The IB Diploma candidates have begun their Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) projects. These projects are required to receive the IB Diploma.
Candidates must come up with a project that shows the importance of life outside academics. The projects can range from hosting community and social service activities to art activities. As they get ready for college, seniors finish up their CAS projects by hosting a club fair and setting up volunteers at a tutoring service.

Senior Nguyen Cao is an IB Diploma candidate and set up the Annandale Club Fair that took place on Wednesday, Oct. 9 during W4 in the upstairs gym for her CAS project. The Annandale Club Fair advertised the many clubs that AHS has to offer.

“The thing that I like most about the process of my project is that I got meet new people as well as my knowledge about Annandale as a school grew,” Cao said. “I never knew that so many clubs existed in Annandale, and I am happy I could help them gain more publicity.”

A system of self-evaluation encourages them to reflect on the benefits of their project and participation of others. Her project helped AHS students to sign up for different clubs that appealed most to them.

Senior Nguyen Cao said that her Annandale Club Fair project “benefits the school on a more interactive level. It allows students to not only be more aware of what it has to offer, but give the community a chance to join in those opportunities.”

Another IB Diploma candidate, Senior Amelie Trieu, with the Growth and Inspiration through Volunteering and Education (GIVE) program that provides a tutoring service every Saturday for grades K-6. Her project is about expanding the GIVE Free Tutoring Program to the Lincolnia Community Resource Center in Alexandria.

“Not only do I fulfill CAS requirements, but I’ve also spend a lot of time with kids, helping with their homework,” Senior Amelie Trieu said.

Trieu’s project allows students involved in Key Club to earn service hours as they tutor elementary school students.

“My project benefits the Annandale students because there are Annandale students involved, mostly through through Key Club, but mostly, it impacts the kids who will eventually go to Annandale. Lincolnia CRC is located in a community of students who attend feeder elementary schools.” Trieu said.

Every year, CAS students create projects that express their views and appeal to them the most. Whether it is a community service or an art activity, they implement a change in their communities.