KEY CLUB June 2017 / Issue 3/ Vol 6
BRONX SCIENCE NEW YORK DISTRICT DIVISION 11
June Edition
The Kiwi
SERVANT LEADERS OF TOMORROW NEWÂ SEASON. NEW FEATS.
Message from the Editor Hi Bronx Science Key Club! It's finally summer! What does this mean? No school, but more Key Club! As the days pass by, get out of that couch and join us as we embark on a journey of service in the summer. Whether it be making new friends outside of school or simply improving our community’s atmosphere, service in the summer allows us to take advantage of the time we have now and make the best of our summer. In this issue of The Kiwi, you will be able to witness how Bronx Science Key Club bonds with its members over the summertime. At our annual Water Wars fundraiser, members of our club came together and formed teams to battle out each other for a cash prize. As our members pelted each other with water balloons under the burning sun, we came together as a club and grew stronger than ever as a family. Not only will you see how we bond with each other in our club, but you’ll be given a glimpse of how Bronx Science Key Club makes the best of their summer with their motivated members. From enjoying a night bombarded with fireworks at our Fireworks Frenzy Palooza fundraiser to painting park railings with each other, we know how to have fun while helping better our community day by day. As days pass by, that means times isrunning out and schools even closer than ever. Instead of counting the days we have left in the summer, take that time to step outside and volunteer with us in our community! Join Bronx Science Key Club in the Summertime as we accomplish great feats in our community and bond with each other as a family. Nothing gets realer than this! Yours in Service, Fahad Nabi
TABLE OF CONTENTS 02
Message from the Editor
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The KIWI Table of Contents
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Social Media Platforms
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Presenting the 2017-2018 Key Club Board
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Club Updates/Reminders
09
Divisional Training Conference
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Fireworks Frenzy Palooza
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Water Wars
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Service Spotlights
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Monthly Feature: Life After Key Club
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Members of the Month
THE KIWI 09
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THE KIWI is published at 75 W 205th St, Bronx, NY 10468 to promote the objectives of Key Club International, a high school organization incorporated not for profit under the laws of the State of Indiana. THE KIWI is published monthly digitally. For questions or concerns, please contact the Editor Fahad Nabi at nabif@bxscience.edu.
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FIND US ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
www.facebook.com/BxSciKeyClub
www.twitter.com/BxSciKeyClub
www.bxsciencekeyclub.weebly.com www.instagram.com/BxSciKeyClub
www.bxscikeyclub.tumblr.com
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20 PRE 17- SEN 18 K TI EY NG CLU YOU BB R OA RD!
KEY CLUB BOARD
BRONX SCIENCE Megan Ngo Treasurer ngom@bxscience.edu Sophomore
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Michele Chen President chenmi5@bxscience.edu Junior
Dante Schulz Vice President schulzd@bxscience.edu Junior
Fahad Nabi Webmaster & Bulletin Editor nabif@bxscience.edu Sophomore
Peter Alegre Secretary alegrep@bxscience.edu Sophomore
Get Ready For An Adventure. It's Finally Summer. Summer is a great way to learn more about Key Club, come to more events, meet new friends, and step up as an active citizen in your community. It's summer where we make the best of memories and learn more about each other as friends through longlasting and meaningful relationships. GET READY FOR AN ADVENTURE!
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Meet out our Sponsoring Kiwanis at our monthly events at Calvary Hospital! Submit to the NYDKC Newsletter! Sign up for a Committee! Follow us on Social Media! Submit July Articles and Photos Check out our Fundraising & Service Hour Goals on the Website! Attend Divisionals with Us!
JUNE
REMINDERS
07/08/17: Scores Cup NYC 07/09/17: Lymphoma Walk 07/09/17: Calvary Hospital with Kiwanis 07/14/17: Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen 07/15/17: Damon Runyon 5k at Yankee Stadium 07/16/17: NYC Triathlon 07/22/17: Riverside Park Conservancy 07/23/17: Races for Faces Walk
JUNE
UPCOMING EVENTS
DIVISIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE 2017 ARTICLE BY KEVIN CHAN
On Saturday, June 24th, I was able to attend the Key Club District Training Conference. It was held at LIU Brooklyn, and when I walked in, the first thing I saw was a beautiful long table with breakfast. I quickly paid my fee, and I rushed to get a nice poppy seed bagel with cream cheese. In addition to my nice poppy seed bagel with cream cheese, I also got a cup of orange juice to wash it down. I then went into the lecture hall where everyone was eating breakfast, and I started to eat. The opening ceremony later commenced with all the LTGs greeting the various divisions of Key Club. After the opening ceremony, I grabbed another bagel (yes, I know I’m disgusting) and headed to the workshops.
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The workshops taught me many useful things like how to better find events, the responsibilities of each board member, and the elements of public speaking. Lunch came after the first two workshops. Because DTC was sponsored by a big pizza chain, there was a mountain of pies when I walked in. After lunch was games such as Ultimate RockPaper-Scissors where it's one round, but then the losers have to cheer on the winners, and eventually it became a huge crowd of teens surrounding two people in the center making hand signs.
Another fun game was the spirit chant where we separated into two big groups and we would chant “WE GOT SPIRIT YES WE DO WE GOT SPIRIT HOW ABOUT YOU?” louder than the other group. It became really loud at one point and I started fearing for my ears’ safety. After the games was my last workshop of the day, public speaking. I got to learn the traits of a good public speaker and what to do and what not to do when public speaking. I then entered the main building for the closing ceremony and guest note speaker. The guest note speaker talked to us about the THIRST project, how its plays an important role in the lives of others, and how we can support it.
The closing ceremony then commenced, and the LTGs thanked us for coming to DTC. The conference has definitely made me a better Key Clubber, and it has also given me more awareness. I had a really fun time at the conference this year learning and eating, and I hope to attend next year’s DTC as well. This Divisional Training Conference was one like no other. It'a a place where we come together to make friends, learn from workshops, and focus not only on personal growth but on the lives of our friends - we question how we can make an impact not on just ourselves but on the people around us. This conferences teaches us how to do that.
IS THERE ANYTHING SIMILAR TO DTC? Of course! From our annual Leadership Training Conference to Fall Rally, Key Club provides us with a multitude of opportunities to engage with each other and grow as leaders of the next generation. Fall Rally allows us to become closer with the Divisions around us and LTC allows us to make connections with people from all over NY.
TOMORROW'S LEADERS
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BRONX SCIENCE KEY CLUB'S
WATER WARS Water Wars is Bronx Science's unique mark on Fundraising in Key Club. It's a fundraiser where Key Clubbers have the opportunity to raise money by having a water balloon fight and a picnic! Article by Pinkey Lam.
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Water Wars is Bronx Science key
It was really shocking to me and it
Club’s 5th annual fundraiser. It
really made us all proud and joyful.
was a day everyone was able to
We first participated in the war,
come together and just hang out.
forming two large teams playing
Thanks to the hard work of our
capture the flag.
president and members, the fundraiser was very successful. I
It was very fun being able to throw
personally had an amazing time
and pop water balloons at people.
and it was nice seeing everyone
The lunch prepared was really
there. We were able to raise a
good, there was a great variety of
total of $1,100 all going to our
food.
district project, Sunrise Day Camp.
"FUN, ENGAGING, AND SIMPLY AMAZING"
It's an Experience where your friends become your family. Many people got to socialize at this time and some played volleyball. Next, we had a few field games that were played. The water balloon toss and the three legged race really brought people closer. The raffles then took place. The audience were all filled with anxiety to win something. Luckily, I was able to! The last activity that took place was the auctioning. Being a co-head, I was auctioned as well. It was a very interesting experience as well as a fun one. I really won’t ever forget it (thanks Chris and Andy). Throughout the entire thing, there was constant laughter. Not to mention, I got to meet and got to know many key clubbers from different schools. My favorite part of the auctioning was filming it all. I was able to capture the moments and everyone’s reactions. This day was overall very unforgettable.
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FIGMENT NYC I attended FIGMENT NYC on June 3rd, where it was held on Governor’s Island. FIGMENT is a participatory arts festival that is held annually and is open to the public for guests to indulge in. From the beginning, this event was something else. Its unique location of Governor’s Island meant that we had to take the ferry. I’ve never been on the ferry and it was exciting to see the waterfront and be on a boat. We shortly arrived at Governor’s Island in a few minutes. Upon following the signs and directions on the island, we were brought to the volunteer headquarters. The headquarters were a house on the island with 2 floors. We put our belongings in an empty room on the second floor, while the work was being conducted on the first. We registered and signed waivers for the event and were subsequently handed shirts to wear. The job we were assigned to was making name tags for the various staff members. We cut out names, layed them in sheets, and used a laminator and then put them on lanyard.
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l was assigned to laminating, which required me to carefully put in a sheet of the name tags into a laminator. It took several hours for us to finish, and I messed up some name tags. We eventually managed to finish the name tags and were given a break. I had an amazing time at FIGMENT. The staff were very nice and accommodating to us and treated us well. They had an abundant supply of food and snacks, and the festival was also really fun to do so. Even greeting, which is typically not that exciting, was made better by FIGMENT when we also blew bubbles. I’m very excited to attend this event next year and can’t wait to see it. Peter Alegre
June 4th, 2017
World Ocean Festival At World Ocean Festival, I stood near the ferry to Governor’s Island. As organizers and presenters approached the boat, I would present them with their ID badges and tell them where to go on the island. World Ocean Festival was a gathering of people dedicated to saving and conserving the ocean. They held different seminars and events throughout the day in order to raise awareness about ocean preservation, specifically United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, which aims to promote conservation for the world’s oceans.
Many larger corporations (Toyota and National Geographic) sent representatives to discuss solutions along with smaller wildlife preservation programs (The Nature Conservancy, Peace Boat, Connect4Climate). Ultimately, the preservations of the oceans are incredibly important for the stability of our planet and environment and organizations such as the many that helped to organize this event are the solutions to the ocean’s issues.
Article By Hugh-Jay Yu
"Fun, Informative, Engaging , and eye-opening."
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DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON 17
"Walking away from this event, I learned about how important
diversity & acceptance are in our society"
s m u r D
The
Alon g
Hud son
On the 4th of June, I volunteered for Drums Along the
I was pretty entertained because I was able to see the
Hudson at Inwood Hill Park. I was pretty excited because
dancing and hear the singing on the stage from where I
prior to the event, I went to the office of the organization
was stationed. I handed out flyers for about 3 hours, and
in charge. They gave me, along with other members of
then got some Domino's pizza for being a volunteer. While
the Key Club, a brief orientation about the event. The
eating the pizza, I was able to witness the planting of a
orientation included a video of last year’s Drums Along
white pine tree. The white pine tree is significant in Native
the Hudson, a folder of what to expect this year, and a
American culture because it represents peace between
discussion about what will be happening the Sunday of
the various nations and their union into a league.
the event. I was told about how the festival celebrates Native American heritage and it promotes Native
A new white pine tree is planted every year in Drums
American culture as well.
Along the Hudson, and I found that pretty cool. After the planting, there were no more programs to pass around, so
The coordinators were lively and fun to be with, and after
I brought food to the VIPs. I then left the event and
the orientation, I was able to get a slice of $1 pizza. My
headed home. Overall, it was a pretty fun event because
first job at the event was to put up posters using a ladder
of all the Native American heritage that I was surrounded
and some string. It took me a while because I’m very bad
by. They had wooden bows with actual arrows, really soft
when it comes to tying anything string related. I then had
rugs, and great tasting food. And I’m glad I went the event
to use pushpins to create a poster board that features the
because if I got to learn more about Native American
program of everything happening at Drums Along the
culture.
Hudson. After this was done, I helped to move tables and chairs to various tents, and then passed out programs at
Article By KEVIN CHAN
an intersection of the park.
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June 11th, 2017
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
Even though, it's just a bookstore - its the relationships that you make with the customers that changes everything.
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The Housing Works Bookstore Cafe was an event to help the bookstore with its inventory. Most of the books are donated and the money goes toward fighting HIV and homelessness. I personally got to help arrange the donated books so that the employees would be able to move them around easily. Pinkey and I also got to help the staff by going through the rare books section and checking off how much each book cost.
One went up to the thousands, which was not only shocking to me but I also felt honored to go through all of them behind the counter. Later on the staff sent us to the thrift store next door, which is another Housing Works store. There we got to help organize the racks and take inventory of all the clothing they had in the back. We also counted the items on each shelf and recorded them for inventory.
Claire Chen
It's more than just about the books Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is not just a regular bookstore - it's a bookstore that advocates for change for those who suffer from HIV & AIDS. On Sunday, June 11th, I volunteered at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. The cafe was having their street fair that day in order to raise funds for the Housing Works organization. The organization uses these funds in order to help the homeless and people with AIDS, making it a good cause. I first was tasked with cleaning up the streets where the book fair was going to take place.
The Key Club was given gloves and trash bags, and then we began to pick up all sorts of things from the streets. Then we were told to stop in order to set up the books. We did this by taking a box of books, and then rearranging them some that their spines would stick out towards the customers. They had a huge variety of books, from the “For Dummies” series to picture books, so going through the selection was pretty fun.
A picture from the upper staircase of the entire bookstore!
But, it's also the books that matter... Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is a nonprofit that raises money for those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. Every purchased book means that the store is one step closer in their support for such people! What made the event really stand out for me was the low prices on the books. Once the event ended, I was able to buy “Robin Hood”, which was a story with over 200 pages for only $1. It was a really good book to kill time when I was on the train, so I’m pretty happy I went to the event. It gave me a book I chose to read myself, which I haven’t done in a very long time, and it inspired me to read some more books over the summer.
Kevin Chan
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Egg Rolls &Â Creams Empanadas Festival ARTICLE BY TOMSON ZHANG
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I went to the Eggrolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas event on 6/18/17. While I was volunteering there, I met up with some friends and decided to make egg creams. Allison, Jamie, Athena, some volunteers from stuy, and I was in charge of manning one booth. t was really cool to use the old seltzer bottles back in the day. We started out really bad. The egg creams we made was just not right at all. As we began to sell more, we started to make better egg creams. Â
We even got the perfect amount of foam on top. In addition to just doing the job, we were exposed to a culture we weren't familiar with. We heard stories of people growing up with egg creams and it was really amazing how such a simple drink created these long lasting memories. Although I didn't get to meet a lot of key clubbers from other schools, I was able to meet a lot of new friends within our school. This was the first event I went to after a few months. Â
This event really reminded me how much fun it was to go to these events and reignited my drive to attend more events in the future. If I get the chance to volunteer at this event again, there is no doubt I will. It was this event where I learned from having fun. Key Club events always teach me - in some sort of manner - how fun it is to volunteer and make a difference in every way you can in your community. In this case, it was learning about other cultures that allowed me to take that step.
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SALUTING OUR SENIORS! CLASS OF 2017: LIFE AFTER KEY CLUB
It's that time of year! Seniors have graduated and the next generation of Key Clubbers rise up to be the leaders of tomorrow. In this month's monthly feature, we're interviewing Yingchao He and Michael Chan, who were respectively the past President and Treasurer of Bronx Science Key Club. It’s almost impossible for you, or me, or anyone to imagine a life without a certain person, pet, or place that’s taken a home in your heart. For starters, I can’t begin to imagine where I would be now if I didn’t choose to go to Bronx Science.
HOW HAS KEY CLUB IMPACTED YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?
I can’t imagine the person I would be had it not been for the friends I’ve made. And had I not joined Key Club? I can’t even begin to fathom an alternate past four years.
It’s opened my eyes to the more pressing matters that surround not just our communities, but also the globe we stand on. When high school students are able to tackle the global water crisis, and eliminate a disease off the face of this Earth, there’s no telling what else can be achieved. And with so many high school students, like yourself, who are a part of this one big network of service, activism, and selfdiscovery, there is simply no limit as to what can be accomplished in Key Club. Editor's Note Yingchao He, pictured on the left, was a president who never failed to lead by inspiration and motivation.
Yingchao He IP President
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It may be cliché to say that Key Club has changed my perspective on the world, but in reality, it really has.
Michael Chan IP Treasurer!
"KEY CLUB SHAPED ME TO BE THE PERSON I AM TODAY" How has Key Club impacted my high school experience? It has pretty much shaped the way I am today. During my freshman year, I was a really introverted figure and had trouble making friends considering I didn’t get out much or do anything during my spare time. My friends weren’t interested in community service which was why I was hesitant to go to Key Club events in the beginning of my freshman year. Eventually in March, I decided to go to my first event on my own and the Key Clubbers there made it a welcoming environment for me. After several more events, I felt more accustomed to the environment and found my passion for community service, doing the best for the community, and helping people.
I had some of my greatest memories of high school in Key Club because of memorable events, conventions, and the friends I have made in this unique organization. The friends I made and the people I met are some of the closest people I hold dear to my heart. I got to spend four years with these people, but four years flies by faster than you would think. I remember every moment I got to spend with them whether it be volunteering at a service event or just spending quality time together outside of volunteering. I cherish every second I had with my friends, and I’m sad to see us part ways since I have to leave for college. However, I’m proud to see how some of the younger members have not only developed as Key Club members, but also as people.
There are so many dynamic changes in personalities from what people find in Key Club whether it be coming out of their shell and becoming more outgoing, or finding their passion for something they never would have thought of. I don’t regret spending so much time on weekends for Key Club events because I was doing something productive every week for someone else whether it was serving food at a soup kitchen or being a course marshal for a walk. I love helping people and Key Club inspired me to help others, be more lively, and make new friends in high school. I know this may come off as cliche, but this organization won’t only be the most memorable part of high school. This organization will always be one of the most memorable parts of my life.
Akaneh is someone who never fails to make you smile when you're having a bad day FAHAD NABI
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MEMBER OF THE MONTH
AKANEH WANG
"Joyful, Happy, & Amazing"
Akaneh Wang is very passionate about everything she does. She is supportive of everyone around her and dedicates her time to help others. She always puts in 110% effort and never disappoints people. She is an outstanding person and always tries her best. When people are sad, she lights them up. When people are angry, she calms them down. Akaneh is someone who always is personal and never afraid to talk to someone when they're going through something. Pinkey Lam
"WITH AKANEH, YOU'RE NEVER NOT LAUGHING OR SMILING" 26
Although reserved, K atherine is determined to leave a mark on the people she meets on a daily basis AARON WU
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KATHERINE DOSS When I met Katherine, if there was one word I'd describe her with - it would be quiet. However, as I've gotten to know her she's everything but that. Sure, on the outside Katherine may seem reserved - but on the inside - she's everything I could ask for not only in a friend but in a role model in Key Club. Through her passion for service and community development, Katherine is the first ones you'll see picking up a rake at a park clean up and advocating for a meaningful cause. She goes out of her way as a member to make a change in the community around us. Fahad Nabi
MEMBER OF THE MONTH "Quiet yet very Inspiring"
"KATHERINE'S SHOWN US WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE A CHANGE" 28