For our school’s Global Odyssey event,Students in grades 11 studying business management and economics organised the fair called Global Odyssey. The event took place on February 14th, and in keeping with the day, our theme was “Cherry Blossom.” The event truly lived up to its title, “Fun, Food & Fashion,” with games that were sure to make everyone smile, delicious food, and an amazing selection of jewellery and tote bags. My teammates Renit, Rehaan, and Tanay and I decided to set up a food station serving brownies and cold coco. 

L3. Initiate and plan a CAS experience
During the planning process, we had to consider all aspects of running a small pop-up business for the day. Tanay and Renit focused on baking wonderful brownies, while Rehaan and I focused on preparing the cold coco mix and gathering all of the necessary supplies, such as cups, napkins and decorations for our stand. We also needed to develop a pricing plan and ensure that we knew the event’s rules and logistics.

L2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills
On the day of the event, we faced a few obstacles that necessitated creative problem solving. We miscalculated the demand for the brownies early on and had to work rapidly to produce more fresh batches. The cocoa was also highly popular, especially as the day progressed and the weather became cooler. Keeping up with drink orders while keeping an organised workflow was a test of our teamwork abilities.

L5. Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively
Despite the occasional rush of clients, we were able to work well as a team to restock merchandise, process payments and keep our stall space clean and pleasant. We all had to take on different duties at different times, chipping in wherever there was a need. Constant communication and a culture of cooperation enabled us to overcome any challenges that emerged.

Overall, Global Odyssey was a fun and rewarding CAS project that challenged us to collaborate, think quickly, and gain new trade skills. The highlights for me were the sense of camaraderie we developed as a group, as well as the satisfaction of running a tiny but successful business for a day. It was an excellent demonstration of how CAS can extend learning outside the classroom in exciting ways.