The Personal Project gives students in Grade 10, the final year of the IB Middle Years Program, an opportunity to independently explore an area of personal interest over a three-month period. The project assesses students’ self-management, research, communication, critical and creative thinking, and collaboration skills. Students are encouraged to choose multi-layered, multidisciplinary projects that have a purpose or value outside the school. They develop their own goals and criteria, must show evidence of a product or outcome, and write a report reflecting on what they’ve learned. While the students take ownership over their projects and make all the decisions, their teachers provide guidance and coaching. Their report is assessed by their supervisor and externally moderated by the IB to ensure a globally consistent standard of excellence.

CAS is the third core component of the Diploma Program (DP). Over the course of 18 months, students engage broadly and deeply with experiential activities related to creativity, activity and service. CAS enables students to take initiative, demonstrate perseverance, and develop skills such as collaboration, problem solving and decision making. CAS also provides an important counterbalance to the academic focus of the DP, encouraging students to become well-rounded individuals who embrace a healthy lifestyle and find time in their schedules for activities that contribute to their communities and bring them fulfillment.