Gordy’s Toast Caring—Our Way of Life
Volume 2 | Issue 3 June 10th, 2016
Gordy’s Toast Volume 2 | Issue 3 May Newsletter
Caring—Our Way of Life Hazen High School
“Best wishes in your future endeavors…”
Table of Contents
What is Key Club?…………………………….…4 Greetings from the editor…………….…………6 Greetings from the president…………...………7 Recap from past events…………………….……8 Upcoming news and events……………………15 Farewells from Our Seniors……….……………17 Dragon of the Month………….………………24 Contact us………………...……………………25
What is Key Club? Key Club is an international student-led organization which provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership. We are caring and competent servant leaders transforming communities worldwide. The core values of Key Club International are leadership, character building, caring and inclusiveness.
What is Key Club? Hazen Key Club is a part of Division 32, which is composed of Hazen, Lindbergh, Kentlake, Kent-Meridian Kentridge, Kentwood, Renton and Tahoma. Division 32 is part of a proud Pacific Northwest district.
Greetings from the Editor Well, hello again, Key Clubbers…wait… NO WAY, it’s already June?! Wow, time flies by fast when you’re having fun…in school. I can’t believe the school year is already over and I’m sure all of you are so thankful that it’s coming to an end. However, that also means that all of our beautiful seniors will be graduating and leaving us… We will miss them dearly and wish them all the best in their future endeavors and whatever they may pursue! Hold in there, key-uties, only a couple weeks more and the sleeping-in-late summer days will begin! Good luck on all of your finals, home stretch so study hard and end the school year on a good note! Seniors, see you at graduation! In Love and Service Always, Kira Kusumi
Greetings from the President Hey Keyuties! As this school year comes to a close, so have the Key Club meetings. We have been through a lot. With all the sweat and tears that came with this year, we have also had blisses to match our blues. The DCMs were fantastic thanks to our Immediate-Past Lieutenant Governor, Kim Ahn Tran, and our current LTG Ashley Villanueva. All the events to come will definitely be some to look forward to, whether it be Seattle Rally or our very own Hazen Key Club Car Wash! Our club was very successful this year taking home three awards from DCON, nearly doubling our membership, and raising so much this year through fundraisers, like those for Nepal, in addition to our Pura Vida one. I hope that all of you will continue to serve throughout the summer no matter where or who you are. There are many opportunities and if you have any issue finding them, feel free to send me a message! Also, if you want a way to stay involved over the summer or become even more involved, I would love to see some of you at the Renton Kiwanis Meetings which are on Thursdays at 7:27 in the Culinary Room of Renton Technical College! I would also like to personally thank each of the graduating seniors who are in Key Club. You all have been such a great influence on everyone and pushed us to be the people we are today. With all the hard work you have put into the club and in your four years of high school, you will be deeply missed. So with long days of the summer, don’t let your passion for service fade like the beautiful sunsets and enjoy your last days of school and the beginning of your summer! In Love and Service, Ashley Vo
Recap the May DCM Just a Division 32 DCM! We played ice breakers to get to know each other, did team building activities in groups, and then played other crazy, weird games!
Recap of May Seattle JOINT DCM (Divisions 21, 22/24, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, and many more) Games‌So many games. A great way to meet people from all around . Definitely go to a Joint DCM sometime so you can meet people outside of Division 32.
Did I mention, we got to PIE our LTGs?!
Something amazing happened‌we got an only-Hazen picture!
Recap on Fundraisers! Our Kiss-a-Senior-Goodbye did well with the support of all your underclassmen! Thank you so much for showing some love to your 2016 graduates!
Recap on Fundraisers! After A LOT of advertising, especially with the help of Andy Luu, we sold way past our goal! Thank you, everyone who bought ribbon leis for their senior friends! They’ll look so leid back and cool in them on graduation day‌
Recap on the Last Meeting…of the School Year So much was happening: • We showed some love and appreciation to our wonderful advisor that will be leaving us this year, Mrs. Ryan (if you get the chance, thank her for all she has done for us) • We presented our Seniors with goodbye gifts • Sue Owens, our beloved Kiwanian Area Administrator, delivered some inspiring goodbye words to the seniors • WE ATE • We pied officers!
Hazen Key Club Car Wash! Spread the word! Tell your friends and family to come support us and get their car looking spiffy and squeaky clean! Donations welcome! • When: July 2nd, 2016 11 AM-3 PM • Where: State Farm 1520 Duvall Ave NE Renton, WA
These pictures are from volunteering at the Highlander Pantry Car Wash
The District Project Has Been Announced! Watch the video here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf8blL8tmkg &feature=youtu.be
The Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program (KCCP) “KCCP is in support of several hospitals located here in the Pacific Northwest (Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and BC Children’s Hospital). This year, our district’s goal is to raise $75,000. By donating and fundraising for this year’s district project, we’ll be able to raise enough money to help train the next generation of pediatric oncology specialists and researchers! We can’t wait to see what you guys can do this year and see how many lives you can change for the better! To learn more about KCCP, please visit kiwanis-kccp.org”
Farewells from Our Seniors… "I decided to join Key Club for my last year, senior year. It's sad that the people I have met through DCMs are underclassmen. I hope to see more later on in the year. It was a good time being in Key Club, so farewell and stay keyute." –Veronica Chau “Jenny senpai here speaking. I don't really know most of you, but I believe that you will do great things for Key Club in the future. I just hope you're all happy in the end, enjoy the things in life, and don’t stress over school too much. Jenny Nguyen from Renton, WA, out." – Jenny Nguyen “I'm so glad that I got to meet so many new people from Key Club and experience many new things! It also feels amazing to give back to the community. I feel so lucky to be a part of a wonderful group of people who are so supportive and fun! I'll miss you guys and good luck next year! Stay TOASTY!!!” –Alison Tay “Hello Key-uties, In approximately one week, I will be graduating. Out of the many things I will miss about Hazen is Key Club. Key Club is an important part of my high school career. I had the privilege to serve as your Treasurer and I was thankful for the opportunity. I got to meet new people, make new friends and volunteer with highly motivated individuals. It is bitter sweet for me to leave Key Club. Before I leave, I want to say that you should all make the most out of it, treasure the moment and regret nothing. Have a lot of fun next year and stay Key-ute!” –Yena Nguyen
“My fellow Key Clubbers, this is the last you will see of me and the rest of my fellow seniors as a Key Club member. Don't be sad; we will still be around with you. Even though this chapter of our lives is over, yours is just beginning. It excites me to see where your own future, as my clubbers, will go. All of you freshmen that have joined, I believe will be successful in your lives as a Key Clubbers. My biggest advice for you is to make sure that you try everything that Key Club offers you and take any and every opportunity that you have. For you sophomores out there, you still have a lot of time left for you Key Club life. Help make sure you support new members as you will be the new older and wise members that know the insides and outs of the Key Club life. Make sure you use that knowledge to help out those new members. First, all those juniors out there, it's still not to late for you. You still have plenty of time left. If you had any doubts about anything you could do, just do it. Live this last year of your Key Club life. Just know that this is truly the best club there ever is. The new officers bring me such hope with the tremendous potential that Ashley Vo brings as a president with all her brilliant ideas, and to know how to make it a reality. Not to mention the beauty that Omar (Kira) brings with all of her amazing photos and wonderful Gordy’s Toast. All that I have left to say is goodbye, I will miss you all. I wish you all the best in your future.” –Devon Fox
"Hey Key Clubbers! To keep things short and simple, as a goodbye message, I'd like to thank all the amazing people that I've met through Key Club. I would not be who I am today without these people and without Key Club, in general. It was an amazing experience to be surrounded with people that have a passion for service. Keep doing what you guys are doing and everything will turn out great!" –Richard Nguyen “Key Club changed my life indefinitely. From sophomore year to senior year, I grew so much thanks to Key Club. I went from a shy kid who wasn't willing to try new things or even socialize with others, to the person I am today. I made homies everywhere, and I'm so glad I met them, they've taught me so much about life and the world around me. Also being involved really helped me out, too. It brought me out of my shell and got me comfortable with speaking with others, whether it be in front of an audience or just one on one. There's so much more that it's given me! But the only reason why I received all this and more is because I got involved in it. I'm extremely sad that I'm leaving it behind this year. By the way, my innie and grand-innie are amazing people.” –Jonathan Dieu
“Hello Key Clubbers! Where to begin.. Three years ago I was skeptical to join a club that only focused on community service. I didn’t think much of it when I entered the lecture hall. But in my first year of Key Club, that view changed. Key Club International is much more than a just a club that just goes around volunteering. It’s a way to develop your skills and to grow as a leader. I cannot express how much this club means to me and how much I’ve changed. The best part of Key Club was the family I gained. Key Club and Kiwanis allowed me to meet so many people from different schools that all had the same interest as me, our desire to want to give back to the community. These people will make sure you feel welcome as much as possible. I’m thankful to have served as the club’s bulletin editor for the term 2015-2016, with the duties I was given, I had the opportunity to work with the most amazing people. At the beginning of my term I made a goal for myself to make a name for Hazen to be remembered in the Pacific Northwest district. The term was rigorous and challenging, but we were able to leave a legacy for our club in the district. I’m thankful to have worked with Jacquelin Huang, Crystal Tam, Andy Luu, and Yena Nguyen. And also to have worked with an outstanding lieutenant governor Kim Anh Tran. I would also like to thank our advisor Ms. Ryan for being such a caring person and the person to go to when we needed something, I will miss having you as an advisor! I would also like to thank our former advisors who were with us at the beginning of our term: Mr. Zylstra and Ms. Radamacher. I can’t forget about our Kiwanis advisors Marge Eastman and Vanessa Chodykin! You two have been incredibly supportive of us since I’ve been in Key Club and your support to our club makes a difference. Now for our innies: Ashley Vo, Kevin Le, Tommy Huynh, Brittney Do, and Kira Kusumi you guys have the passion for Key Club. There’s no one else I can see leading our club than you guys! You’ll have no problem next year winning awards, just have faith! We’ll always be there for you guys if you ever need help. And thank you, the members of Key Club, our club is built on a pyramid with you guys as the foundation, your service to our community makes our world better one step at a time. Keep up the great work and please advertise as much as you can to your friends and have them join our family! I’m sad to finally end my journey of Key Club, but have no fear, I will still continue my journey in Kiwanis moving up to Circle K International! Our paths will cross again, my Key Clubbers. Thank you, Key Club International.” – Andy Ly
“I’ve been going to Key Club since my freshman year and boy, did the time fly. It feels like the first meeting I ever went to in my freshman year was only yesterday and here I am in my fourth year, about to graduate high school. One of the things I’ll definitely miss about high school is Key Club. Not just the Hazen Key Club, but every Key Club in the district. In my freshman year, I only went to the meetings to be with my friends since they wanted to go, but throughout the years I continued to go because Key Club is an amazing thing and I’m proud to be a member of it. It was no longer about going because my friends were going, I genuinely wanted to go and be a part of something as great as Key Club. It gave me a chance to become friends with other Hazen students and I even made friends with students from other schools. Key Club really has helped my socializing skills, even though they’re still pretty bad. Underclassmen Key Clubbers, take the chances you have to make new friends from the other Key Clubs in the district! It’s really amazing how Key Club can bring together all kinds of people from the different schools and I highly encourage the interaction! It’s an experiencing worth having! From the meetings, to the members, to the officers, to the volunteering events, to the occasional bonding time, I had fun with everything I involved myself with throughout these four years and I’ll always cherish these memories. Even though I’ll be graduating high school on the fourteenth, I’ll always be a Key Clubber at heart, and I’ll never forget the time I spent here in Key Club.” –Jennifer Nguyen
“Dear fellow Key Clubbers, It is with great sadness that I write my final goodbye to the organization that has, perhaps, been the most life changing experience of my high school career. Having been part of Key Club for two years, I can undoubtedly say that not joining earlier is my biggest regret. Although I have been part of Key Club for only two years, its core values have been integrated into my every day life and I know that I will continue to take them wherever I go. This organization has taught me the importance of service, inclusiveness, and friendship. I have learned that you have to be the change your community needs; volunteer, take action around your community to bring about the changes you yearn. I have learned to be inclusive, to accept everyone and make them feel welcome and a part of us. I have learned the importance of making new friends and expanding your connections. Had I not joined this club, I would have not met two of my best friends, or be as outgoing as I am today. Key Club has allowed me to come out from my shell and realize the beauty of service and the core values it embodies. To my younger friends, I challenge you to remain in Key Club, to be the change your community needs, and to continue to make connections with others. I have seen you all grow as individuals and I am ecstatic to see what you guys will continue to do for your club. Thank you for an amazing high school experience.” – Miguel Martinez
“To the best club in PNW, My journey began when a few officers from Key Club visited McKnight for a club fair. I had previously heard of Key Club from my older brother and was eager to reach their booth. Tina Chung, my grand-grand outtie, greeted me, gave me the usual pamphlets, and encouraged me to join the club. I attended the informational meeting, and immediately got hooked. And of course at that point, I didn’t know what the future would hold for me or how far the club would change. The first event with the entire club was the Jingle Bell Run, and I remember clearly how cold it was that day and how I clearly wasn’t dressed warmly enough. Thankfully, I got a position inside a stall where I sold tickets for the holiday carousel. The carousel brought a lot of smiles to the children who rode on it, and overall made me feel pretty good inside, too. I think that moment defined exactly what I advocate for, and that’s helping the children around the community. It’s so simple to give something to the people around you and make them happy. If you spend a little time teaching children, putting spare change in a donation jar, or writing holiday cards for kids, you’re out there helping someone either directly or indirectly. During my freshman year, I thought a lot about becoming more involved in the club and I had a lot of ideas I wanted to implement. The only problem was that I had no confidence, whatsoever, about becoming a candidate. Honestly, running against older and experienced students terrified me. After one of the meetings, Alan Yeh came up to me and just put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me that I should apply for the position. That motion is like a magic trick because after that moment I continued to build up my self-confidence and my motivation to change the club. I attended my first district convention in SeaTac the same year and came out a new person after a single weekend. I’m not telling you to go to DCON or become an officer, but get involved in the club as much as you can or find an organization outside that is coherent with your personal views. Introduce the things you like to the club, and let your voice be heard.” –Jacquelin Huang
“There is always a high school, there is always a meeting, there is always a Key Club. As a graduating senior of the class of 2016 with single digit days left in high school, it is hard to believe that the seemingly infinite cycle of Monday afternoon Key Club meetings will soon cease to repeat. On Tuesday, June 14th, I’ll be putting on my graduation gown, walking across a stage, receiving my diploma(cover), and in front of hundreds of people be proclaimed a graduate of Hazen High School. In the light of a new era in their lives, members of the class of 2016 will scatter across the globe, each pursuing their own unique passion, yet there is always a high school, there is always a meeting, there is always a Key Club. As my journey in Hazen Key Club comes to an end, I cannot help but peer over my shoulders and look back at the incredible accomplishments both the club and I achieved, and the influence that Key Club International had on my life. Dragged into the lecture hall in early November of my sophomore by my friend, I was a shy, soft spoken introvert with absolutely zero Key Club knowledge. Never would I have thought that for the next 3 years Key Club would transform into my ultimate passion and my second family, nor could I have imagined that I would be standing onstage at DCON receiving for Hazen not one, not two, but three district awards. My passion for service, sparked from those first few service events such as the brutal hot chocolate run and helping serve dinner at a local senior home and fueled by Key Club spirit, burned fiercely for 3 long years. Aside from service, Key Club also helped me fulfill skills that were lacking in my character such as organization, time management, and work ethic. Key Club has not only transformed me into a servant leader but also a responsible citizen, and even though soon these events will be history, there’ll always be a high school, there’ll always be a meeting, there’ll always be a Key Club. Writing the final chapter in my Key Club endeavors, I only wish the best for my younglings and my club. Juniors: you are now the big boys and girls, veteran members of the club. I pray that you will use your extensive experience, passion for service, and leadership skills in becoming role models and helping to continue the club’s upward trajectory of success. Remember to start your college apps early and don’t let senioritis take over too much. Sophomores: Upperclassmen finally!! Hooray!! Junior year is usually considered the most difficult one of high school. AP classes, standardized tests, off campus lunches and all sorts of crazy things will cram your schedule to the brim. Junior year, however, is also the year of accomplishments and excellence as it is the year where you’ll be first granted immense freedom in school, so no matter what difficulty life throws at you, work hard, fight with perseverance, and you will succeed. Aside from school, continue to be active members of the club, and show the underclassmen that nothing can stop the Key Club spirit. Freshmen: You’re the lifeblood of the club. For all of you this year that joined and gave Key Club a try, I thank you and hope that you found Key Club as meaningful as I have. Next year as sophomores, you’ll be able to relay your amazing experiences to the incoming freshmen class and inspire them to be apart of the Key Club family. Don’t abuse them too much though! Finally for the entire Hazen Key Club, just remember that no matter who you are, member or officer, you all have immense potential because servant leadership is not defined by titles or words, it is defined by your actions. Serve your club and community with your heart and soul, and you will all achieve greatness. Key Club is love, Key Club is life, and Key Club is forever. No Key Clubber in this world would ever forget the wonderful friendship and memories he/she created in Key Club, which is why there is always a high school, there is always a meeting, there is always a Key Club. “ –Alex Guo
“Key Club ran a beautiful 4 year course in my life. My freshman year, I came into this club knowing nothing about how it worked. For the first half of the year I still had no idea why this club meant so much to some of my older friends. But the real fun came in when I started my first few volunteer events with my friends. I learned that doing service was not a chore, but rather a productive time being a good citizen. And as a bonus, I had an excuse for my grandparents to let me out of the house. But still, why was key club so great? Without really knowing why, I was encouraged by my peers to attend DCON, this mysterious acronym that meant as much to me as the YMCA (sorry to YMCA members). There I was, packing my bags and anticipating all the fun that my friends promised me. Behold, the next three days and two nights were the craziest fun time. To keep this short, DCON was where I learned to love service as much as I do. I saw unfamiliar faces that were spirited, loud, compassionate, and welcoming. The energy in the air was unforgettable, and my disbeliefs and doubts in the beginning were finally shot down. Key Club became my home. With all the cheese and corn in the world, I have to say that these 4 years seem like a blink of an eye. It went by so fast and I don't think I even grasped on to every opportunity there was. But still, I learned so much from my experiences, and even more from my peers. I found people who have shown me what true leaders look like, and people who have been real friends along my journey. I have referenced and incorporated Key Club in my vernacular, and still to this day, this club has been the most influential experience of all my high school career. So it deeply saddens me to leave. It's painful to think about the words to spew out when you're asked to say goodbye. First, I have thank everyone who has been the real heroes of Key Club: my 20152016 board. They maintained the integrity of this club through all the hardships we endured and helped me realize how important teamwork is in order to achieve greatness. They've shown me their tears, laughs, frustration, and the best leadership I have witnessed. I wish them all the best and hope our paths can cross together again in Kiwanis or Circle K. Thank you again for all the great lessons :^) I guess now is the time to say goodbye, or as Charlie Puth would put it, see you (again) later? Here's to a great journey to those who are still blessed with the opportunity to be in this club. I hope your story will exceed mine and you too will find your special place to be. I'm not good with goodbyes, but here goes nothing. Goodbye my dearest Key Clubbers, I'm not crying right now. In love and service, A washed up Hazen board officer.” –Crystal Tam
Dragon of the Month goes to‌
Who will be the June Dragon?
Keep in Touch and Stay Updated! District Governor: Juliet Yu julietyu.pnwgov@gmail.com Lieutenant Governor: Ashley Villanueva ashleyvillanueva.ltg32@gmail.com Facebook: (club) facebook.com/groups/hazenkeyclub (division) facebook.com/groups/pnwdivision32 (district) facebook.com/groups/pnwkeyclub •
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Instagram: instagram.com/hazenkeyclub Our Website: http://hazenkeyclub.weebly.com/ Our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBlgxQRDHvdRPpZaOXwNNA Ashley Vo: Kevin Le: Tommy Huynh: Brittney Do: Kira Kusumi:
ashleyvokc@gmail.com le.kev206@yahoo.com thuynhkclub@gmail.com bdokeyclub@gmail.com kckusumi@gmail.com
Our Club Advisor: Ms. Ryan Our Kiwanian Advisors: Marge Eastman Vanessa Chodykin Our Area Administrator: Sue Owens