DHIRUBHAI AMBANI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

SECOND CAS INTERVIEW FORM 2023-2024

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Name of the Student: Diya Mati Tutor: Shama Shaikh

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1. What has been most enjoyable and beneficial for you thus far in CAS?

The most enjoyable and beneficial aspect of my CAS experience thus far has
undoubtedly been my involvement in dance. Dance, for me, is not just a physical
activity but a form of expression and connection with others. This semester, I've
had the incredible opportunity to dance with a diverse group of people, including
my classmates, dedicated dance teachers, and friends who share the same passion.
One of the most rewarding aspects of dancing has been its role as a creative outlet.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed, dancing allows me to release those
emotions in a positive and constructive way. It's like a form of therapy that helps
me rejuvenate and regain focus.

2. What has been a highlight of creativity? Activity? Service?

The highlight of creativity was putting up the dance at farewell. It was a really fun
way for us to get creative with our formations, steps, and song choices and work
with many people. I was choreographing for this and felt that it was a really
creative process.

The highlight of activity for me was attending my weekly dance classes outside of
school. These have been opportunities for me to relax and express myself.

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For service, a highlight would be visiting the eye clinic and helping with check-ups
because it was a hands-on experience.

3. What do you hope to achieve most from CAS? How can you do this?

From CAS, I hope to achieve personal growth, broaden my perspectives, and

develop skills that will benefit me in the future. I aim to do this by actively
engaging in diverse activities, taking on leadership roles, collaborating with others,
and reflecting on my experiences to learn and grow continuously.

4. What have been the biggest challenges for your CAS involvement, and how
have you overcome them ?
One of the biggest challenges I've faced in my CAS involvement has been finding
the time to commit to dance weekly, especially with my increasing workload. To
overcome this challenge, I've focused on improving my time management skills.
I've created a schedule that allows me to dedicate specific times for dance practice
while ensuring I meet my academic responsibilities. By managing my time
effectively, I've been able to continue participating in dance and other CAS
activities, balancing my commitments successfully.

5. Have you ensured an equal balance across the three CAS strands? If not, how
will you rectify this?
I think I have ensured balance among the CAS strands because I commit time to all
of the strands on a weekly basis and I hope to continue doing so.

6. How have you used reflection to gain insights or understandings?

In my experiences with CAS, I’ve used reflection as a medium to measure my own

progress and development as an individual. Reflection has been instrumental in my
CAS journey, particularly in understanding my privilege and how I can leverage it
to serve the community. Through reflection, I've gained insights into the ways in
which my background and experiences shape my worldview and opportunities.
This has led me to consider how I can use my privilege to advocate for and support
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those who may not have the same advantages. Reflecting on service has also
helped me recognize the importance of humility and empathy in my interactions
with others, guiding me to approach community engagement with a genuine desire
to learn and contribute positively.

7. Can you describe a situation where reflection happened very naturally and
easily?
One day, while volunteering at Aseema, I encountered a child who was struggling
with basic math concepts. As I tried to help them understand, I couldn't help but
reflect on the broader education system. It made me think about how some children
might slip through the cracks despite the system's efforts. This experience naturally
led me to reflect on the importance of inclusive education and how we can ensure
that every child has access to quality learning opportunities.

8. Does your collected CAS evidence show ongoing CAS involvement? Are
there ways in which this could improve?
I think my evidence does show an active involvement because it captures me
engaging in various kinds of activities. However, I think I could have more videos
of me in action doing real tasks for instance: actively teaching kids from Aseema
or recordings of dance.

9. In what ways have your CAS experiences, assisted you in achieving one or
more learning outcome?
Increased Awareness of Strengths and Areas for Growth: Through my involvement
in CAS, I've become more aware of my strengths, such as creativity and
leadership, as well as areas for growth, such as time management and organization.
For example, choreographing a dance for the farewell event highlighted my
creativity, while managing my time between dance and academics highlighted my
need for better organization skills.
Undertaking New Challenges: CAS has pushed me to undertake new challenges,
such as choreographing a dance for a large group or volunteering at the eye clinic,
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where I had to step out of my comfort zone and interact with new people in
unfamiliar environments. These experiences have helped me develop resilience
and adaptability.
Planning and Initiating Activities: Planning and executing activities, such as
organizing dance practices or participating in eye check-ups at the clinic, have
helped me develop planning and organizational skills. I've learned to set goals,
create schedules, and coordinate with others to ensure successful outcomes.
Showing Perseverance and Commitment: One of the biggest challenges I've faced
in CAS is finding the time to commit to dance amidst my increasing workload.
Despite this challenge, I've persevered and remained committed to dance,
improving my time management skills in the process. This experience has taught
me the importance of dedication and perseverance in achieving goals.

10. Give details of your physical activity done through the year.
I’ve been dancing a lot over the course of the year whether this is kathak, hip hop,
or a social dance style. I also often go to the gym.

1. CAS Advisor’s Comments: Diya has chosen her activities very wisely to ensure
that she gets a truly meaningful and holistic CAS experience over the year. This term
she has been actively engaged with, and positively contributed towards Aseema as part
of her service session where she has displayed inherent leadership qualities. For
Aseema (Service), she has been appreciated for her punctuality and for balancing her
commitments. Her contributions towards organizing the Farewell for graduating class
was much appreciated by everyone. Her commitment towards weekly dance sessions
(Action) is also noteworthy. She is successfully learnt Kathak, hip-hop, salsa, and
bachata dance forms thus adding greatly to her Dance Club (Creativity). Overall, she
has been actively engaged in plethora of CAS activities as part of her CAS program.