One of the most memorable and enriching experiences of my CAS journey has been with the Global Odyssey event. In this schoolwide entrepreneurship fair, we ran a food stall, and thus everything had to be organized by us, from planning and preparing the food to crowd management and handling finances. The most special thing about this project was that all funds collected were donated through an NGO for underprivileged communities, thereby meeting the UN SDG of No Poverty. This experience really taught me some key teamwork, organisation, and communication skills while contributing toward a social cause.
LO2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills
The first big challenge was to organize the stall for such a big event itself: everything from planning the menu and estimating the quantity, to maintenance of hygiene, had to be just perfect and very accurate at every step. These required me to learn how to balance quality with efficiency, especially during busy hours when there were long queues. This also taught me responsibility in finance and how effectively to calculate the profit margins. Overcoming these challenges instilled in me a confidence boost for taking more initiative in uncertain situations with improved problem-solving and decision-making skills.
LO4 – Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience
The group was quite determined from conceptualization to the actual execution of this event. For weeks now, we have been arranging logistics, delegating responsibilities, and testing recipes. We came early on the day of the event to set it up and stayed after it was over to make sure everything ran smoothly and was cleaned up afterward. But there were times of exhaustion and pressure of time; in all such times, a shared motivation to contribute to a good cause had kept us going. That persistence helped me understand the value of dedication and teamwork in achieving meaningful goals.
LO5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively
Running the food stall required collaboration if it had to be effective. Each of the members made a different kind of contribution: some were in charge of cooking, others managed marketing, and I handled customer interaction and financial transactions. The coordination across these lines was not easy at times as quick decisions needed to be made; however, we learned to communicate clearly and trust one another’s capabilities. Indeed, it was this collaboration that not only smoothed the way to completion but helped me appreciate teamwork and shared responsibility.
LO6 – Engagement with issues of global significance
My group addressed social inequality directly by giving the proceeds to an NGO that empowered underprivileged communities. The experience made me more aware of the socio-economic disparities even in our local community and the small initiatives taken to address the issue. Thus, I realized that entrepreneurship combined with empathy can indeed become a force for social change.
LO7 – Recognise and consider the ethics of choices and actions
Throughout the process, we reflected on ethical decision-making by making earnings transparent, equitably sharing the tasks, and maintaining food safety standards. More importantly, making conscious choices by reducing food waste through portion planning and donating the extra leftovers demonstrated a greater awareness and strengthened my understanding of responsibility in each action taken.
This CAS experience finally taught me so much more than business skills: compassion, discipline, and the impact of a collective effort. It is so rewarding to witness how our little stall can bring smiles to people’s faces while supporting a greater cause in the process. I walked away from this experience not only as a more skilled organizer and communicator but also as a more caring and socially aware individual.
