The COVID-19 pandemic has altered all aspects of daily life for an indefinite period of time, and everyone all over the world is finding ways to accept and adapt to the changes. In turn, it does not come as a surprise that the CAS requirements for full-IB students at AST have been modified to fit the new pandemic lifestyles.
The American School of Tegucigalpa offers students the opportunity to graduate with an IB diploma by taking a minimum of six rigorous IB courses. However, passing these classes is not the only requirement to obtain the International Baccalaureate diploma. A student that wishes to be “full-IB” must also work on an Extended Essay, take the Theory of Knowledge class, and meet the requirements for CAS. CAS is a subsection within the IB diploma program that requires students to be involved in activities relating to three main fields: creativity, action, and service. Although CAS was usually not an issue for AST’s previous full-IB graduates, for the graduating class of 2021, it has been an increasing struggle after the COVID-19 pandemic rose.
Shortly after the lockdown started, the senior class of 2021, described themselves as being unable to get involved in all of the previous extracurricular activities they had always been involved in. Students could no longer attend the gym they’d paid a yearly membership fee for, or attend the clubs they’d formed a part of for years. As Angelica Azcona, a 2021 senior described it: “As students, we had not received any updates on behalf of IB for the CAS portion of our diploma, and everyone overall just felt stuck and limited... there was simply not a way to meet the goals set for CAS”.
However, after months of floating around confused and without direction, AST IB students finally saw some clarity— CAS advisors, Mr. Zambrana and Mr. Dobbe, received updates from IB explaining how the program would now be more flexible for students’ CAS experiences. These new updates came as a huge relief for IB students, as they were now able to submit simple activities (like walking in a closed neighborhood) as part of CAS. The IB program showed comprehension towards the pandemic, and was willing to change its previously strict requirements given the circumstances.
A doctor from a public Honduran Hospital with meals sent by Seniors 2021 as part of their CAS project: Let’s Give Back to the Community.
When it comes to the CAS project, a new component to meet the CAS requirements, the 2021 seniors have come up with a new, creative project idea that they’ve named Let’s Give Back to the Community. This CAS project will have all IB Diploma candidates (with the exception of those abroad) deliver and prepare meals for hospital workers in Honduras during the pandemic. The project will be a year-long activity and has already started a few weeks ago. Additionally, it demonstrates AST students’ initiative to find approachable alternatives to give back in times of need, as well as their ability to complete the IB diploma requirements with the limitations brought by the pandemic.
In short, given the circumstances, AST students are finding ways to meet the new flexible CAS requirements, and are working hard to make the best out of the current situation.
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