As part of my CAS Service experience, I volunteered at the Children’s Day Carnival held on 15th November 2025 at Fountainhead School, organised by the Interact Club in collaboration with Inner Wheel. The purpose of the carnival was not only to celebrate Children’s Day but also to introduce children from government schools to basic financial literacy concepts such as saving, spending wisely, and sharing through interactive games and activity stalls.
My Role and Responsibilities
During the event, I was responsible for managing a stall where students could purchase items using coins they earned from participating in games and activities across the carnival. The coins functioned as a form of currency, allowing children to experience a simplified version of real-life financial decision-making.
At my stall, I offered items such as drawing books, pencil sets, and sketch pens. When students approached the stall, they would count their coins and decide which items they could afford. My role was to guide them, help them calculate the value of their coins, and ensure the transactions were fair and organized.
This activity helped students understand the concept of earning rewards, budgeting, and making choices based on limited resources, which are key aspects of financial literacy.
Challenges and Skills Developed (LO2)
One of the challenges during the event was managing many students at once while ensuring that everyone understood the system of coins and purchases. Some younger students found it difficult to count their coins or decide what to buy.
To address this, I had to be patient and communicate clearly, helping them count their coins and explaining their options in a simple way. Through this experience, I developed stronger communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills, demonstrating CAS Learning Outcome 2 — undertaking challenges and developing new skills.
Collaboration and Teamwork (LO5)
The success of the carnival depended on the collaboration between student volunteers, teachers, and community members. We worked together to organize the stalls, manage the games, and ensure the children had an enjoyable experience.
Working with other volunteers helped me develop the Collaborator learner profile attribute. We supported each other when the stalls became busy and coordinated to ensure the activities ran smoothly. This teamwork demonstrated the importance and benefits of working collaboratively, aligning with CAS Learning Outcome 5.
Commitment and Engagement (LO4)
Throughout the event, I remained actively engaged in helping the students and ensuring the stall operated efficiently. I consistently interacted with the children, explained the activity to them, and helped maintain a positive and welcoming environment.
This demonstrated perseverance and commitment to the CAS experience, as I stayed focused on contributing meaningfully to the event and supporting the goals of the carnival.
Connection to SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
This CAS activity aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals, as it involved collaboration between students, educators, and community organizations such as Inner Wheel. The event showed how partnerships can create meaningful opportunities for learning and community engagement.
By working together, we were able to create an environment where children could learn valuable life skills in a fun and interactive way.
Personal Reflection
Overall, volunteering at the Children’s Day Carnival was a rewarding and meaningful experience. It allowed me to contribute to the community while helping younger students learn important financial skills through engaging activities.
Seeing the excitement and curiosity of the children as they earned coins and chose their rewards was very fulfilling. The experience strengthened my understanding of the importance of service, teamwork, and community involvement, and it reinforced how small initiatives can have a positive educational impact.