Creativity Activity Service (C.A.S.) and the Class of 2019
On April 16th, Upper Schoolers gathered in the Pearl Street Meeting House to share in a unique experience with the graduating 12th graders. Six students from the Class of 2019 took to the stage to share the intersections between their passions and their projects for this year’s Creativity Activity Service (C.A.S.) Collection. 12th grade student presenters included Janine S, Cameron G, Bria A, Keith H, Holly H, and Minerva M. Through both internal and external community building our students have identified their passions and aligned them with concrete needs they see around them.
The C.A.S. Program is ⅓ of the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Core, alongside the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge. Together these programs provide opportunities for students to engage beyond the standard subject load, allowing students to build upon their interests and apply their learning to the real world. The C.A.S. Program at BFS was integrated as a graduation requirement for all students, even those who do not choose to pursue a full I.B. Diploma. Throughout their 11th and 12th grade years, students engage in experiences that fall under each of the three threads – Creativity Activity Service – as they both identify their areas for growth and challenge themselves to engage in new and exciting opportunities. The Program culminates with each student completing and reflecting upon their C.A.S. Project, which combines two or more of the three threads and requires students to partner with members of the community.
Please find Charlie D and Simon E’s C.A.S. Project here, a video featuring all 52 of our graduating 12th graders and their work this year in C.A.S..
The Class of 2019 C.A.S. Projects span from Meg B and Ila S starting the 116 student newspaper featuring all student written content, to Bella G creating a documentary on the effects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, to Maxine S, Sean W, and Jakob B running an ongoing open volleyball clinic for students to learn about the sport, to Alydia W curating a student art exhibit entitled Intended Destructive Force.
Students may choose to partner with members of the school community or with the broader community. In school, Charles C, Tenzin C, and Patrick X’s Project grew from their middle school days as part of the Chess Student Led Activity, hosting an upper school wide Chess tournament. Jailen L and Jaden B’s Student led activity Invictus came from their dedication to making space for men of color to discuss their lives, inspired by the middle school Invictus club created by Russell Marsh.
In addition, BFS runs an annual C.A.S.apalooza event where a handful of 12th graders share their C.A.S. Projects with the rest of the student body in attendance. This year’s event featured two projects: The BFS Student Fashion Show with Kira F and Alyssa W was a collaborative upper school wide event which featured student models and fashion designers. The models walked the runway to start off the show and then the designers joined them for a Q&A with the audience. Fermentation Nation with Peter S was an intimate workshop where students learned about the process of fermentation and even fermented their own sauerkraut.
Outside of school, Cailean M, Zain O, and Luca J coached their first middle school flag football team with the 78th Street Precinct league and Rachel F trained and then led sessions on leadership as a Peer Trainer for the Citizens Committee for Children.
Some students build on C.A.S. Projects started by BFS alumni and passed down as “Legacy Projects.” This year, Violet G brought her own vision to the Middle School Tutoring Program, connecting upper school tutors with middle schoolers seeking academic support. In addition Funke S not only worked with the Women of Color IDX but curated a series of interviews with WOC about their loved experiences entitled Our Stories.
The C.A.S. Program is a powerful way for 11th and 12th graders to learn community organizing, build on their strengths and learn new skills, as well as continue their hobbies and passions for meaningful work in the world around them. As the C.A.S. Coordinator, it has been an absolute pleasure to watch my third group of C.A.S. students graduate having accomplished so much. Thank you and congratulations to the Class of 2019!
Class of 2019 C.A.S. Projects:
Shamshad A – Bangladesh Student Tutoring Program
Asca A – Brooklyn Bowl Math Competition
Daniel A – ROOTS: Central Park Conservancy Program
Bria A – Before “Me Too”
Otto B & Kobe C – Workout Student Led Activity
Ema B, Jordan B & Emma P – BFS Indoor Soccer League
Ashley B – Latinx Heritage Month Dance
Jaden B & Jailen L – Invictus Student Led Activity
Jakob B, Maxine S & Sean W – BFS Volleyball Clinic
Meg B & Ila S – The 116 Student Newspaper
Charles C, Tenzin C & Patrick D – Chess Student Led Activity
Kwesi C – BFS Middle School Basketball Clinic
Charlie D & Simon E – 2019 CAS Video
Mathilde F & Claire P – Bake and Talk Interview Series
Rachel F – Citizens Committee for Children Peer Trainer
Kira F & Alyssa W – The BFS Student Fashion Show
Cameron G – Horseability Trainer
Bella G – The Resurrection Documentary on Puerto Rico
Violet G – Middle School Tutoring Program
Jacob H & Ollie S – “A New Lens” Writing Project
Holly H & Nicole A (‘20) – Young Asian Leadership Alliance Conference
Keith H – BFS Swim Team
Galen J, Milla S & Charlotte T – Feminist Club Student Led Activity
Luca J, Cailean M & Zain O – 78th Street Precinct Flag Football Team Coaches
Dania L – Art Club Student Led Activity
Minerva M – Young Women’s Workshop Series with Dance Project Washington Heights
Lili M & Théa S – The Earth Loves the Little Things Video / Article
Karen S – Dia de los Muertos Celebration at BFS
Hannah S – Rikers Island Book Drive at BFS
Devon S – Rape Culture Interview Series
Janine S – Beauty and the Body Photography Project
Funke S – Our Stories WOC Interview Series
Peter S – Fermentation Nation Workshop
Amina W – The Importance of Books Interview Project
Alydia W – Intended Destructive Force Art Exhibit