Stanmore The chance to ‘pay it forward’ A sense of gratitude is one of the many things Newington students gain from the Creativity, Activity and Service element in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. When the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme came to life in October 1968, one of the three tenets placed at its heart was Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS). The aim is to educate the whole person1so they are able to reflect upon their own values and actions, thereby understanding their place in the world, shaping who they are and showing them what they can contribute to the society around them2. At Newington, our boys are constantly encouraged to ‘discover what’s possible’ in the spirit of servant leadership – values that are in complete synchronisation with CAS. As part of CAS, the boys develop a project that addresses a real need in their immediate commuity or the wider worldn . Through this, they get to both ‘pay it forward’ and experience gratitude, which, in turn, helps them to grow. Xavier Papps and Callum Stewart speaking at their improvised comedy evening in Having long been involved in support of the Asylum Seeker Centre, Newtown. Newington’s musicpogra, Daniel Xavier Caputo (11/PR) and Nicholas Baykitch (12/MA), Angus Mackie- ‘We all have the ability to make a Williams (12/PR), Dale Schlaphoff change in society, yet most don’t Jenneke (11/MA) are working with a (12/FL), Matteo Lannan (12/PR) and recognise this,’ they said. ‘The change gentleman living with Alzheimer’s Disease Jacob Lawler (12/ME) addressed the we wanted to make in the broader to make his everyday life easier. need to provide music education for community was to help the cause of the ‘When helping Geoff we couldn’t help but disadvantaged schools and communities orangutans, but, more locally, we feel a sense of gratitude for being given throughout Australia. Grateful for all they wanted to show others that they too can the opportunity to help someone who have experienced themselves, the boys make a difference anywhere and suffers from dementia,’ said Xavier. ‘He wrote, ‘We wanted to provide support, everywhere.’ treated us with a high level of gratitude, funding and insight into an issue that is Xavier Papps (11/MA), Callum Stewart which made us feel that helping others rarely addressed in Australia, or (11/MA) and Angus Waldon (11/MA) ... who are in need is very rewarding ... globally.’ dedicated their improvised comedy Gratitude is powerful in bringing the They staged a concert involving evening project to raising awareness best out of people and Geoff’s gratitude students from Wyvern to raise and funds for the Asylum Seeker Centre ... made us feel good about ourselves.’ awareness and funds for their cause, in Newtown. Creativity, Activity and Service – growing thereby ‘repaying’ their debt of gratitude ‘I am very grateful for everything that we grateful, engaged, innovative global and ‘paying it forward’ for future have in Australia,’ said Callum, ‘It is the citizens for a better and kinder future. generations. unfortunate reality that things we take Miss Cheryl Priest Nelson Crossley (12/PR) and Angus for granted, such as freedom and IB Coordinator Crump (12/LE), thankful for the skills democracy, do not exist for everyone in Nelson’s and Angus’s Palm Oil they have been taught, are thinking the world. This CAS project has allowed Campaign and Petition: globally but acting locally, focusing on me to learn more about the plight of the contentious issue of palm oil. people seeking asylum and has given https://palmoilpromiseau.org/ Starting on a small scale, they created a me the opportunity to make a real https://www.change.org/p/josh- petition. The boys hope to achieve the difference by raising funds for the frydenberg-palm-oil-promise-sustainable- end result of mandatory palm oil labelling. Asylum Seekers Centre.’ palm-oil-labelling 1. IBO (2015) Creativity, Activity and Service Guide, Geneva, International Baccalaureate Organisation, p.3 2. ibid, p.4 GRATITUDE | NEWS SPRING 2018| 9