AUGUST 2020 VIKING NEWSLETTER
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" -Martin Luther King Jr.
"Volunteers don't get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless" -Sherry Anderson
"Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart." -Elizabeth Andrew
"Those who can do, do. Those who can do more, volunteer." -Unknown
"We rise by lifting others" -Robert Ingersoll
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others" -Mahatma Gandhi
VIKING | VOL 2 ISSUE 1
Lamar High School Arlington TX Region 7 Division 39N
TABLE OF CONTENTS
02 03 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 01
Letter from the President
25
Officer Introductions District Board News & Officers Black Lives Matter Declarations from KC LHS Key Club Black Lives Matter Upcoming Events & Service Opportunities Our Club's Monthly Project Article by Cleo Chiu COVID Memories Article by Emily Wilson A Key Club Officer Article by Joshua Chang Volunteering & COVID Article by Jade Ha Key Club Online
Major Emphasis Programs
A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT "At its best, life is completely unpredictable" - Christopher Walken I'm sure none of us could have imagined having to start our next year of school virtually. However, volunteering never stops or takes a break. This year, I'm excited to head into a new year with new challenges and new ways to work around the coronavirus. Whether it's working online or in person, I'm excited to help give everybody the satisfaction of coming together during these hard times to see the brighter things the future has to offer. While our team may be meeting virtually, please rest assured that we are working as hard, if not harder, to continue giving each and every one of y'all the joy of volunteering. This year, we're going to feature many new activities that we've never done before, so stay tuned to the monthly newsletters, reminds, and our Key club instagram!
PRESIDENT PATRICK CHANG CLASS OF 2021 kc.lamar.president@gmail.com @pchang
OFFICER INTR Vice President Emily Wilson - Class of 2022
kc.lamar.vicepresident@gmail.com "What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?" -George Eliot, Novelist
Secretary Jade Ha - Class of 2021
kc.lamar.secretary@gmail.com "If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path."Â -Buddha
Treasurer Razan Shakoor - Class of 2021
kc.lamar.treasurer@gmail.com "Success isn't about how much money you make.It's about the difference you make in people's lives." -Michelle Obama
03
ODUCTIONS Editor Cleo Chiu - Class of 2021
kc.lamar.editor@gmail.com "It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep darkness at bay." - Gandalf, Lord of the Rings
Webmaster Haley Wehr - Class of 2022
kc.lamar.webmaster@gmail.com "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and give his life as a ransom for many." -Matthew 20:28
Historian Brett Green - Class of 2021
kc.lamar.historian@gmail.com "Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world." -Anonymous
04
Senior Representative Joshua Chang - Class of 2021
kc.lamar.seniorrep@gmail.com "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." -Michael Jordan
Junior Representative Daz McGinnis - Class of 2021
kc.lamar.juniorrep@gmail.com "Great leaders never accept the world as it was but always work for the world as it should be." -Condoleezza Rice, Former U.S. Secretary of State
Sophomore Representative Sara Lim - Class of 2023
kc.lamar.sophrep@gmail.com "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." -Aesop
FRESHMEN LOOK HERE!!
Lamar High School Key Club is looking for a fun, outgoing Viking from the Class of 2024 to be their class rep! Contact us by emailing any officer or keyclub.lamar@gmail.com!
05
CROSSWORD! Try filling out the crossword puzzle to see how much you know about LHS KC. There may be words you won't get from the officer introductions! 1
2
3
4
5 6 7
Key 1. Cool / ClassReps 2. Instagram 3. Robbins
4. Blue 5. Volunteer 6. Emily 7. Freshman
Across
Down
1. Key Club is _ _ _ _. 1. My _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ are there for me if I 2. I should follow LHS KC's _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. need help. 3. The LHS Key Club sponsor is Ms. 4. Patrick's favorite color is _ _ _ _. _ _ _ _ _ _ _. 6. The Vice President is _ _ _ _ _. 5. A Key Clubber is a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. 7. We are looking for a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ representative.
06
TO-KEY CLUB DISTRICT OFFICERS 2020 - 2021
District Governor
District Secretary
District Treasurer
District Editor
Convention Liaison
Technology Producer
Division 39N Lieutenant Governor
Kareena Patel (580) 618 - 6812 governor@tokeyclub.com Vivian Thai (469) 386 - 4854 secretary@tokeyclub.com Raj Patel (832) 766 - 2542 treasurer@tokeyclub.com Katelyn Tran (469) 537 - 8540 editor@tokeyclub.com Kaitlyn Roehr (405) 465 - 2480 cl@tokeyclub.com Alina Dam (469) 901 - 2468 techproducer@tokeyclub.com Valerie Hennessee (682) 320 - 0347 valeriekc39n@gmail.com
TO-Key Website: tokeyclub.com Division 39N Website: https://sites.google.com/view/39nkc/home
07
Valerie Hennessee  Lieutenant Governor of Division 39N Key Clubs. She wants to make everyday memorable for people, and hopes to positively influence others. (https://sites.google.com/view /39nkc/home)
08
We See You, We Hear You, We Are With You
BLACK LIVES MATTER click here to read the district's official statement
click here to read the Kiwanis International's President's declaration
09
A message from the TO district Key Club
A message from Kiwanis International
10
HOW OUR KC WILL SUPPORT THE BLM MOVEMENT WRITTEN BY PATRICK CHANG
In 1925, Sacramento, California, a group of students came together and founded what we know today as Key Club. Their intent, the same as todays, is to build character through service and leadership. For almost a century, Key Club has promoted “Caring as a way of life”, and more than ever, we all need to live by this now. Throughout this year, we’ve seen many racist attacks on our brothers and sisters, regardless of color or race. Nobody deserves to die. Nobody should be afraid to go outside at night. Nobody should be scared of the people in power. However, this isn’t true, because of what the actions of a few people do to corrupt themselves and others. On May 25th, America experienced a tragedy. George Floyd was murdered by police officers. What really hurt was that it took a person’s death to expose the rest of the racial inequalities around the world. In the oncoming weeks, others such as Breanna Taylor and Elijah Mcclain were also victims of police brutality, and unfortunately, lost their lives. This year, we need a change. Lamar High School Key Club is committed to serving our community in any way, shape, or form. We are always going to show our support for our schools, communities, and any organization we can. We show that we care through our leadership and everywhere in our organization. We encourage all of our members to take another step beyond social media and to join us in volunteering to pick up after the past and nurture a new generation that refuses to undermine people different from them. As for members, anybody can suggest volunteering activities to help our fellow African American communities around us.
11
We as an officer team are always willing to listen and get things done. Members can also volunteer virtually, by signing petitions for fair trials and fighting for wrongly convicted men and women. Our officers use their leadership experiences to make sure that racism has no foothold in our communities. We as a club can and will stand together to prevent racism in our lives, schools, and communities. Lastly, as your new president, I want to personally guarantee every single person inside our club will be welcomed, with open arms, into our Key Club family. All of us are brought together because we have a shared passion of caring for others through our volunteer work. All of us are determined to fight for what we stand for, and I’m positive it includes equal rights for all. Our platform is an organization that welcomes all with open arms, and that’s how we will show support for anybody in need.
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09 2020 Upcoming Events SUN
MON
6
13
TUE
7
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
1
2
3
4
5
8
9
10
11
12
15
16
17
18
19
24
25
26
1st Club Meeting 3pm
13
14
20
21
22
23
27
28
29
30
Service Opportunities CHARITY MILES
Run, Walk, or Bike for a cause! Get the app and go get some excercise:)
Print and send colorful drawings to Color A Smile and they will send it to people that you can cheer up from your home! Click Here
FACE MASKS Make them at home and donate them to organizations like Mission Arlington. 4 easy ways to make masks: Instructions Click Here
FREE RICE Answer trivia to help the UN World Food Program donate rice to people in need! Join our Group: 29JTX24F
CHALK WALK Use chalk and draw uplifting and fun drawings on your driveway to give your neighbors a great day
DONATE A PHOTO Download the Donate app from Johnson&Johnson and take a photo and donate it for a good cause! https://www.donateaphoto.com/en_US
HAVE IDEAS?
Contact an officer (Page 5) or DM us @lamarkeyclub
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MONTHLY PR Hi fellow Key Club members! Our club has decided that for the month of September we will be volunteering for the campaign: Adopt a Nursing Home. What is it you might ask? Because of COVID19, nursing homes have been following government recommendations to restrict nonessential visitors. This means that residents and hard-working staff wont be able to enjoy what
is
essential
to
their
emotional
and
mental
health
their
long-
anticipated visits with friends and family. The Nursing Home that our Key Club has been matched with is:
ONPOINTE TRANSITIONAL CARE
THE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ARLINGTON, 800 W. RANDOL MILL ROAD 6TH FLOOR, ARLINGTON, TX 76012 You can earn 1/2 for each letter, and can earn 3 hrs max for this event. We know that volunteering hours are important, but we hope that you will continue exchanging letters for the nursing home! There are many people out there that need your encouragement, this is the time to show your compassion. You are super important to Texas, and to the seniors in the nursing home!
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OJECT
SEPTEMBER EDITION
You are welcome to mail as many letters as you wish! Follow these steps and guidelines. Find a piece of paper and an envelope, or a post card. Write
the
address
for
Onpointe
Transitional
Care
and
the
return
address (your home) on the from of the envelop. Begin your letter! It can be a card, artwork, or a letter just with words! Follow the guidelines below: Write in large, legible font. Include pictures or photos if you want! If possible, open up and tell your story. Share who you are, big moments
and
accomplishments,
great
memories,
and
more.
Whatever you are comfortable with! Avoid licking envelopes if possible. The will hold all mail for 24 hours to protect residents and staff. If sending multiple letters, consider bundling to make quarantining easier Your initial letter(s) should be addressed generically to “a special resident”
or
“a
special
staff
member,”
as
it/they
may
be
shared/posted in a central location like a bulletin board. In your letter, you are welcome to invite anyone interested in being a personal pen pal to send you a direct reply. Be
creative
and
stay
positive—you
are
a
source
of
comfort
and
strength for our residents and our staff! Stick your letter in the envelope and mail it!
If you're unable to mail it you are welcome to bring it to the facility in a sealed ziplock bag(please wear a mask).
If you are unable to bring it to the facility, contact Patrick Chang @ pchang0707@gmail.com
16
BY CLEO CHIU
COVID 19 MEMORIES
and hopes for the new school year
Photo Caption: trying to study with Cleo's aunt's cat
REVIEW OF 2019 - 2020 SCHOOL YEAR - A YEAR OF NEW THINGS Starting to figure out more KC duties
A terrifyingly busy August and September, a fallfest filled October, a Christmas-ready November, a confusing December, a freezing January, an application-filled February, a disappearing March, and the missing April and May, are my memories of the 2019- 2020 Key Club year.
From volunteering at an event every Saturday because of the missing officers and the not-yetrecruited members, to having too many members signing up for slot-based activities; I can confidently say, I have only fallen more in love with key club.
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STUCK AT HOME AWAY FROM KC How do we keep in touch?
We had not understood the ways of reaching out to our Key Club members, and we struggled in holding officer elections.
In the end, we left our Car Wash, THIRSY30, and LEDCON behind; but we found a way to come together to create a video to encourage the people battling COVID on the front lines. Through Zooms, GroupMe,
I was very excited to be an officer for the 2nd
Discord, websites, and live videos, I have
year. I was brave and more confident because
faith that we will be able to do more than
the officers around me were people I was
we did.
acquainted with, but also because I had already thought of many ideas to pour into the
I have hope that Lamar High School Key
club. One idea was how exactly we were going
Club and all Key Clubs out there will bring
to have a car wash so that more of us could
hope, happiness, and light to the
attend DCON (it was then changed to
apocalyptic 2020.
LEDCON). It was funny because we had wanted to have a car wash since 2018, but weather and supplies have been a reoccurring problem. Although we came together with a plan, our officer team decided in the end to move it to the spring because of the mountains of volunteering events that needed us and the harsh weather that would follow.
Photo Caption: a screenshot of the video we made for doctors and nurses fighting against COVID 19
As we neared the date for LEDCON and the planned car wash, COVID struck us in the face. Because of complications, even officer elections that were right after spring break were postponed.
The one-week spring break because a month of spring-boringness. School did not start till April. Our sponsor was occupied with trying to figure out online lessons. Some of us were distracted by trying to study for AP tests. Others were trying to understand how to handle the time given to them. Before we always had the chance to talk to each other and discuss. But now we had to rely on emotionless texts and the frequency of phone use of our team.
18
BY EMILY WILSON
A KEY CLUB OFFICER and how it's different than being a member
A LITTLE ABOUT EMILY Emily is vice president this year, and it's her second year being a key club officer. She is fun, outgoing, smart, and always full of new ideas. From my perspective, I cannot wait to see what she will bring. Go to page 3 to see more about Emily!
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More than Volunteer Hours For me, Key Club is more than simply a way to get volunteer hours. The Kiwanis organization represents a family, a community, and a set of values we can all aspire to demonstrate. Most importantly, being a Key Club officer is an opportunity to guide our efforts and determine what action is most essential for our club to have the most positive impact. I would like to, along with all our other officers, expand this impact to grow our Club. I want to volunteer my ideas, time, and effort to ensure that the community around us, and especially our members, feel fully confident in the work that we do. The awesome part about Key Club is that it’s a volunteer organization. The people who are there, want to be there, and what I love about my role, is the ability to help inspire a feeling of connection through all these people.
With this responsibility, I look forward to being able to foster those relationships, inspire connections, and generate a feeling of family. Key Club has brought me so much joy and spectacular memories. Why not use my effort to help others experience this themselves? Currently, as the vice president, my goal would be that every member of the organization feels that their work and themselves are valued, and the responsibility for the whole organization is what you sign up for as an officer. Officership is more than a duty, it’s an honor granted to you by your fellow peers and esteemed teachers. You sign up for the role to not only complete your duties but act as a model for the values Key Club stands for. This is different from being a normal member as the responsibility to act as a leader and connector is magnified. In this role of leadership, it demands that you take
more responsibility, step up the quality of your work, and make an effort to connect with your members. You need to realize that the effort you bring has a direct impact on more than yourself. When officers don’t seem motivated for their club, that’s reflected in the general membership. A large realization of being a Key Club officer is that you now lead others by example, through whatever the example may look like. An officer demonstrates that they are invested in their members, whether that be through communicating with each personally or an immense effort behind the scenes. I believe a key role of being an officer is working to ensure that others’ work feels valued. Being a Key Club officer is truly taking the time to act in a way that recognizes you are part of something bigger than yourself. You’re part of a humanitarian effort, a community, and most importantly, a family.
"The awesome thing about KC is that the people who are there, want to be there."
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Throughout this COVID pandemic, I did not
C O V I D
1 9
I N
2 0 2 0
stopped finding ways to serve people around me. I volunteered and helped plan an Art Camp that has been hosted by my
ONLINE VOLUNT EERING
church for the past ten years. While all of us are in social distancing, I learned that volunteering could come in many different ways; from being in-person to virtual, they can both be enjoyable. During the first Art camp session, I could help serve these wonderful kids that were just simply adorable and amazing. Since mid-March, these kids have been home and were probably getting "homesick" just like the rest of us. Only find a simple way to have an outlet for these kids to see one another virtually and relax and express themselves to someone other than people in their family. Also, being able to sit in a small breakout room and see how these kids' days instantly brightened and their
By
Joshua
Chang
spirits automatically lifted was N O Mgreat. ADIC
|
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Throughout this COVID pandemic, I have not stopped finding ways to serve people around me. I volunteered and helped plan an Art Camp that has been hosted by my church for the past ten years. While all of us are in social distancing, I learned that volunteering could come in many different ways; from being in-person to virtual, they can both be enjoyable. During the first Art camp session, I could help serve these wonderful kids that were just simply adorable and amazing. Since mid-March, these kids have been home and were probably getting "homesick" just like the rest of us. Only find a simple way to have an outlet for these kids to see one another virtually and relax and express themselves to someone other than people in their family. Also, being able to sit in a small breakout room and see how these kids' days instantly brightened and their spirits automatically lifted was great. Knowing there may be another Art camp session coming in July, I knew that I wanted to do more. With this said, I was able to become an Art camp coordinator and help plan this camp. Even though this means more work, I was glad that I had the opportunity to do so, serving the members of our church with this camp is great and rewarding to me. Finding ways to serve in person during this COVID period is scarce, but having the chance to do so was excellent. Even though it was just helping an elderly couple up the street from my house, it was worth it. From cleaning his RV parking garage to changing his broken sprinkler, it was just amazing. Sometimes, even a little shopping for them, when they may need some hand sanitizer to just a simple act of getting the children fruits, and seeing how grateful people can be to see other people help them is just great. All in all, volunteering during this COVID pandemic has served me well. I can say that I still love to help people no matter what is going on in the world, but serving in person is more fun than serving virtually. I encourage every person to continue to serve and find ways to help other people in this society every day. Even if it is just something minimal, it's worth it.
Photo Caption: Left page: Joshua on one side of the screen Right page (top down): a screenshot of the campers. An artwork done during camp. A screen shot of participating staff.
22
KEY CLUB ONLINE By Jade Ha
I’m sure I speak for all when I say no one could have guessed the current predicament we’d be in back in February and even early March. I, myself, spent that last day in school before Spring Break making dance tik toks in AP Chem and eating those overly iced sugar cookies that frequent all class parties in blissful unawareness and anticipation for the long-awaited break. In the struggle to adjust to the new “normal,” I had neglected to even begin to fathom what Key Club would look like this coming year amidst a global pandemic.
23
However, it didn’t take much to realize that like most other things this year, Key Club would be making its way online. I initially had difficulty imagining how the logistics of an online Key Club would even work. How would we volunteer all the while keeping members safe? How many annual events would fall victim to the pandemic and be called off? Was it even possible to have a substantial impact through a computer screen? I soon had my first taste of what Key Club in the digital space would look like midsummer at the Key Club International Summer Leadership Conference. While I attentively attended all of my Zoom Webinars, I gained so much insight and knowledge on pressing matters of all kinds — food insecurity, the global water crisis, diversity and inclusion, and much more. It was awe-inspiring to think many of those hosting the meetings were high schoolers just like the rest of us.
They were so educated, so passionate about serving and making a difference. I remember thinking for the longest time while in the food insecurity forum that we were witnessing an established, eloquent woman sharing her efforts and experiences with the organization she founded, Boxing up to Give Thanks. While she was indeed all of the aforementioned, she also actually turned out to be just a high schooler. I supposed I simply couldn’t process the fact that a teenager was able to conceive something so meaningful, so impactful and convey it with such eloquence. This was Key Club on the International level for sure. Despite all of the aforementioned, my biggest takeaway from the conference was simply one word - opportunity and that is what Key Club online means to me. To elaborate a little, if we hadn’t found ourselves in a global lockdown, our local key club in the suburbs of Dallas wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to attend the international conference, something our club has never even been able to attend. Considering the conference was to take place some 1,700 miles away over in Florida, I don’t think we’d have much luck this year either if it weren’t for the conference moving over to Zoom. It was this realization that gave me hope for the upcoming year and squashed any qualms of a key club online. Yes, it was going to be something new and challenging for all, but we just needed to be able to find the opportunity in a seemingly impossible situation.
Just like the international conference has proven, Key Club online means we can extend our reach. For example, hosting meetings on Zoom webinars no doubtedly means attendance rates could go up as it’s much easier and accessible for many members who struggle to find a ride or who don’t have the time to catch a meeting after school. Additionally, donation drives, which were important but overshadowed by in person volunteering, will play a more prominent role than ever and are arguably much more important in times like these. Luckily, conducting Key Club online still allows for donation and charity work as most can be done from the safety of one’s own home. At the end of the day, moving Key Club online is the time to spread the message that though we are confined to webcams and small square boxes on a screen, service is still very much there to bring us all together. Transferring Key Club into the virtual world will hardly be the same as it once was, but the chance to still serve is there for those willing to find it.
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Thirst Project is a nonprofit organization that works with the support of young people to END the global water crisis by building freshwater wells in developing communities that need safe, clean drinking water. By providing a community with safe drinking water, disease rates can drop by up to 88% virtually overnight! Child mortality rates can drop up to 90%overnight! Clean water also plays an incredibly critical role in effectively treating and managing HIV/AIDS in rural communities.
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For 80 years, March of Dimes has helped millions of babies survive and thrive. Now they’re building on that legacy to level the playing field for all moms and babies, no matter their age, socio-economic background or demographics. They advocate for policies that prioritize their health. They support radical improvements to the care they receive. And they pioneer research to find solutions to the biggest health threats to moms and babies.
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF began 69 years ago as a way to help kids still affected by World War II. Since then, millions of children across the United States have gone door to door on Halloween with UNICEF collection boxes, calling out, “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!”
Through The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus—a deadly disease that steals the lives of nearly 31,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year.
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada.
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2020-2021 LHS Key Club VOLUME I THANK YOU FOR READING!
Follow our Instagram: @lamarkeyclub Visit Our Website: keyclub.lamar.wixsite.com/l hskey by Webmaster Haley Wehr Email us: keyclub.lamar@gmail.com Join our Remind: Text vfndkey1 to 81010 Contact our sponsor: Erin Robbins (right) erobbins@aisd.net Contact our advisor: Elizabeth Chamberlain (left) echamber@aisd.net Special Thanks to: Kiwanis Club of Arlington, Tx,
