From Participant to Leader: My Journey Behind the Scenes
Most students experience school events from the audience — answering questions, cheering for teams, or simply enjoying the competition. This time, I experienced something completely different. I took on the role of organiser for a Grade 10 Math Trivia event, managing everything from conceptualising the idea to planning questions and coordinating the crowd during execution.
What seemed like a simple academic activity turned into a powerful CAS experience that strengthened my leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
LO 1 — Identify Own Strengths and Develop Areas for Growth
Being responsible for the event made me aware of my strengths in organisation and creativity. I enjoyed designing engaging math questions and structuring the rounds to maintain excitement.
However, I also discovered areas for growth — particularly in crowd management and spontaneous decision-making. During the event, unexpected situations arose, such as students speaking out of turn or timing delays, which required quick thinking. This helped me develop adaptability and confidence under pressure.
LO 2 — Demonstrate That Challenges Have Been Undertaken
Organising an event comes with challenges that participants rarely see. One major challenge was designing questions that were neither too easy nor too difficult, ensuring fairness for all participants.
Another challenge was managing the audience energy — keeping them engaged while maintaining discipline. Balancing excitement with order required leadership and assertiveness, which pushed me outside my comfort zone.
LO 3 — Demonstrate How to Initiate and Plan a CAS Experience
The Math Trivia event required structured planning:
- Selecting the event format and rounds
- Designing question sets with varying difficulty levels
- Coordinating logistics such as timing, scoring, and materials
- Preparing rules and instructions for participants
This process taught me that successful events are built on preparation. I learned the importance of anticipating potential problems and having backup plans.
LO 4 — Show Commitment and Perseverance in CAS Experiences
Preparing questions and organising the event required significant time and effort alongside my academic workload. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed, particularly while finalising content and logistics.
However, seeing the enthusiasm of participants during the event reinforced my commitment. It reminded me that perseverance often leads to rewarding outcomes.
LO 5 — Demonstrate the Skills and Recognize the Benefits of Working Collaboratively
Although I played a leading role, collaboration was essential. Working with peers to review questions, manage scoring, and coordinate participants improved efficiency and reduced stress.
This experience showed me that teamwork enhances creativity and problem-solving because multiple perspectives lead to better solutions.
LO 7 — Recognize and Consider the Ethics of Choices and Actions
As an organiser, fairness and integrity were critical responsibilities. I had to ensure:
- Equal opportunities for all teams
- Transparent scoring
- Unbiased question difficulty
- Respectful treatment of participants
This reinforced the ethical dimension of leadership — decisions impact others, and responsibility must be handled with honesty and accountability.
Final Reflection — Leadership Through Service
Organising the Math Trivia event transformed my perspective on leadership. I learned that leadership is not about control but about responsibility, preparation, and empowering others to succeed.
The most rewarding moment was seeing participants excitedly discussing math problems even after the event ended. It showed that learning can be joyful when presented creatively.
Through this CAS experience, I developed:
- Leadership and organisational skills
- Confidence in public coordination
- Adaptability in unpredictable situations
- Collaboration and teamwork abilities
- A deeper appreciation for educational engagement
Most importantly, I realised that creating opportunities for others to learn is itself a meaningful form of service.
