Creativity
- Writing lyrics for the song
This semester, Adrien Raguin and I worked together on a song that he composed. I wrote the lyrics for it, and we recorded the song thinking of performing it to the Wednesday Assembly. Our common initial goal was to get it done and perform it to the schhol assembly. We only managed to achieve half out initial goal; we finished edtiting the lyrics and melody, recording and editing, but we are yet to perform it to the assembly. I've been always fascinated performing on the stage as a vocal and i thought this would be a good chance for me to develop a new skill. Especially, I always enjoyed singing and I have performed several times before. However, this time, I tried something new. Since Adrien composed this song to be Hip Hop, I wrote a rap and I rapped as well. I've been listening to a lot of rap songs quite recently, and this time, I could develop a new skill, rapping. I've been always deeply connected to Hip Hop since I did Beatboxing, but this was something completely new. I believe, though we could not manage to achieve our whole goal, this was a good opportunity for me to do something new. Also recording the song was another good experience :D I hope to perform this next semester, or, at least present our song to people.
- School Band practice
Adrien Raguin, Filippo Stopponi, Camie Raguin and I decided to meet together to practice some songs with purpose of performing them to the Assembly since Mr.Coles, the principal of the secondary school, announced that he'd like to have a lot of performances at the assembly in the beginning of this year. Adrien covered the guitar, Filippo with drum, Camie as a vocal and I played the bass guitar. Our initial goal was to practice and perform it to the school, but we couldn't manage to do them. We had several practices, but we haven't got enough time for enough practice since we all had a lot of works to do, (maybe that's IB). So we couldn't really have a chance to perform it to the school. Though we couldn't perform it this semester, this was a good experience since this was actually the first time I played bass guitar in a band with others. I've been practicing myself and sometimes with my father covering guitar and my brother with drum, but I felt like I don't improve as much. But playing in a band and collaborating with others helped me really improve. This was a risk taking for me as well. I was a little afraid in the beginning since this was the FIRST time I actually played in a band-type. I played drum in the church band and I sang in the church band and the choir, but I never played bass guitar no where. So this was a challenge for me(also the fact that Adrien and Filippo played guitar and drum for more than 10 years while I only started playing bass, it was a lot of pressure on me). I'm hoping to continue with this next semester and hopefully perform it as well !
- English B presentation
Grade 12 English B class was assigned to do a presentation for the book week the school had as I have posted earlier. Ms.Fernando, English A SL teacher, wrote a poem-play script for us to act out, and we were supposed to be graded for our pronounciation. However, since Adrien and I were working on another song, we thought it'd be better if we turn the script into a rap-like song and record it rather than acting out. So I changed the script into a rap while Adrien composed a new melody for the song. It turned out pretty well :D
In fact, this was a big big challenge for me since we've got only a week to work on it and especially for me, since no one didn't know what to do with this song and since I suggested to do a song, I had to do most of the works from teaching them how to read out the song, recording the song, editing the song, filming for the music video, editing the video, uplaoding it on YouTube and so on while I had other big assignments due the same week such as TOK essay first draft and physics test.
Our initial goal was to get it done on time, and present it to the assembly. I believe we achieved the goal fully though we had to postpone it for a week since we had a little technical problem with the projector. My personal aim was to develop another new skill such as teaching others how to rap and editing the song and making music video. This was in fact another good experience, i thought, because, editing the song or making a music video is such things that I can't do every day. Also, the whole class had to meet together to film the video, and I belive we worked together, collaborated really well. All of us were all dedicated to this too !
- Church Musical Drama
At the Korean church, the Teenagers For Christ(TFC) group decided to practice a muscial and perform it. This has been a tradition to prepare for something and perform it; it's been usually choir performance or a worship dance(which is basically a dance to the Conventional Chritian Music(CCM)). But we thought we'd try something new this year, and we decided to do a musical.
I was first signed up for a backstage though I really wanted to act on the stage. (I had a lot of works to do from school during that time, that I couldn't really come for the practice that I had to help them backstage) but the chorus group and the back-dancer group needed more help that I changed to the chorus & dancing group. So basically I helped all the TFCs and taught them a worship dance. They listened to me really well and learnt quite quickly, so I had no problem at all :D
Unfortunately I couldn't come and watch the final musical performance, but I heard it went well.
Action
- Saturday Basketball and football
Every Saturday, I went to school to play basketball. I always played on Sunday last year, however, as I moved my house close by the school, it became difficult for me to go all the way down town just to play basketball. Fortunately, all the Koreans and our school parents started playing basketball every Saturday in school, I joined the Saturday basketball.
I kept my goal the same as last year: to improve my personal skills in the team and to keep me fit. I believee I did pretty well on achievement of this goal. I personally think I improved(I was chosen for the school basketball team too ! though I had to yield my place to someone else since I couldn't be travelling for the SAISA).
Always, basketball ended earlier than Saturday football which also took place at the same time on Saturday. My brother played football, so I had to wait for him once I was done with my basketball. Then I thought I'd join the football as well. As I started playing football, I set the goal to improve my personal skills in football as well, since it is another my favorite sports. I believe I also did quite well in improving my skills. I played for OSC team against Colombo Lions and also I played a few matches for the OSC SAISA boys' football team. Again, I can't be travelling, so I'm not officially in the team. But I will still play with them.
- Afterschool school activity
Not only the Saturday football, I thought it would be much better to enroll in the Friday afterschool activity; in fact, the Saturday football was mainly for the middle school-ers, so there was a limitation for me to develop my skills. So I joined the Friday afterschool activity to play with players at my age. It was in fact more like a pre-practice for the SAISA boys football practice, since everyone who did the afterschool activiy also tried out for SAISA.
I showed up for every and single practices, and I believe I did develop my skills :D
- School Sports Gala
We had a school sports Gala the other day, and I, as a member of the Yellow house and a senior, tried to participate in all activities as possible. I played football and basketball mainly. Of course, our main goal was to win the tournament and more than just winning, to enjoy the tournament itself too. I believe we did well overall, though we came in 3rd place at the end. I personally interacted with everyone possible, not only within the yellow house, but also with inter-house members. I belive sports always bring people together much closely :)
- SAISA Boys' Basketball
As I mentioned above, I tried out for the school basketball team. My initial goal would have been to make the team normally, but this time, I knew I couldn't be travelling due to a lot of other works to do, I have set my goal to help others, especially the younger students, and encourage them.
The coach did not know that I was not able to travel and put me in the team, but after I told him so, he put the younger players instead of me, as I suggested. So I believe I attained my goal really well.
Our boys came in 5th overall in the final tournament out of 8 schools, and I'm proud of them :)
- SAISA Boys' Football
I also tried out for boys' football, and again, I can't be travelling so my goal is to encourage the younger players again. I played for the team for two matches so far, and I believe I did a good job helping the younger players.
The season is still on-going, but I believe our boys will do well in the final tournament !
Service
- 2010 Dangsandong Church Mission Trip
I, as a senior of the TFC group at the Korean church, knew it is my last year servig as a teenager for the church. Traditionally, during August, a group of people from Korea comes to Sri Lanka to do services at the rural areas.
I have participated in this mission trip the year before, but not been able to do so last year. Knowing this is my last year here in Sri Lanka, I joined them again this year.
We travelled around the rural areas in Sri Lanka and this time, we travelled further north where we were not allowed to go before due to the civil war. As we have prepared and organised for the last month, we performed two worship dances and played a lot of activities to teach and learn about the words of God with the children at the local churches.
Our general goal was to preach the words and spread the love in the name of Christ and I've set my personal goal to do my best doing as many services or works I could do to help this group and the children. I believe I have achieved the goal sucessfully with no regret left as well as the common goal we have set together.
- Prison Babies
As a leader, I have been actively involved in the community service project, Prison Babies again as my forth year. Thanks to the new head of the prison, we could have a lot of opportunities to spend time with the children and we did so.
We have succeeded attracting more children from the prison; I personally believe we have touched and moved the mothers' minds to decide to send their kids :D
Our initial goal was to do as many activities with the children and introduce new environments to them to brighten their lives. I believe we as a group did a great job this semester. I personally set a goal in the beginning of this semester as I have posted earlier, which was, as a leader, to organise the meaningful-high-quality-activities more to do with the children and have our students who are involved in this project get together to perform as a whole. I believe I was lucky that I had a group of nice people; they listened to me very well though for most time my performance was poor, so I have attained my goal.
Unfortunately, 'Prison Babies' we have known for last four years and been working together with are all moved to another prison in Kalutara, so officially this semester was the last session with them. But I thought though we won't be able to continue the project with the same children, the project itself should be preserved since I found a lot of orphanages and places where they may need some helps; I myself have been to several local orphanges and the condition there was poor and harmful for the children where help seemed to be needed. So I have spoken to the MYP CS coordinator, Ms.Shameela, about this and we will be continuing or rather starting 'Prison Babies' at a new place with new children.
- Math Tutoring
I have started tutoring two Korean 9th graders in math as they asked me for help. They seemed to be struggling with following the class as they are struggling with English. So I helped them understand the concepts by explaining them in Korean which they felt more comfortable with.
I have set a goal as I started tutoring them as it's stated in my older post, which was to help them understand, hence they don't strugle in class any longer and improve in grades as well. My other goal was also to improve in my skills in teaching in general and explaining terms. Last year, I also tutored a student who's currently in 10th grade and was in 9th grade back then, and I found it difficult to explain some terminologies in an easy way.
It seemed that I have achieved my goal almost perfectly. I started tutoring them in the beginning of the year during the summer holidays, and they said and proved that they did understand well and improved in their grades.
I believe I have covered all 8 criteria of CAS which are:
Increased the awareness of my own strengths and areas for growth - e.g. I have found myself enjoy a lot doing activities involving music, math and sports. Not only just enjoying them, I also felt confident doing those activities. As I did more, I also improved and thought they can be my strengths.
Undertaken new challenges - as stated earlier, I pushed myself to get involved in as many activites as possible though I felt necessity of put more focus on academics. Participating in the Track meet or writing lyrics for a song was something new that I have never done before, and they were challenges for me. Also, in the beginning, I felt less confident in speaking English and I found being social with other students difficult, but I challenged them by getting involved in such activities.
Planned and initiated activities - also as shown in the performance of leadership in Prison Babies, I have started and organised many activities. Math tutoring, though I was asked to do, I have started the activities and carried out myself. Later, I continued tutoring other students as well.
Worked collaboratively with others - I believe this aspect has been observed well especially while getting involved in any sports like football, basketball or even during the school sports gala. Especially as a co-captain of the Track team, I had to work together with the younger groups of athletes too.
Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities - I have continued getting involved in Prison Babies for the last four year. I have shown my commitment to other activities such as afterschool football activity by showing up for every sessions.
Engaged with issues of global importance - I believe the community service project, Prison Babies, could be acknowledged in global scale and does have a global importance as there are children around the world who have similar problems as the children in Sri Lanka. Also, I believe these children are Sri Lanka's and our future. I have been involved in MUN as well to deal with global issues. As stated earlier, the main focus was on the Human Trafficking, which surely has global improtance.
Considered the ethical implications of their actions - all services that I have been involved have certain ethical implications. For example, Prison Babies showed our ethical responsibility to acknowledge the problems in our society and take care of them. Math tutoring as well shows some ethical implication too; the students looked for the tutors and asked me how much they should pay for the tuition. I believe, being as a older student from the same school community, it is our responsibility or ethically right to help them when they need them.
Developed new skills - this aspect was also found easily in the sports I was involved in; I improved my old skills and further developed a lot of new skills. Also, while tutoring the younger graders, I learned a lot such as to teach and explain better. I genuinely developed new skills too. For example, I have learnt how to play bass or write lyrics, which were completely something new.
