GLOBAL ODYSSEY

 BM and Econ Signature event “Global Odyssey”, is a business fair held yearly within our school which is solely organized and hosted by grade 11 students for the rest of the fountainhead school. Students of grade 11 were given the opportunity to link business and economics with real life through a wide variety of roles that they could choose from based on their personal interests.These roles ranged from being a part of the decor team, hosting your own food stall, fashion stall, and lastly being the part of the music band. I chose to host a food stall along with a few of my friends. Our goal was to provide good quality food based on  the latest trend with good presentation. 

LO1 – Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth 

As an introvert, I struggle with engaging in conversations, especially with unfamiliar individuals, often leading to stuttering and a lack of confidence in communication. Hosting the food stall highlighted my weakness in expressing myself fully when questioned about pricing or food items, often leading  me to defer to a friend. On the other hand, I have always excelled in mathematics, allowing me to quickly calculate totals and change due. Recognizing my communication problems presents numerous areas for growth. It’s reassuring to know that there’s still room for improvement, particularly as I prepare for college. Given the opportunities available, I am committed to enhancing my communication skills and confidence.

LO2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills.

 While planning food items for our stall, we thought of keeping an item called Skippy which is basically a frozen slushie. But, finding enough of IT for the event was a challenge as it isn’t a local item. It is also very costly and we were in doubt if spending that much money would even give us the desired profit.We overcame this by finding a local alternative for it which was bought in retail. Because I undertook this challenge I got to know that not everything can go according to your plan  and you should be open to challenges. 

 LO4 – Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience

This event also made me realize that commitment is very important. The event was 3 hours long and we had to stand in heat to serve people. Furthermore, melting the chocolate for our food item required a lot of patience and supervision. Along with that, serving food during the rush hour of students was really tiring. After an hour or so it got tiring but we had to stay committed. 

 LO5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively.

Working collaboratively with friends made the task much easier as we could combine our strengths and weaknesses to form a very strong team. Thus, it was easier working collaboratively. It is also important to work collaboratively with others because you grow together and improve. Throughout the event, we divided tasks such that each person could get a break after some while to avoid feeling tired. 

LO6 – Demonstrate Engagement with Issues of Global Significance

The issue we engaged with during the event was food waste. In large events like Global odyssey fairs, excessive food production often leads to some waste, which contributes to global concerns about sustainability and the efficient use of resources. Our goal was to avoid food wastage by estimating quantities realistically and using ingredients sourced locally whenever possible.  Food waste is a pressing global issue because it not only results in the loss of valuable resources but also contributes to environmental pollution through methane emissions from food decomposition in landfills. Addressing food waste is important for reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring that resources are used efficiently, which ties into global sustainability efforts like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 12).Moreover,   Awareness of global issues like food waste has made me more conscious of my consumption habits. Our approach to minimizing food waste during the Global Odyssey event gave me a sense of responsibility. It was rewarding to see that by being mindful of the issue, we could contribute to a positive change. 




LO7 – Recognize and Consider the Ethics of Choices and Actions

One ethical issue we faced was ensuring fairness in pricing. It was important to strike a balance between making a profit and keeping prices affordable for students. Another ethical consideration was ensuring the quality of the food we served. We needed to be transparent about the ingredients used and ensure that our food was safe and hygienic. These ethical concerns affected me directly, as I was responsible for explaining the pricing and the ingredients used. I felt a sense of accountability to the students purchasing food from us, which made me realize the importance of ethical decision-making in business. Before this event, I viewed pricing as a simple matter of setting a fair value. However, after Global Odyssey, Inow understand that pricing involves deeper considerations. 


LO3 – Demonstrate How to Initiate and Plan a CAS Experience


To organize myself for the event, I worked with my friends to create a detailed plan. We allocated responsibilities, scheduled regular meetings, and broke down tasks such as purchasing supplies, setting up the stall, and managing sales. We also created a budget to manage our expenses and ensure profitability. While I dont consider myself  organized, this event tested my ability to manage time and resources effectively. It required more extensive planning and coordination than I’m typically used to. I discovered that I have good problem-solving skills when unexpected issues arise, such as finding local alternatives for the frozen slushie. I also learned that I’m capable of working under pressure during the event’s busiest hours. This experience has given me greater confidence in my ability to plan events. I now understand the importance of setting clear goals, delegating tasks, and preparing for challenges.

The event and our food stall was a complete success. Because we had been planning this event for more than 2 months, its success made me feel very satisfied and excited. If I had to choose something to change I would want to improve the presentation of our stall probably with posters,tablecloths,and fancier cups to serve food.