CAS Project: Leading Student Council

A decade ago, I joined the Student Council for the first time. I would go on to return each year, trying out different roles. My experience in this CAS project as STUCO President last year was the culmination of all these years, where I had to take on new challenges and projects as a leader.

I led a council of 12 members to represent MIS’ student voice and initiate, plan, and organize events. Our goal for the year was to support students’ mental and physical health as well as try to increase social interaction amongst the school community. The importance of working towards this became increasingly clear as the year progressed, as we witnessed the impacts of COVID-19 and online school. As President, I also had personal goals, such as leading weekly meetings, collaborating with the officeholders and committee leaders as well as school staff, and ensuring all our actions were meaningful. The various events we organized, such as Mental Health Celebration Week, fitness competitions, and virtual movie nights for social interaction were the products of this CAS project.

One of the biggest challenges we faced was maintaining both our presence and student participation during online school, as our options became extremely limited. To overcome this, we had to think outside the box to figure out how we could still have an impact from a virtual setting. We learnt how to adapt, and as with any CAS project, investigate the needs of the community before planning a solution. The other CAS stages followed naturally, such as reflecting on past projects to improve our future ones. A large part of this was considering the consequences of our choices since they affected the entire school community, especially since topics like mental health can be quite sensitive.

This project addressed the strands of creativity and service, because of which I was able to help others while also growing as a person. Having the ability and voice to lead change was a big responsibility, especially as I was guiding the rest of the council. I developed my leadership skills and made decisions as part of a team while also learning to be assertive in what I believe.

This was a valuable experience, and it was amazing to see everyone involved grow in confidence and their decision-making skills. I will carry the fulfillment from the impact we’ve had and the skills I’ve gained with me for a long time.

Sharwari  DP 2 | Creativity & Service