CREATIVITY is interpreted as imaginatively as possible to cover a wide range of arts and other activities which include creative thinking by the individual student in designing and carrying out service projects. Creative activities should have a definite goal or outcome. They should be planned and evaluated like all CAS activities. This can present something of a challenge where, for example, a student is a dedicated instrumental musician. It would be artificial to rule that something that is both a pleasure and a passion for the student could not be considered part of their CAS experience. How, though, can it help to fulfill CAS learning outcomes? The tasks must extend the student and be achievable in scope. Perhaps the instrumental musician can learn a particularly difficult piece and play it during a fundraiser. Or the musician might give a talk to younger children about the instrument, with musical illustrations.
Some examples of appropriate Creative pursuits:
- Designing and programming a web site for the school math team
- Organizing/playing in a concert to raise money for a local environmental group
- Teaching kindergarten students how to play the piano
- Playing the violin in a local assisted living home
- Creating the artwork used in a brochure for the I Have a Dream Foundation
- Joining a local poetry reading group at the library
- Baking gourmet cookies and delivering them to a school’s faculty meeting
- Art, craft, dance, or cooking classes if these are new to the student
- Singing in a choir
- Playing in a band
- Taking photos for a non-profit
- Acting and Theatre pursuits
- Playwriting
- Chess club
- Writing Poetry or novels is new to the student
- Art Mural project
- Piano, guitar, or calligraphy classes
