Final Reflection

As CASL comes to an end for this year, I can look back and say that I did a lot more than I did last year. My objectives for this year were to fulfill the CASL requirements as well I can, and to understand each activity more and how they could help my future. Those were my overall goals, and many of my activities had their own goals. For hockey, my goal was to make the starting eleven. For band, it was to learn new techniques and rhythms, and for service, it was to actually make a difference by doing something that does not benefit me as much as other people.

For each section in CASL, I had more than one activity. My creativity section was not hard at all. I have been in band since I came to ISK, so I just continued that tradition my performing and practicing with the Jazz Band and the Concert Band. I also took part in the musical; You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. For action, I played hockey for the ISK team, and I joined the Track and Field team. I also went biking in Nanyuki for five days during my intercultural trip. For service, I helped out in my local mosque, and the Charlie Brown also counted as I was giving up my time to help other people.

The outcomes of all these activities were mostly positive. The sports helped to keep me fit and improve my skills in hockey. I was always kept busy with the serving, which popped up at random times on the weekends. The outcome of serving was just the feeling of selflessly helping others. Band’s outcomes were about the same, the feeling of playing the drums, the natural high.

I found that I had successfully reached my objectives that I had set. I had made the starting eleven for hockey and I received a lot of playtime. I played in every match for at least one half each. In band, Mr. Ligon forced me to learn new beats through the music he chose. I was forced to learn samba beats and more complex jazz beats, and that helped me to reach my goal. My final goal was I little tricky to complete, but I managed to complete it through my serving at the local mosque. The serving did not benefit me in any way, but it did help those that I was serving.

There were not too many difficulties in any of my activities. The one main problem was transport to my mosque for the service. My mum would usually go in the afternoon to cook, but I would be needed in the evening. This was a difficult situation, as the drivers did not work that late. However, my mum was able to come pick me up once in a while so I was able to make it there on time.

I feel that through the activities I have done, I can apply what I have learned to new situations. I have learned that through time and effort, you can achieve your goals, no matter how difficult they are. Also, I learned that if you continue to try and learn form your failures, you can grow as a person and develop a better character. Finally, I learned that selfless acts are always better than selfish behavior and that helping people can always bring joy to those who sacrifice their time.