September Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 4 September 5, 2013

The offical newsletter of the Cypress Woods High School Key Club

KEY FACTS

Learning the

Ropes

Cy Woods Key Club officers spend time bonding and conquering their fears (page 6).

4

State of the Club Address

See what Bryan Veit has to say about the new school year.

8

Balancing Act

Learn how to manage time with school, clubs, and more.

10

Future Leaders

See how Key Club has made a difference to younger students.

03

CON RIBUTI NS ARTICLES Gaurav Lalsinghani Alexa Anderson Dang Dinh Holly Paterson Nikki Carter Drishti Wadwha Ryan Lucker

PRESIDENT’S LETTER Bryan Veit COVER PHOTO Bryan Veit FALL RALLY AD Grace Liu

IN THIS ISSUE...

05 09

A word from your club president, Bryan Veit

04

Recap of the Ropes Course officer retreat

06

Contact your club, division, and district officers

11

Get excited: FTC is coming soon!

How has social media affected the world of Key Club?

04 A letter from your

Club President Dear fellow Key Clubbers, It’s finally here. The 2013-2014 school year is here. And it comes with its own variety of positive and negative effects. With the recent onslaught of homework (and thus sleep-deprived nights), it may become difficult to revel in the former and overlook the latter. But I am always able to bypass the negativity when I think of the overwhelming potential that this year holds—especially when it comes to potential for the Cypress Woods Key Club. This year holds so much hope, but this hope can only persist with the help of every single member of the club. Let’s make it one of the best years yet!

Our first meeting of the year will be on Monday, September 9 in the teaching theater. As always, to accommodate your busy schedules, there is a morning meeting at 6:40 a.m. and an afternoon meeting at 2:40 p.m.; choose the one that works best for you. Due to factors out of our control, we were forced to change the official meeting location and day of the week we meet from past years. Ideally, meetings will continue to be held twice a month (every other week) in the teaching theater on Mondays. Is there a better way to start your week than with a little bit of Key Club? I think not!

Membership forms will be available online this year on our Facebook page and club website. We are doing this to avoid being charged for making numerous copies and to avoid being left with excess and wasted paper that becomes outdated by next year’s re-applicationperiod. Make sure you fill out both the membership form AND medical release form. Bring these with your dues (cash only) to one of the first three meetings. Membership is due at or by the October 7 meetings.

And now that all that technical stuff is taken care of, I can get to what really matters and what you all joined this great organization for: community service! Organizations and schools from all around are already asking for our help. Our legacy has given us a good name that we must keep up. And we can keep it up by providing them with ample help at the events they organize. Dyess Park and Applause Theatre have both asked for our aid with concessions and cleaning on various dates throughout this semester—go see if any of them work for you on Sign Up Genius.

Furthermore, Cy-Fair Women’s Club is hosting a Shop Til’ You Drop event on September 14, and they have requested our help again. Then in October we are scheduled to assist Adam Elementary (October 11) and Cypress Point (October 26) with their fall festivals. More events are soon to come, but in the meantime, sign up for these events and wait patiently until you can utilize your energies to aid the school and community.

I hope you all have adjusted well into the new school year, and I hope you all are ready to serve and make a change in the lives of the people we help. And, whether you are a returning member or a brand new one, I can’t wait to see you at the first meeting.

In service,

Bryan J. Veit President of Cy Woods Key Club

05 03

Fall Training Conference Goes Back in Time A little Key Club never killed nobody.

As Ethel An d r u s once said, “The human contribution is the essential ingredient.

It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.” With the beginning of the school year in motion, the Cypress Woods Key Club aspires to teach the value of service, putting others before yourself, and the importance of community to a new set of members. With membership recruitment on its way and service projects throughout the community, Key Club continues to transform the way students think, interpret, and treat others.This year, our Key Club hopes its ideals of self-respect for oneself, others, the community, and one’s faith directly impact each individual’s daily outlook and perspective on life.

With the upcoming annual Fall Training Conference, Key Clubbers will be able to showcase their true 1920’scharm and glamor through leadership, responsibility, and service.

Region 12 Clubs from Divisions 3N, 3S, 3E, and 9W will delve into a new level of volunteerism and develop a passionate understanding for projects.

Key Club International President Raeford Penny gives his Inaugural Speech at International Convention.

Forums on fundraising, officer responsibilities, and membership provide new insight and give members the ability to set goals for the new school year. Each workshop offers new ideas, fresh faces, and the opportunity to collaborate in the name of service.

Last year, the ELIMINATE Project forum, led by Carolina Hernandez Beltran, seemed to inspire every individual in the room. Carolina, the IP-Lieutenant Governor for the 3N Division, shared her personal connection to

the project and encouraged others to find their own ties with the project. With innovative fundraising ideas and a plethora of involving projects, members were able to set standards for their own clubs and see how their funds would directly change the lives of generations. This year, with a new focus on anti-bullying and leadership, Fall Training Conference will offer new ideas and plans to help clubs move in the right direction.

As the fall semester sets in, Key Clubbers are ready to begin another passionate

year of service. From raising funds for the Children’s Miracle Network and the ELIMINATE Project to working on projects under the Youth Opportunities Fund, Key Clubbers have found their place in the community, locally and internationally. Throughout the academic school year, Key Club hopes to involve more students, expand the outlook of its members, infuse family values, and instill the human contribution.

04 06 Knotted Together by Ropes The bonds between officers are tied even tighter during the retreat.

Going into the Ropes course, I knew that I wasn’t as close with my officer team as I could be. However, after hanging out with them all for a day, I quickly formed many bonds.

We started off the day by playing a name game, but not your average name game.At first I was puzzled by the game’s complex instructions.One person stood in the middle of the circle with a foam bat while we shot names back and forth.If your name was called, you had to call out another person’s name.The middle person had to whack the people whose names were being called. Next thing you knew, everyone was twisting up Ryan and Bryan’s names. We laughed and had a good time playing that game while continuing our bonding.

Next, we played the “Human Knot” game. We got into another circle and grabbed random hands across from us that formed a “knot” puzzle that we had to untangle. Sweat was dripping down all our faces as we pressed on the person next to us, struggling to untangle. We

were put in many awkward situations where one person would have to step over another person, turn around, and loop their hands around. This game took an unusually long time, until we finally realized that we made more of infinitysymbol than a circle. Luckily, we had the determination to solve this puzzle and managed to do so.

My favorite event of the day was when we did the Giant Swing within the RopesCourse. I’m going to be honest and say that at first, I was really scared. Last time I did this event was way back in elementary school.

And now I was doing it again as a highschooler? I quickly washed away my fears and learned how to strap my harness on, secure my bandana, and I was ready to go. The swing looked less intimidating on ground, a cable structure attached between two trees.

Our officer team stood in a line and pulled the flyer to one side of the tree, and the person released their rope to go swinging. When it was my turn, the butterflies returned. When I reached the top of the tree, I was encouraged by my team pulling me up. I let go of the rope and went flying so fast. I don’t know if I could have done it without the other officers’ support. It required a whole team to do this event, which really improved our teamwork.

Going to Ropes was a great experience and has taught me a little more about each person on our officer team. I feel like we bonded so much that day.

I’m confident to say that I think that we will have a successful year!

Cy Woods officers prepare to raise another officer up on the Giant Swing during their Ropes Course officer retreat.

Photo by: Bryan Veit

Vice President Natasha Solanki Photo by: Bryan Veit

07 03 More Than Just Hanging Out The fun that occurred at the officer retreat was planned and purposeful

President Bryan Veit

Photo by: Nikki Carter

This year for our beginningof-the-year officer retreat and training session, we spent a day at the Ropes Course behind a local elementary school. The experience was filled with team-building exercises of many kinds, including name games, the Human Knot, and the main attraction of the Ropes Course—the Giant Swing. During each of these activities, each member of the officer team was forced to rely on the others, and the team as a whole formed a greater bond and a more durable relationship of trust that will undoubtedly carry us through the remainder of the year.

The Ropes Course requires that each visiting group be assigned a specially certified and trained facilitator to guide them during their day. Our facilitator, a cheerful woman named Meg, was not only well-

versed in the necessary safety procedures and activities, but was also filled with wisdom regarding successful teamwork and collaboration. She provided us with plenty of tips and tricks to use to make sure that our officer team this year— and, consequently, our entire Key Club—is the best it can possibly be. Though we all knew each other already, Meg had us play a name game so that she could get to know us. The game required one being able to think on his toes, usually resulting in the yelling of gibberish and lots of laughter from everyone else.

The next activity was the dreaded “Human Knot,” during which everybody stands in a circle and puts his arms in the center, grabbing the hand of someone across the circle from him. The objective is to untangle the mass of arms, which is more difficult than one might presume. It took us quite a while, but we eventually made our way out by stepping over, under, and through the arms of our fellow officers. Many awkward situations

ensued, such as when I stood with my arms wrapped completely around our president for a solid five minutes.

The final portion of our day was the Giant Swing, consisting of two towering, wooden posts between which we would be harnessed, risen, and dropped to swing in the air.

Even this seemingly individual activity included teamwork, as all of the officers who weren’t swinging would have to pull on a rope to raise the other. Everyone on the officer team found it exhilarating.

Our experience at the Ropes Course was incredibly beneficial. I, personally, feel that I am much more connected with my fellow officers than I was before, and I know I speak for the rest of them when I say that we are now even more excited and optimistic about the upcoming year in Key Club. This officer retreat helped each of us to appreciate the value of true trust and communication, especially when it comes to running an organization so widespread and successful as Key Club.

08 So Much To Do, So Little Time The importance of organization in maintaining a reasonable schedule Successfulbusinessman Nido Qubein once said, “To acquire balance means to achieve that happy medium between the minimum and the maximum that represents your optimum. The minimum is the least you can you can get by with.

The maximum is the most you’re capable of. The optimum is the amount or degree of anything that is most favorable toward the ends you desire.” As we get older, more and more is expected of us.Between school— whichdoes not get any easier—work, and extracurricular activities, it’s hard to juggle your time accordingly. Key Clubbers must be aware of their time management and know how make the most of it.

Organization is key in handling your time wisely. Keep a planner, whether it is electronic, such as an app on your phone, or as simple as a piece of paper dedicated to planning your schedule, in order to visualize all that needs to be done in the near future. Also, always remember to prioritize. School work comes first, and if you have finished studying, you are less likely to feel stressed and are able to go do other things. Facebook, Twitter, and Candy Crush are far less important than school work and other involvements.They can wait until you have free time; your grades and other responsibilitiescannot. It’s important to keep in mind that you need tofulfill your duties and keep the commitments you’ve made to Key Club.Another great way to balance your schedule is to try not tocram in too many things. If you have a job, one

thing you could do is to volunteer every other week in order to study as well.

Another important thing for Key Clubbers to be aware of is how to prevent, lower, and cope with stress. Stress can take a toll on you during school because at this age, we tend to think every single little thing is important RIGHT NOW. Be sure to take note of what puts you over that edge and what causes you to become stressed. From this, maybe you can find a pattern and then cut back on whatever it is.

Key Club is dependent on those who volunteer their extra time to serve their community, but in order to do a good job, you must be fully engaged in helping. As long as you organize and prioritize your schedule, get the most important things done first, you can help make a differencein your community.

Balancing Your Act

Tips and tricks on keeping your life under control this year It’s that time of year again when clutter fills the hallways and the tardy bell is the one fear.

Yes, it’s time to go back to school. With the return of school comes the return of extracurricular activities.

Whether it be a club or a sport, you must find ways to balance your homework and extracurricular activities in order to be successful.

One easy way to keep your act together is to spend a little money on a planner.

You can usually find one at in your local Wal-Mart or Walgreens. They can cost as little as $3.00. Planners come in handy for balancing the

times and dates of events such as club meetings and football games. Write down all the Key Club meeting dates and all the officer meeting dates if you are an officer. Be careful to write down the times as well so you won’t carelessly overbook yourself. Use the planner to write down your homework and due dates so you can get a head start at clearing your list.

If you don’t want to spend money on a planner or find that you might not use it or look at it often enough for it to be effective, use simple PostIt notes. This method requires that you have numerous amounts of Post-It notes.

Using the Post-It notes, write down all of your homework or club meetings. Once that’s complete, tear them off and stick them to your desk at home or in a place where

you can see and read them often. As you complete your tasks, take the notes off and throw them away in the trash.

Effectively, this method allows you to physically see that your pile of work is decreasing. The only disadvantage remains in the amount of Post-Its you will need and how much money you would be required to spend on it.

These methods are ways to organize ourselves amongst large piles of work because we all know that once we get behind; we get stressed out. Stress is a common symptom that is associated with school. It’s the reason we are nervous before quizzes, tests and presentations. Stress becomes highly detrimental to your mental and physical healthwhen it overwhelms you, so every once in a while,

take a break and relax.

So, what is the best way to reduce stress? Well, if you remain on time with all of your tasks, you might never have to experience large levels of stress, but in reality, everyone falls behind at one point or another.

So, the next best thing to do is simply take a break. Watch a short video, listen to your favorite music, exercise, take a nap; these are some ways to break away from the stress. But remember that the one thing that you mustn’t do is spend so much time on your break that you fall further behind.

Once you fall further behind, your stress levels will not only spike, but you may just quit on everything and build a precedent for the future. Just organize all your time and you will succeed in balancing your act.

09 #keyclublyfe Social media has made a profound impact on the growth of Key Club.

Through s o c i a l media, Cy Wo o d s Key Club promotes all its upcoming events, including meetings. With a Facebook group, Twitter, Instagram, and Remind101, members have various ways of knowing what is going on in the club and what is coming up for the future. Social media takes communication to a whole another level by allowing members to see everything that is happening at the forefront. Social media is also used to publicize Key Club at the beginning of the year to capture all the wandering students. Cy Woods also uses its orientation to publicize Key Club.

Cy Woods does a “Wildcat Express” as an orientation for

each grade level in August before school starts. During the orientation, a variety of clubs set up booths to advertise their clubs and try to interest new people to join. This year, our club was

gaining new members and club expand beyond those interesting new people to horizons and begin helping join. Our club is the needy. Begin lending a beyond helping excited hand to to kick those o f f who are th i s tr u l y suffering .

Not just help a school organize a carnival, but reach out to @CyWoodsKeyClub children who [Twitter] are unable to have as much fun @cywoodskeyclub whether due to [Instagram] handicaps or lack of “Cy Woods Key Club” money. It is in that way in which our club [Facebook group] will stand out amongst the rest. Organizers of local events come to us for our help, but truly being philanthropic means reaching n e w out to THEM first, without year in any prior commitment to help them. the right featured I’d love to see our Key Clubbers, who direction. My that change promoted the Builder’s Club own personal within our for middle school students. goal for our club for this This club at Spillane is led club this year next year by our Key Club, yet gets the is to be more and plan to middle school kids involved philanthropic. bring it at are in our events and volunteer We Cy Woods opportunities.

This year, c o n s t a n t l y for another Builder’s Club not only plans volunte ering chance at local to do their own events but in Num b er also join Key Club in theirs festivals and One! I know in order to be able to bring a events for our community, we have a great year ahead! big change in the community which is great! However, and learn from older Key I would love to see our Clubbers.

The K-Family booths at both the Wildcat Express for Key Club and Spartan Express for Builders Club were very recognized and successful in very successful, for there were always officers at the booth doing a great job drawing attention to Key Club. Also, Spartan Express at Spillane Middle School also

10 Building Future Leaders Cy Woods Key Club aides local Builders Clubs in raising up responsible students.

There is an old African Proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Key Club is an organization that supplies the “village” with the tools it needs to help raise the children.

It supplies and offers all that it can to help the community that it is a part of. Key Club helps the community it is in through encouraging and supporting the members who, in turn, raise up the community. Key Club’s help in chartering and sponsoring Builders Clubs at local middle schools helps mold the next generation to be successful future leaders of our community. At a very impressionable age, these students need role models to learn from and someone to believe in them and encourage them.

These students are like clay, and we should mold them so they help, serve and love the community in which they live. Builders Club provides the means to reach out and touch an incredible number of lives.

Builders Club empowers its middle school student members to be themselves, work together with friends to accomplish goals, and implement plans through carefully

thought-out action. Through Builders Club, students become leaders at school, in their community, and in the world.

Cypress Woods Key Club chartered the Spillane Middle School Builders Club two years ago, and just recently chartered another Builders Club at Goodson Middle School. Although they have only been up and running for a short amount of time,the Builders Clubs have already made huge progress and caused noticeable improvement in our community. The Cy Woods Key Club has seen a huge growth in membershipdue to thenew freshman that were recruited in 8th grade by Builders Club. Because of this, Key Club can be more successful and have greater impact in the community. Not only does Builders Club recruit new members, but it also changes the hearts of the member base. Middle schoolers join Builders Club not for the recognition, but because they genuinely care about and want to help their community. This joyous, giving heart stays with them all the way into adulthood, all because it was nurtured during adolescence by a giving Builders Club environment. Make more Builders Clubs and change our youth, for they are the key to our future.

Cy Woods Key Club members paint and hang up posters to encourage students to join the Builders Club at Spillane Middle School.

All photos by: Derielle Keiser

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Contact Information Cy Woods Key Club Officers President Vice President Senior Secretary Editor Treasurer Historian Representative Coordinator Webmaster K-Family Board

Sponsor

Bryan Veit Natasha Solanki Dang Dinh Nikki Carter Kelli Brusen Holly Paterson Gaurav Lalsinghani Nicholas Nguyen Derielle Keiser Drishti Wadhwa Kelsey Foulds Madelin Cowden Ryan Lucker John Kent

bryveit1995@gmail.com natasha.solanki@hotmail.com dang.qdinh@gmail.com ncarter37@sbcglobal.net kcb400@sbcglobal.net holly.paterson@yahoo.com gaunir@yahoo.com nick.erik2010@yahoo.com derielle.keiser@yahoo.com drishtiw@yahoo.com kelseyfoulds@entouch.net madelin11@live.com rjlucker@yahoo.com john.kent@cfisd.net

281-757-7061 281-904-7873 281-723-5695 713-855-1645 832-573-0187 832-349-0614 281-796-7349 281-849-4885 281-889-0885 713-614-2052 281-253-8280 281-210-6456 832-334-1033

Division 3N Lieutenant Governor Gabi Bradshaw

Cypress Falls

gabibradshaw3nltg@gmail.com

832-341-6930

Texas-Oklahoma District Staff Governor Secretary Treasurer Editor Convention Liason

Luke Broussard Usman Hyder Isaiah Vallequinones Tashrima Hossain Grace Liu

governor@tokeyclub.com secretary@tokeyclub.com treasurer@tokeyclub.com editor@tokeyclub.com conventionliason@tokeyclub.com

325-998-1384 817-715-5111 580-458-1432 713-505-2252 817-962-8945

KEY FACTS

CY WOODS KEY CLUB // SEPTEMBER 2013