Celebrated every year, Fresher’s was an annual party thrown for Grade 11 students to celebrate their coming into DP. I was one of the lead organisers of the event, who led it therefore managing severeal different components such as dance, decor, social media and the overall coordination.

Learning Outcomes

LO1 (Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth): Throughout the process, there were quite a few areas where I showed my weaknesses along with my strengths. Dancing was something I had previously done in the part therefore learning it, and helping others learn it wasn’t a difficult task. I was able to grasp onto the moved really easily and perform them. Moreover, since I knew the people from my batch already it was quite easily to segregate the people that would dance well and make the dance better. Other than dancing, being a really creative person with an entire creative future and career only decorating and ideating the decor of such a big space was really something I enjoyed and was able to do. There were a few challenges during this time, such a limitations if resources to promote the sustainbility goal, however I was able to successfully plan the decor in a way that would match the theme and look perfect as well.

LO2 (Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken): There were a lot of challenges throughout this journey. One of the biggest challenge for me was time management. While simultaneously doing this as my project, I also had to adhere to my IA and Summative deadlines. It was really difficult, and in order to manage it even slightly better I even came to early-ins and worked an entire Saturday school day as well. Other than this, due to sudden end moment changes half or our dance team had also been removed. Because of the same we had to choreograph the entire dance again at the very ending with the remaining few members. Given that I was on a time crunch already, this made the remaining time even less. Another challenge, like mentioned before was the limitations of resources. Because we had been fixated on our priority in terms of decorating beforehand: sustainability. More than aesthetics, we wanted to focus on sustainability but that was meaning compromising on aesthetics more than we wanted. Using some more ideation on how things could be used where and how, I was able to work on the decor without compromising either of the components.

LO3 (Initiate and plan a CAS experience): Since I was the part of the core team, I had signifcant role is carrying out the enitre project. From booking meetings, and attending ones with the core team to seeing out the enitr event on the final day, it was a journey. I chose the people for dance, led them, danced with them, ideated how to do decor with limited decor, made the decor sustainble, decorated the enitre venue manually, booked meetings wtih core teams and senior coordinaters, excecuted them, collected videos from teachers and combined them to make a final wishes video and lastly, made sure the event went smootly.

LO4 (Show commitment and perseverance in CAS experiences): While all the preperation and planning exhausted me, especially while managing it alongside of my studies I knew not to give up. I was determined to get this finished, which is why I cam to several early-ins, came to school on a non-working day and stayed up nights trying to coordinate with everyone, making them understand their responsiblities and having them work on the same as well.

LO5 (Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively): This experience as a really eye-opening experience to make me realize the benefits of having a team, and what it really means to work together collaboratively. During dance, I talked with everyone and collaborated effectively with my teammates to decide the songs and the dance. Other than that, I also managed decor by dividing work according to strenghts and weaknesses.

Dance video: https://youtu.be/picI8yV5sms?list=PL0Yna4g2Yc2t9MlUm_ErqjN0wyWqu3bpD

LO6 (Engagement with issues of global significance): While working on the event decor, our priority was to ensure sustainability, which connects directly with the global issue of environmental conservation. The challenge was that sustainable options were often more difficult to source and limited in terms of aesthetics, which created a conflict between how the event should look and how it should align with sustainable goals. By reusing materials creatively, minimizing waste, and finding alternatives that looked visually appealing while still reducing environmental impact, I engaged with the larger issue of balancing sustainability with practicality. This taught me how even at a school level, small conscious choices can contribute to global efforts against climate change and resource overconsumption.

LO7 ((Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions): As a lead organiser, I had to make several decisions that reflected not only efficiency but also fairness and responsibility. For instance, in dance, I carefully considered each student’s strengths when assigning roles so that no one felt excluded while also ensuring the performance quality was maintained. Similarly, in decor, the ethical dilemma was choosing between convenience (purchasing cheap, wasteful items) and responsibility (finding eco-friendly alternatives). Opting for sustainable solutions meant more effort but aligned with the values we wanted the event to reflect. These decisions made me more aware of how leadership often involves ethical responsibility, where actions taken have broader implications beyond just the success of an event.

Connecting Learner Profile Attributes

Communicator – By coordinating with different teams (dance, decor, social media), I learned how to communicate instructions clearly, listen to ideas, and ensure smooth collaboration.

Balanced – Managing this event alongside my academic deadlines required me to balance responsibilities, prioritize effectively, and maintain focus on both academics and extracurricular commitments.

Principled – I had to make ethical choices, such as prioritizing sustainability in decoration over convenience, showing responsibility towards the environment and fairness in decision-making with team members.

Caring – As a lead organizer, I ensured that everyone felt included in the process, especially in dance where I allocated roles based on strengths while still encouraging participation.

Reflective – I recognised my strengths in creativity and dancing while also identifying areas for growth, such as time management under pressure.