On November 3rd, our Year 11 and 12 students embarked on a service-learning trip to Manila, Philippines, as a vital component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) curriculum. This journey proved to be a resounding success, offering invaluable experiences to our upper school students.

Here, our Year 11 and 12 students took part in a transformative one-week service-learning field trip abroad. This trip not only provided students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful community service but also deepened their understanding of cultural diversity as global citizens, enabling them to gain direct insights into pressing global issues.

The experiences from this trip were profoundly impactful and inspiring. Tondo, the local community they visited, exemplifies an overpopulated but less-developed area where fundamental infrastructures like housing, education, and medical facilities are often lacking.

Throughout the week, our students fully immersed themselves in the local way of life, actively participating in a variety of activities including feeding programs, educational initiatives, and community development projects. These engagements not only benefited the local community in numerous ways but also provided our students with hands-on teaching and constriction experiences, compassion, and the significance of giving back.

As CAS stands as one of the three core elements of the IBDP, it serves as a framework for students to engage in a diverse array of activities alongside their academic pursuits, promoting personal growth, community service, and experiential learning. At YCIS, we are dedicated to cultivating a wide range of CAS opportunities for our students, encompassing themes such as environmental protection, elderly care, poverty alleviation, community development, animal rights, women's empowerment, and more.

For our students, this was a transformative experience fostering growth, empathy, and collaboration, shaping their personal development and inspiring ongoing positive contributions to society. This journey exemplifies our commitment to fostering global awareness and social responsibility among our students.