To answer any general questions you may have:

1. What is the point of the CAS Program?                                                                                                                                        The CAS Program aims to motivate you to participate in extra curricular activities that will make your education well rounded and diverse. The point of CAS is to get you out of your comfort zone and to help you give back to your community. The function of CAS is to allow IB schools the opportunity to "give students the means to learn through experience and how to take actions in the service of other. according to the IB website, the CAS program predicts that students who complete the program are expected to: increase their awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, undertake new challenges, plan and initiate activities, are able to collaborate with others, show perseverance and commitment, engage in issues of global importance, can consider ethical implications of an action, and develop new skills. 
   
2. What does CAS stand for?                                                                                                                                                              CAS stands for Creativity, Action, and Service. These three are the categories in which your volunteer hours must reflect. Everything you do in regards to volunteering must fit under these categories and must follow the requirements for each category. The creativity portion aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore their own sense of original thinking and expression. The Action portion is focused on getting involved in physical exertion that contributes to a healthy lifestyle. And the Service section aims for students to students develop and apply personal and social skills in real-life situations involving decision-making, problem solving, initiative, responsibility, and accountability for their actions. 
   
3. How many hours do we need to complete all together? Yearly?                                                                                            You are required by the IB Program to complete 150 hours of CAS in your Junior and Senior year, combined. 50 hours for Community, 50 hours for Action, and 50 for Service. These 150 hours are split equally between your Junior and Senior year so you are obligated to finish 75 hours each year, respectively.  So in your junior year you are required to complete 25 hours for each category adding up to 75 hours; the same requirements apply to your Senior year as well. 
   
4. Does the CAS Program affect my grade?                                                                                                                                      The 75 hours you are required to do each year are counted as a letter grade on you transcript and can make a difference on your GPA if you fail to complete the hours. By the end of the year, your high school counselor will check your documentation and evidence to make sure you did complete all your hours.                                                                                                                       
   
5. How does participating in the CAS Program help me get my IB Diploma?                                                                            As completing the CAS Program is a requirement of the International Baccalaureate Program, doing and completing the hours is a prerequisite to attaining the IB Diploma. It's one of the key instruments in completing the program and shows IB how versatile and well rounded your education is. It shows perseverance and hard work on your part which helps in getting your IB Diploma and also in college applications. 
   
6. Can we get paid for CAS Hours?                                                                                                                                                    Unfortunately, you cannot count hours that you get paid for as CAS hours. CAS hours are strictly VOLUNTEER hours that are unpaid.