Finding Balance: How CAS Enriches the IB Experience at GNS

One of the most important and unique aspects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) is the emphasis on balance. To graduate with the IB Diploma, students must complete six academic courses along with the additional three pillars: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity Activity Service (CAS). GNS students are well known for their commitment to their academics—if given enough caffeine, they’ll probably study 30 hours a day, 8 days a week. Despite teachers’ insistence to take study breaks, our stubbornness prevents us from doing so—which is where the CAS Program comes in. 

The Creativity section of the CAS program requires students to document creative activities such as dance performances, being part of an orchestra, or running a club for peers at school. 

The first step to do well in the IB Programme is to survive the two years of academic rigour—and the Activity portion aims to help by keeping students physically healthy. Examples of Activity include sports practices, tournaments or being part of a team. 

Service Learning in the DP is different from the MYP because CAS emphasizes continuity. One-time activities such as the odd bake sale or bottle drive are not recommended. Instead students should strive to find a regular commitment, such as volunteering as a mentor with their sports team or organizing weekly food drives.

To fulfil the requirements of the DP, CAS experiences must fit within one or more of the CAS strands, should last at least an hour, and students must complete one written reflection. The final gauntlet of the CAS program is the CAS Project, which can address either one or multiple CAS strands, can be either a collaborative or individual pursuit, and must last a minimum of four weeks. The CAS Project is intended to teach students about the importance of initiative, commitment, personal challenge and reflection. Examples of past CAS Projects include founding a club, writing a series of articles (like this one), or chairing a community initiative. 

This year, Janey Bryan ’26 and Lily Jakeman ’26 undertook an immense CAS project as they organized naloxone administration training sessions for the Senior School students. 

“We chose the topic of naloxone because it’s a really prominent issue in our city, and we wanted to help students and teachers feel armed with the necessary tools and knowledge to be able to deal with it,” said Janey. 

Undertaking such a massive event wasn’t easy. “Organization was hard because there were so many moving factors and a lot to get done,” explained Lily. 

“For example, we had to get ourselves certified and had to connect with the different teachers to make sure that we followed safety protocols,” added Janey “It was also difficult coordinating with the entire naloxone team, which had over 15 people, and making sure everyone had a role.” 

Despite the struggles, both Lily and Janey felt they gained valuable experience, including leadership, how to delegate tasks and collaborate with other people, and working efficiently as a team to achieve goals. 

Like all things IB, CAS has its challenges. Luckily, in addition to being famous for its emphasis on reflection, GNS is also well known for its accessible, caring and supportive community. Students in the Diploma Programme are assigned a CAS supervisor who helps guide and keep them on track, but they should still feel comfortable asking fellow peers, current IB students, or graduates for ideas and advice.

It is easy to put CAS on the back burner, but at the end of the day, it needs just as much attention and dedication as the academic portions of the DP. Students with meaningful CAS experiences will come away with skills such as resilience, commitment, and perseverance. It is important to remember that the goal of IB is to produce well-rounded students who will have the analytical toolbox, tenacity, and drive to succeed with whichever path we choose to take.