 50 different volunteer opportunities each month. Chain Reaction is a student-run organization.  Kristin Fairchild, Executive Director of Chain Reaction, has volunteered to have a 3 hour meeting with any IB Students who are interested in leadership training, community leadership opportunities or in designing an excellent and relevant CAS Project for your Junior and Senior years.  All volunteer sites have been checked for safety by Chain Reaction, and you will be welcomed.  Chain Reaction currently consists of over 1250 volunteers from all high schools in the area.  There is an annual fee of $15.00, but scholarships are available.

You may also e-mail the director at kfairchild@mychainreaction.org



PROJECT BIG sIBling:  OPPORTUNITY FOR NINTH GRADERS

In an effort to stave off transition difficulty, I appeal to juniors and seniors to serve as an older "buddy" to freshmen who are a bit overwhelmed by high school multiplied by IB demands.  Many of them are eager to serve!  However, when a sign-up list is made available to 9th graders to be mentored, the response is close to non-existent.  Because I am often contacted by parents who are concerned about their child's transition anxieties, I suspect that the freshmen simply don't want to admit vulnerability by signing a publicly circulated list.  Therefore, if a parent or student would like for me to facilitate a student mentor relationship, please let me know via email, phone call, or personal visit.