Why the IB Program?

Why IB?

Could it be the proven track record, the countless schools and districts that have implemented the program, and the students in the world who have championed it having survived IB themselves?

I think of IB a lot differently.  It seems to me that IB was way ahead of the curve with respect to a holistic, student-centered, inquiry driven, international education.

CAS, which stands for creativity, action and service and at the core of the Diploma Programme.  Students are challenged to work toward 8 outcomes through a variety of experiential activities.  The activities could include clubs and sports inside the school building or out in the community, but the real purpose of CAS is to hone a student's passion.  

I watched three students learn more from so much from CAS and these experiences turned them into more caring and empathetic people.  Junior and his family immigrated from Cameroon years ago and he realized the opportunity he was receiving with a free and public education ion Prince Georges County Public Schools.  In his hometown in Cameroon, education is not compulsory and there are steep school fees attached to it.  Junior and his cousin carved out a CAS project called the ROC foundation.  They raised monies for school fees for students at Bali College in Junior's hometown.  

Kayla, decided to ask people to donate their loose change because she was concerned about homelessness in her community.  She diligently rolled the coins with her mother and grandmother and opened a bank account to deposit the funds.  When Kayla graduated from Parkdale, she has raised over 1,100 dollars by herself and donated it to the local organization So Others May Eat.  

Jessica's family is from El Salvador.  In El Salvador as you move away from the capital, there is less and less access to health care.  Jessica decided to make care-packages for expectant mothers who lived in a rural community in El Salvador.  Jessica documented her journey to El Salvador through the social media tool Tumblr.  She entitled it "One Act of Kindness".  

Although IB is academically rigorous with the May timed assessments, internal and external assessments per class, the extended essay and Theory of Knowledge, IB never forgot that students need rich experiences to grow from as people.  These students made their CAS projects personal, ethical, global.  Proud is all I can say!