casproject

[casproject]

CAS February Check-In

During February, I focused on the activity aspect of CAS by spending a lot of time skiing in Moena, Italy. I hadn’t skied in two years, so coming back to the slopes felt amazing. At first, I was a bit rusty, and it took some time to get comfortable again, but after a few runs, everything started to come back naturally.

I challenged myself by tackling different slopes each day, starting with easier blue runs before moving on to more difficult red and black ones. One of my main goals was to improve my technique, especially my turns and speed control on steeper sections. One of the best moments of the trip was skiing down a long red run with perfect conditions—fresh snow, clear skies, and barely any crowds. It was the kind of experience that reminded me why I love skiing so much.

Beyond the sport itself, it was also just great to be back in the mountains, surrounded by incredible views and fresh air. Taking a break from daily routines and spending so much time outdoors was refreshing. By the of the trip, I could really feel the progress I had made, and getting back into skiing after such a long time made the whole experience even more rewarding.

[casproject]

CAS January Check-In

During January, I focused on the service aspect of CAS by helping with the preparations for my school’s prom dance. Since it was a big event, there were plenty of things to take care of, and I volunteered to assist wherever I could. A lot of the work involved setting up decorations and making sure everything was in place before the event.

One of the biggest challenges was coordinating with different groups to ensure everything ran smoothly. From arranging tables and chairs to setting up lights and banners, it was a lot more work than I initially expected. However, it was also really rewarding to see everything slowly come together. I even got to help with some last-minute problem-solving, like fixing decorations that weren’t staying in place.

By the time the event started, it felt great knowing I had contributed to making it happen. Seeing everyone enjoying themselves and watching the final setup come to life made all the effort worth it. The experience also gave me a new appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that goes into organizing large events, and I’m glad I got to be a part of it.

[casproject]

CAS December Check-In

During December, I decided to embrace the holiday spirit by making gingerbread cookies with my family. It wasn’t something we had planned far in advance my mom casually mentioned it one evening, and we all agreed it would be a fun way to spend time together. We started on a Saturday afternoon, pulling out old cookie cutters we hadn’t used in years and a recipe that had been passed down from my grandmother. Making the dough was surprisingly tricky. It was stickier than I expected, and I ended up covered in flour trying to roll it out evenly. Cutting the shapes was easier, though, and I had fun choosing between classic Christmas trees, stars, and the occasional reindeer. My little brother joined in, too, which made things a bit chaotic but way more entertaining. The best part came after baking when we decorated the cookies. I didn’t realize how much time it would take, but we got really into it, piping on icing, adding sprinkles, and even trying some silly designs. By the end of the evening, the table was covered in cookies, some of which were almost too pretty to eat. It was a simple activity, but it brought all of us together in a way that doesn’t always happen during busy times like the holidays. Sharing the cookies with neighbors and friends afterward felt like a nice way to spread a little holiday cheer, and it reminded me how much fun it can be to slow down and enjoy the little things.

[casproject]

CAS Project - Silesian Month

During May, I worked on a CAS project with my friends focused on the Silesia region of Poland and its people. Our goal was to spread awareness about Silesian culture, history, and identity, both online and within our school. To do this, we created an Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/silesian_month?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==) where we regularly posted content throughout the month, including historical facts, cultural traditions, and important figures from Silesia.

Beyond social media, we also designed and printed infographics, which we put up around the school. These covered different aspects of Silesia, from its unique language to its industrial heritage. At first, we weren’t sure how much engagement we would get, but as the weeks went on, more people started noticing our posts and even discussing them.

This project was a great way to combine creativity and service. It pushed us to research and present information in an engaging way while also helping others learn more about an important yet sometimes overlooked region of Poland. Seeing our work spark curiosity and conversation made the experience really rewarding, and it showed us how social media and simple school initiatives can be effective tools for sharing knowledge and culture.

[casproject]

CAS November Check-In

During November, I wanted to spend more time with my family, and when my grandpa suggested that we go visit the cemetery, at which his side of the family rests in Działdowo and Płośnica, and later go mushroom picking, I was more than eager to go. We left early and around 2pm, after dinner and my grandpa's friends house, we went to the forest and started looking for mushrooms. There weren't many there and it was a bit boring until I found my first mushroom, which turned out to be poisonous. It was still a nice feeling to find one, though we obviously couldn't take it home. But as the afternoon fully set in, I was getting better and better at noticing some patterns when it comes to the locations at which the mushrooms could be. As we changed the spots a couple of times, I checked my phone and it was already 6 pm and it was time to slowly head home, after me and my family picked around 5 small buckets of mushrooms. I had a great time spending the time outside and with my family, as I could finally take a break outside of the books and into nature. It was also fun as I got to take some pretty photos of the sun setting in.

[casproject]

CAS October Check-In

In October, we continued to meet weekly, focusing fully on geometry and some basic statistics to align with his school curriculum. I also introduced small challenges for him to work on between sessions, which helped reinforce what we covered during our lessons. By this point, I had a good understanding of his learning style, so I could adapt each session to his needs. It was especially rewarding to see him solve problems more independently and apply what he had learned without as much guidance. Watching his progress throughout the month was incredibly fulfilling, and it showed me the value of consistent effort and support.

[casproject]

CAS September Check-In

After a summer break, I resumed tutoring the same student in September. We continued meeting weekly, but this time we focused on reviewing algebra and starting geometry to help him feel prepared for the new school year. I worked on making the lessons more interactive, like using diagrams and step-by-step problem-solving techniques. These were some of the techniques that helped me a lot to get better in these areas. By now, I could see that he was becoming more comfortable asking questions and tackling problems on his own. It was great to see his confidence grow, and it motivated me to keep finding new ways to make the sessions engaging and effective.

[casproject]

CAS June Check-In

During June I continued with the tutoring sessions, but I'm going to focus on activity in this post. As summer rolled in, I decided to go on a biking trip from Warsaw to Torun, which is about 250km driving, but it was around 300 kilometers biking. It was quite a spontaneous decision to go on this trip as my friends suggested that I go with them. I knew that I could do it, as it was split into 4 days of biking and I absolutely love biking and I'm pretty good at it. In preparation, I started to bike to school events happening outside at the time, as it was almost the end of the school year. Even though it was only about 18 km round trip, these small biking exercises helped me get ready for the grand trip. The first day, we went the longer way through the hilly Kampinos National Park, visiting my friend along the way. It took us about 90 km and most of the day. The satisfaction at the time of arrival at our destination was immense, as the only thing that I could think of was a comfortable chair, or a bed to sit, or lay in, while watching the Euros. The next day we did 100 km biking past Płock, which was challenging, but so fun as there were a lot of larger hills when going past the city (I really enjoy hitting some steeper bits, as it gives me such satisfaction when I can reach the top). The third day was the toughest though, as we hit around 80 km, but we were unbelievably tired after biking for 3 days straight, past 200 km. But again, the views were sensational and seeing Poland through the bike's view was a great experience and a nice active start to the summer. The last day was very nostalgic, as we only had 30 km to Toruń and could really talk about the trip coming to an end and all of us going away to different places for the summer. This trip was great as I never went on a mulit-day biking trip and this one made me wanna go on one every year and to explore different locations in Poland and beyond, seeing new sites of the common areas.

[casproject]

CAS May Check-In

In May, I started focusing on the service aspect of CAS by tutoring a 7th grade student, who's a son of my mother's coworker, in math. The goal was to help him improve his understanding of basic algebra, as he had been struggling with it in school. We met once a week online, and each session lasted about an hour. At first, I prepared simple practice problems to work through together, but as we progressed, I started tailoring the lessons to focus on the specific topics he found most difficult. It was quite challenging at first to explain concepts in a way that made sense to him, as I have never been a tutor and I was always the youngest in my family, so I didn't need to help, or explain anything school related to my siblings, but I quickly learned to adjust my approach and use examples he could relate to. By the end of the month, I noticed that he was gaining more confidence in solving equations, which was really rewarding for both of us.

[casproject]

CAS April Check-In

During April, I focused on the creativity aspect of CAS by starting a photo project to capture the essence of my neighborhood. I decided to take photos of specific places around my area, especially ones that felt meaningful or that I noticed changing over time. I ended up taking a lot of sunset photos because the lighting really brought out the beauty of these spots. The idea behind the project was to document my neighborhood as it is now, knowing that it’s constantly changing. Over the month, I aimed to take a photo every day, and by the end of each week, I picked 10 of my favorite shots that I felt really captured the atmosphere of the area. This project helped me see my neighborhood in a new way. I started noticing how much the light and time of day could transform a place, and I appreciated the mix of old and new around me. It was a rewarding way to connect more with where I live and to create something meaningful out of the small, everyday changes happening all around.

[casproject]

CAS March Check-in

During March, I focused again on the activity aspect of CAS and on coming back to soccer. I decided to meet with my two elementary school friends and former teammates every week for this month to train with them in getting better at the sport. We planned on playing at least an hour every week. This proved to be an understatement as we played at least 1.5 hours every weekend, sometimes even playing for 2 hours straight. This was a blessing as it helped me not only in improving my football skills but it also helped me in improving my stamina and endurance as I was able to go on for almost 2 hours without a longer break. Obviously, at the beginning we were playing closer to an hour than two, but as the time went on, we all started to notice the exhaustion less and could play for longer periods of time uninterrupted, with occasional scrimmages against local kids. This challenge not only proved rewarding as we all improved our skills and closed the gap to our former self but we also had plenty of fun hanging out together and pushing each other to get better and better. 

[casproject]

CAS Check-in December

During the month of December, I decided to focus on the creativity aspect of the CAS assignment. With the glummy winter weather in full swing, I decided to go back to my summer memories of Italy and make a cheese pizza. To do this, I got a recipe from my sister, who’s an expert in making pizzas. I started with the dough, which for me proved to be the most difficult part. For some reason, I don’t think I got the proportions right and the dough seemed to be sticking together and to my hands too much. To combat that I added some more flour and then it stopped being sticky but started to fall apart a bit. After I got that under control, the rest of the work went smoothly. My dough grew well and I was able to get to the toppings. For them I used a store bought tomato sauce and some mozzarella cheese. After that, it was time to wait and see if my pizza was going to be edible. As time proved, it actually came out really good, though the dough could use a bit more salt. I was very happy and satisfied that my struggles and me trying something new worked out well. I liked that even though my dough was not perfect, I kept at it and didn’t give up. This helped me prove myself my resilience and help me believe more in my cooking abilities.

[casproject]

CAS January Check-In

During the month of January, I focused on activity during the winter break. For that, I decided to pick up skis, for the first time since 2018, when I went with my dad and my sisters to Moena, Trentino. This time, we decided to go back to Moena, but this with my mom and my brother, rather than my sisters. It was tough to ski after such a long break of 6 years. The first two days were really slow, as I was getting a hang of it back again. My technique was really sloppy at first, but as days passed I started to remember more on how to ski well. In the end, I felt really happy with my progress and the first year back to skiing. The weather was perfect, around -2 degrees Celsius, with sun almost everyday. I was unbelievably happy with skiing as well because it allowed for me to relax and forget about school for the first time since the start of the school year. I will surely be back next year to continue my progress of skiing and to relax.

[casproject]

CAS Check-In February

During the month of February, I decided to focus on activity, due to really nice, spring weather appearing. I decided to come back to an old hobby of mine, football. It has been a few years since I stopped playing the beautiful game for good. During February, I decided to change that and I started to go, every Sunday, after church to play football with my friends. It was usually 1.5 hours per week. During that time, we mostly played full time games, though I, also tried to focus on specific aspects of my playing style. Every game I tried to complete a new skill move, which I saw on Instagram, as well as I tried to improve my running and stamina, which suffered greatly due to lack of my activity during the winter months. With every week, I felt stronger and was able to run more, which led to me being more active and productive during the games, scoring at least two goals every game, and usually assisting with at least one. I, also tried to play at positions which were unfamiliar to me, like the winger and the goalkeeper. I can say, I improved a ton over this month, and I’m excited to continue this journey back to football.

[casproject]

CAS Update November

In November, for my CAS project I decided to focus on the service. To complete my hours for the month, I did 6 hours of it. I did them volunteering at Uniwetsytet Dzieci, helping organize and conduct the classes. The classes were about weather and how we know what weather and temperature it is. This experience, though quite tiring, this experience was quite fun add interesting, as well as satisfying. During the classes, I learned a lot about about meteorology, which I’m quite interested in, was able to help deliver the classes and information to students (kids), which was some what a challenge since not all of them were interested and it was a part of my job to keep them engaged in the class. This gave me a lot of satisfaction after I was able to get them to listened and overall just take away some information from the class.

[casproject]

October Check-In

At the end of September, I started my CAS project. To begin, I was quite excited to try out new things such as playing saxophone, or doing some volunteering at Uniwetsytet Dzieci. These were the two things that I focused most on during October. At the very beginning of the month, I decided to go and help with the classes at the Uniwetsytet Dzieci. I was there for 6 hours and mostly helped the teacher during the classes which were about how different plants attain water. I remember that it was a fun time, during which I, also gained some knowledge on the topic.

On the creativity side of the project, I was learning how to play saxophone. I decided to do an hour of playing it per week, so in total I did around 6 hours of that as well. It was hard in the beginning to play regularly for an hour during a day due to the fact that it was quite hard to blow in it for an hour straight (originally I did one hour on saturday). So, after two weeks, I decided to play it for 20 minutes, 3 days per week, which worked best and was the perfect amount of time to not be too tired with it, but also to keep on progressing through it.

During the voluntary work, I learned quite a bit about patience, since the lessons were directed to small kids, whom don’t have too much of it and to whom an adult has to have a lot of it. It was overall a fun experience, which went by way quicker than I expected and I’ll probably go back there next month for another set of my service hours.

While learning to play the saxophone, it wasn’t easy, nor is now. I still got a long way to go, but I’m happy to say that I was consistent in my work, thought out last month and that I stayed committed to completing the task at hand. After this month, I can proudly say that I’m more resilient and that I’m happy that I continued to play the instrument because the more I play it, the better I am at it, starting from learning how to blow in it properly to get the right sound, to then later trying to play the first melodies, while, also learning how to read the notes to be able to play actual songs on my saxophone.