Bellflower Ninja News (April 2015)

Bellflower ninja news Division 13 South, Region 8

April 2015 Newsletter Volume 1 // Issue 1

IN THIS ISSUE...

Words from our President Meet the officers Letter from the Editors Event Overviews Save The Date!- Upcoming Events Awards Contact Information

Elaine Ya n

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Words from our President Greetings Ninjas!

I’m Elaine Yan, your president for the 20152016 term. Just to add a little bit more about myself, I’ve been in Key Club since the beginning of my freshman year and I’ve been in the cabinet for 3 years. With all my experiences, I’ve seen our club in many different stages. I refer to them as baby steps.

Two years ago, the club reached a stagnated state.

As a club, we were only doing what the division or Kiwanis gave us and not so much our own service projects. Last term, working as co-president, I noticed that our club was able to take baby steps.

Now that I’ve been re-elected as your president, I want Bellflower Key Club to be able to walk on its own two feet and eventually, take off and run. I reran for a club position rather than a division position primarily because I want to devote my last year in Key Club to my home club. In the last 3 years I’ve been in key club, I’ve given and gained so much. I want the same for my current and upcoming Key Clubbers this term-- to foster your knowledge, passion, and drive towards Key Club and love for service.

Some goals I have for this term include incorporating more service both in and outside the club, raising more money towards our preferred charities, and bringing the club closer together.

Hopefully, taking these steps will encourage our members to take more pride in being a Key Clubber and even more so, service!

Meet the Officers Elaine Yan, President Did you expect to become president when you first joined Key Club?

I knew that I wanted to become president senior year, but things don't usually go the way you plan so I ended up becoming (co)-president sophomore/junior year.

How has Key Club helped you?

Key Club has changed my way of thinking- the want to help others rather than it being an obligation.

Interesting facts?

Can't cook. Closest thing I ever got to cooking was making pancakes from the pancake mix during my youth. Can't ride a bike. HAS NEVER DRUNK LEMONADE

Leslie Kang, Vice President What has been your favorite key club event?

So far my favorite key club event has to be Fall Rally. All the spirit, friends, and fun made the whole experience worth while!

How do you spend your free time?

In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, working out, blogging, and spending time with my loved ones!

Katrina Garcia, Vice president First impression of Key Club? (lots of asian people) I really love the diversity and meeting people from cultures of different than mine If you were to travel anywhere, where would it be and why?

Iceland definitely The environment is just so BEAUTIFUL and I'm an introvert kind of, so I would enjoy the small population there.

John Ignacio, Sergeant at Arms Why did you first join Key Club?

I first joined Key Club because I learned. it was a way to serve the community; while at the same time I could enjoy the events and meet new people!

What is a skill you'd like to learn and why?

A skill I'd like to learn is efficiency. I want to get stuff done quickly and the best way possible.

Abigail Gonzales, Treasurer Why did you join Key Club?

I joined Key Club to give back to the community in any possible way. When I was a freshman I decided to join to be more involved with the school and community. For three years now I continue to treasure every moment being a member.

Who do you admire the most?

I most admire my seven year old brother EJ, who is diagnosed with Down syndrome. As difficult it is to get along with others because of his condition he pushes me forward in a sense that you don’t have to be caring Since the day he was born he pursues to impact me everyday.

Jacqueline Hernandez, Secretary What has been your favorite key club event of the year?

DCON, because I loved meeting new people and ultimately learning what key clubs all about.

What are some of your pet peeves?

It bothers me when people don't do what they signed up to do! Although some excuses are valid, if you're committed to something stick to it and COMMIT.

Aaron Imaysay, Sergeant at Arms What has been the best part of key club for you?

The best part of key club is knowing that you're helping the community, surrounded by your friends.

What is your strongest personal quality?

My strongest personal quality is probably my enthusiasm, I like to participate and be involved in whatever I do.

Catherine Galermo, Historian What has Key Club taught you?

Key Club has taught me service leadership. In other words, I have learned ways to give back to the community, not as an obligation, but to make myself a better-leader, and to do so out of the kindness of our hearts, and to help others.

Who do you aspire to be like?

As weird as this sounds,I aspire to be like Russell from Disney Pixar's Up! I admire his enthusiasm and his adventurous mind set.

Audrey Garcia, Historian How has Key Club helped you?

Key Club has improved my speech skills and shown me how to enunciate my ideas properly.

What are some of your hobbies?

My hobby is riding my bike!

What is a skill you wish to have?

I wish I had strong drawing skills.

Letter from the editors lermo, a G e in r e is Cath wer's e m a n y Hi! M Bellflo o be able f o e n o and I'm I'm so excited t ub Historians! ellflower's Key CL ughout to share Bes and projects throough experienc and articles! Alth ive in our photoshave not been act nd historians wanted to create a s a awhile, I to this newsletter a r how contribute to others! No matte ave the motivation think you are, you h g big! small you to create somethin capability

Recaps Unicef Tap Project Good Friday Breakfast Happiness Project Kiwanis One Day Key Club BBQ Booth Folar: LA River Clean Up Builders Club Toiletry Drive

Making this n bellflower ke ewsletter will be so great celebrate our cy club. Our newsletter's goafor the and show the lub's accomplishments eve l is to we inspire pe division our Key club spiritry month community , eveople to be active in their . I hope events or activ n if it isn't through Key c members and ities. I do hope we gain lot lub service club li our school is proud to have s of new amazing and ke ours. This year is going a capture it all! us historians will be there to be and the many I hope you enjoyed our firto st issue -Audrey Garciato come.

KC Historian

S W E I V R E V O T N E V E l i r p A h c r Ma

UNICEF TAP PROJECT More than 748 million people around the world do not have access to healthy, drinkable water. As for this, from the month of March through April, Bellflower Key Club has partnered up with our UNICEF club on campus; to work on the worldwide-program called, the Tap Project. For every 15-minutes your phone is not used, UNICEF sponsors and supporters open a donation of a-day worth of clean water to those who are in need around the world! Members served 335.75 hours (335 hours and 45 minutes)!Within these two months, Bellflower Key Club was able to raise enough water to last 1,257 days (3 years and 162 days)! YOU can still contribute to this project by going to tap.unicefusa.org/! Take a screenshot of the minutes you raised and send it to our president Elaine Yan!

Good Friday Breakfast On the morning of April 2 2015, the annual Bellflower Kiwanis Good Friday Prayer Breakfast was held at the Simms Park Auditorium. The ninjas of Bellflower helped set up the event by arranging silverware, table cloth, and decorations. A pot of flowers and a brochure of the program was placed on each table!

Happiness Project

We strive to spread happiness within our community, to build our character, and to improve choices we make everyday. Once again, Key Club International has partnered with Project Happiness in order to help achieve this goal! Project Happiness has publicized their mission of happiness by organizing film-screenings and creating their own handbook to raise awareness! In support of this project, Bellflower Key Club members have come together and wrote what makes them happy onto a poster; and took a group picture which holds the messages!

Kiwanis One Day

The annual Kiwanis One Day event was held at the Downey high school Parking lot on April 11, 2015. This year's theme was 'Bike n' Roll', where countless kids were educated about the safety of bicycle-riding. Key club members contributed to this event by spending hours of assembling the safety booths, putting together varieties of activities for kids to learn, and giving out prizes to enjoy. One of the booths taught the kids 'pedestrian safety', where they learned precautions before crossing the street.

Another booth displayed 'fire safety', where kids showed how to 'Stop, Drop, and Roll' (during a fire) and were given a free firemen hat.

Bellflower High School hosts an International Day for the school body every year. International day is a day for everyone to celebrate student diversity and culture. It is a fun, stressfree day where students enjoy each other’s company and fundraise for their clubs. Key Club raised money by selling delicious BBQ sticks! Our club members had a great time feeding and socializing with customers. We showed the school we are efficient workers and always happy to serve.

The BBQ sticks were a big hit and this year we profited about $300.

Proceeds always go straight to important club matters and events. A big thank you to everyone you bought our BBQ sticks and our hard-working members.

International Day: Key Club BBQ Booth!

The Miss Bellflower Pageant The Miss Bellflower Pageant was held April 18 at the elegant Hosanna Chapel in Downtown Bellflower. The event had everyone dressed their best (even our advisor Mr.Hamada). With a red carpet laid out and city photographers there to snap pictures, they made all guests feel like royalty. The seats were filled with esteemed figures and officials. Key clubbers served as security, escorted guests to their seats and served refreshments during intermission. It is always a pleasure to work with Kiwanis for events they provide for us.

Folar: LA RIVER CLEAN-UP

Saturday April 25 we worked with the Friends Of the Los Angeles River to clean up our beloved river. At the Long Beach Golden Shore Reserve Park we worked along side our school’s Roots N Shoots environmental club from 9 to 12. We cleaned up the river bed significantly, but we can’t erase the damage we’ve already done. Our members found many sea creatures making their homes in the trash and pollutants. There were common items that should be thrown away integrated into the river bed’s plant life that is very harmful to the marine life in Long Beach. The LA river is connected directly to all LA county storm drains along with the San Gabriel River. Oils from the runoff water in storm drains contributes to pollution in our ocean vastly more than oil spills off the gulf. We need to be aware of every action we take that could harm other life. Out of sight should not be out of mind. Your actions can make the difference between life or death for our marine friends. Saving the world can be as easy as Reuse, Reduce, Recycle and Repeat. This is why we joined a service club, helping the environment is helping others!

Builders Club There is a ne w edition to School has the K family started Build ! Bellflower M ers Club. Ele iddle announced cted officers on Friday, A w ere pril 17 durin There were g an after sc welcomed hool meetin into the K fa taught the B g. mily by Kiwa uilder's pled n is m g embers and e by our Ke The new me y Club presi mbers learn dent, Elaine ed what it m Builders club Yan. eans to be and the do part of the ors it will op were called en for them up to receiv . Members e an award pizza afterw and pin, the ards! They ta n celebrate lked to pres advisors, the d with ent Key Clu y all seeme b o d ff ic v e e services! ry eager to rs and start their vo lunteer

“I'm definitely joining Key Club in high school!”

- Harry Nou (8)

BC's Pres ident, D a'Dream with Mr. Hamada ,

Sergeant at Arms, Pualani Pulu Historian, Sophia Parita Secretary, Emily Yan Treasurer, Naheim Banks Vice President, Jackie Cardenas

“It's a good club to

to help others”

- Emily Yan (8)

For the Toiletry Drive, we were asking and collecting donations for toiletry items such as floss, lotion, tissues, lip balm and much, much more! After collecting all of these toiletries, our club plans on donating them to a local homeless shelter in our area. Unfortunately, since we could not find one in the city of Bellflower, we are going to donate everything to Kingdom Causes. Since this organization has connections with many homeless shelters, surely we know all of these items will find a new home!

We are still continuing the drive until the end of the school year! So if you have any toiletry items, please bring them to Mrs. Darling's room!

Thank you!

Save

the d

ate!

Thousand Paper Cranes, during meetings and after school Tuesday and Thursday in Room 206 Buc Exchange, TBA American Red Cross Blood Drive, 5/28 Bellflower Kiwanis Banquet Awards, 5/17 Division 13 South Banquet, 5/30

AWARDS Club of the Month Thank you for the honor of Club of the Month! We gladly passed the Ninja Honor down to Cabrillo High Key Club!

Member of the Month Catherine Galermo (March) & Lisa Kim (April)

Catherine was picked for the month of March because of her hard work and effort during the Tap Project!

Lisa was picked for the month of April for her work on One Day and dedication to Key Club!

Contact information President Elaine Yan elaineyan12@gmail.com (213) 861-3154 Resources Bellflower HS Key Club Remind 101 (app) Class Code: @bhsninjas Instagram: @bellflowerkeyclub Division: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1582306505370996/ CHH District: Cyberkey Website: http://www.cnhkeyclub.org