The Empire Key | September 2021-2022 | Issue 2 by New York District of Key Club International

SEPT 2021 ISSUE 02

THE EMPIRE KEY 9.19 NEW YORK DISTRICT OF INTERNATIONAL KEY CLUB

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE UPDATES Learn what the exec board's past plans and goals for the near future

DISTRICT INFORMATION Learn about the Youth Opportunities Fund as well as our progress update. Please welcome our new Key Club international board 2021-2022!

NEVER FORGET Honor the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives during 911 on Septemeber 11, 2001.

DISTRICT DIRECTORY Find out the top divisional newsletters for September as well as the directory of the entire district board. Learn more about our partnering organizations

NEW YORK DISTRICT EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD See the new editor's choice awardees and honorable mentions. Find out what key clubbers did over the summer!

"Volunteerism is an act of collective desire, the desire to help others through your strengths and passions. ANNA BELENKO DISTRICT WEBMASTER

Note from the

Bulletin Editor Welcome back to the second issue of the Empire Key! My name is Jerry Chen and I am glad to serve you as District Bulletin Editor. Get ready for some updates from the summer as well as some stories from key clubbers around the district. As we go back to in-person classes, I cannot tell you how good it is to be with friends, teachers, and classmates as we see each other during hallways. Remember to stay hydrated, stay healthy, and have a good mindset. If you have any questions or if you want to say hi, email me at editor@nydkc.org.

Went to a key club event recently? Write an article and submit photos to get it published on The Empire Key! Earn recognition for your service by clicking or scanning the QR code.

E V I T U C E EX

S S E E T T A A D PD U UP

G o v e r n o r Hey Hey Hey NYDKC!

year.

I hope you all enjoyed your summer! Soaking in the sun, grabbing some ice cream (chocolate & vanilla twist is my favorite!), and relaxing! After the previous school year, well-deserved summer vacation was deserved by all. As you’ll soon see in this issue of The Empire Key, service does not stop in the summer months! Major props to you and your club if you hosted a service event or fundraiser this summer! As we transition back to school, encourage your friends to join you at a key club meeting, or two, or three! Key Club has changed so many lives for the better, and it’s an opportunity no one would want to miss! Over the summer, the New York District Board has planned for a show-stopping back-to-school campaign for our members after quite the service

District Committees have been working non-stop, and I cannot wait for you all to see what they’ve come up with. This summer, I also had the opportunity to attend LEADCON in Indianapolis, and meet our International Trustee, Emily Leonard from the Rocky Mountain District! Emily is also serving as the trustee for the Pacific Northwest and Bahamas Districts. Alongside my trip to Key Club International, I also had the honor to attend NY District Kiwanis Convention in Binghamton! Our sponsoring Kiwanis Clubs do so much for us Key Clubbers, and we are forever grateful for them! Remember to invite your local Kiwanians to your club meetings and events! They can be some of the best people to spend time with, especially while helping others.

Keep an eye out for exciting events and opportunities from NYDKC - including the return of our Virtual District Fall Conference this November! Stay amazing New York District, and let’s make this year the best one yet!

Yours in Service & Friendship, Chloe Baker 2021-22 District Governor

S e c r e t a r y Hi NYDKC! I can’t believe summer is over! It’s crazy how time flies. I wish you all a great rest of your break and a productive school year :) As you guys know, the Key Club grind doesn’t stop in the summer. I’ve been working hard to make sure things are running smoothly everywhere from the big apple to the Adirondacks. So far, we have completed 44,600 hours of service 45 percent of our goal! I want to give a huge shoutout to all the clubs that are doing their best to stay active during these crazy times. You guys have done a great job at filling out your MRFs on time but remember that late forms are always welcome!

Currently, I am working on ways to better engage clubs that are lacking events or inactive entirely. With my committee, I am planning a day of service that every school can join. I am also reaching out to inactive clubs to help them get back on track. Hopefully, we can cross that finish line together as we look towards the future.

Yours in Service, Jack Lehman 2021-22 District Secretary

T r e a s u r e r Hello NYDKC! So far this service year we were able to fundraise over $28,500 of our district goal of $150,000 - that is over 19%! With our district's continuous dedication to service and fundraising we will be able to meet our fundraising goal. Keep filling out those Fundraising Report Forms! It is September which means that the Youth Opportunities Fund Applications will be open soon. The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) is a grant from Key Club International for clubs who want to take action in their homes, schools, and communities. In other words, all your clubs have to do is apply, and they have the chance to receive free money for a service project!

For more information you can check out this link. I will also be sending out an email to all club treasurers with more information regarding the YOF. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I am here to be a resource to you and would be more than happy to help. I’ll always be available at treasurer@nydkc.org.

Yours in Service, Siddhaarta Venkatesh 2021-22 District Treasurer

Resources Website

https://nydkc.org/

@nydkc

E x t e r n a l

E A

Howdy NYDKC! Some of you may know me by now but I'm Aaron Yu, a junior at the Bronx High School of Science and I’m your External Executive Assistant for the ‘21-’22 service year. We've had a very productive Summer this year despite difficulties of covid with many events becoming inperson once again. We've already reached 32% of our service hour goal and 18% of our fundraising goal! I'm sure we'll continue to be productive and keep up the service spirit.

I hope everyone has had a well rested Summer. As school starts once again, I'm extremely excited to be going back to school and seeing everyone's faces again while having the opportunity to attend more Key Club related events and activities. I'm extremely excited to meet more people across the District.

Yours in Care & Service, Aaron Yu 2021-22 District External EA

I n t e r n a l Hello NYDKC! It has been an awesome first few months into the service year! I loved seeing clubs host different events to benefit communities on the local to the international levels. Let’s keep up the great work! Speaking of service, I introduced a completely virtual opportunity where members can create math resources for elementary school students!

E A If you are interested in providing students in grades K-5 with extra practice to understand the material they are learning in school, feel free to reach out to me at gabriellaslootsky.ea@nydkc.org and get all the information you need in order to bring this event to your home clubs and divisions! Secondly, one of the many exciting things that the District Board has in store for you is the District Fall Conference!

G o v e r n o r

If you attended this virtual event last year and loved it, then you will love it even more this year! There is so much to look forward to, including cool and insightful workshops. Keep a lookout for more information from your LTG as we approach this event! Lastly, I regularly work with External EA Aaron Yu to review and record the Lieutenant Governor paperwork as it comes in. I have also been checking in with the district committees; stay tuned for the awesome projects that our board members and Member Representatives are working on together!

That is my update for this issue! I hope you all had a restful summer and that you are ready for the return to school. Feel free to contact me if you ever need anything! With that in mind, I look forward to working with everyone and making this service year the best it can be!

Yours in Service Gabriella Slootsky 2021-22 District Internal EA

W e b m a s t e r Hellooooo NYDKC! It’s Anna here again! I’ve done a couple stuff since June, we had issues with the website but it is now back to working again! I have updated the board page and the mission page with a cleaner and more modern look, so you can check that out on the website if you want! I have been collecting submissions of club events new york has done so far, and they have been uploaded on the instagram page. I also just started the meet the board posts yesterday, which I know a lot of people have been excited about. So don't forget to check back instagram every day to see posts!

I am close to being finished with the promotional video. I have collected all submissions, video clips, photos, and voice overs from people of the district board, including member representatives. It is coming together so well and I am so excited to show you all the finished product!! Once the music is done for the video, we still do not have access to the youtube channel we have where the videos are uploaded. We do have an email and password for the channel but it needed confirmation from a number in order to make the log in complete. This is not a major issue and we will work on resolving that problem with the youtube channel. I also have tons of ideas that will need approval first, so keep tuned for that as well!

My email is webmaster@nydkc.org. And don’t forget, caring is our way of life.

Kind Regards, Anna Belenko 2021-22 District Webmaster

OUR CORE VALUES: Leadership, Character-Building, Caring, Inclusiveness

TRUSTEE'S GREETING MESSAGE

HEY HEY HEY NYDKC! Firstly, allow me to introduce myself: My name is Emily Leonard, and I will be serving as your International Trustee this service year. My home district is the Rocky Mountain district, so I sure do love all things outdoors, minus long hours in the sun as a ginger :) . Outside of academics and KC, I am a competitive dancer, violinist, and surgery center intern. My previous positions within Key Club consist of Club Webmaster, Kfam and Club building chair on the RMD board, RMD District Bulletin editor, and NOW IT! I cannot wait to hopefully meet you all in person, and until then expect me to pop into some of your AMAZING committee meetings. Finally, I am so excited to be able to work with NYDKC this service year, you guys are such a powerhouse. Please feel free to reach out to further connect, or if you have ANY questions! I would love to get to know you all better :)

Yours in Service, Emily Leonard International Trustee 2021-2022

Contact: Email: emily.leonard@keyclub.org PACIF-AHAM-ORK SISTRICT Follow our sistrict instagram: @pacifahamork

KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL BOARD 2021-2022 INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE

SALMA ELDEEB

MELANIE KIM

ANTON MCDONALD

(Flordia District)

(Georgia District)

(Bahamas District)

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE

AVA CHAE

EMILY LEONARD

ALIYA ALI

(Kansas District)

(Rocky Mountain

(Cali-Nev-Ha

District)

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE

ELLIE NUSBAUM

LENA OSWALD

NATASHA

(Nebraska-

(Illinois-Eastern

SHRESTHA

Eastern Iowa

Iowa District)

(Illinois-Eastern

District)

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE

Iowa District)

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE SANA YOOSEPH

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE

(Florida District) CHEYENNE STEWART (Indiana District)

KATHY YE

INTERNATIONAL TRUSTEE SUBASHREE VENKATASUBRAMANIAN

(Pacific Northwest District)

(Georgia District)

REQUIREMENTS Grant amounts between US$250 to US$2,000 may be requested. There are two opportunities per year to apply for a grant from the Youth Opportunities Fund. The previous year’s dues must be paid before YOF grant checks can be issued. A YOF Final Grant Report is due at the end of the grant cycle to qualify a club for future funding.

Deadline for first cycle: October 15 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. YOF grants can help you take action. Look around and identify the service that needs to be done in your school, community or the world. Then apply for a grant.

CLICK HERE

new york Chloe Baker District Governor

Gabriella S. District Internal EA

Jack Lehman District Secretary

Siddhaarta V. District Treasurer

Anna Belenko District Webmaster

Aaron Yu District External EA

Grace Dono Division 1 LTG

Sam Lorenzo Division 2 LTG

Kimberly Stephens Division 4S LTG

Sophia Segal Division 3 LTG

Samantha Cannata Division 6 LTG Julia Froese Division 5 LTG

Zakkiyya Fraser Division 7 LTG Esther Kim Division 8 LTG

Eliza Kacic Division 8A LTG

Tiffany Ortiz Division 12 LTG

Eliza Strum Division 14 LTG

Francesca Azzarito Division 19 LTG

Tenzin Dolkar Division 9 LTG

Maggie Reznik Division 10 LTG

Photos Prabhav Mishra Division 15 LTG

Suzie Amirbekian Division 16 LTG

Taylor Brock Division 20 LTG

Katelyn Gard Division 26 LTG

Anna Scott Division 24 LTG

Ava Linder Division 25 LTG

Melanie Ng Tenzin Dolkar Division 11 9 LTG

Antonella Lombardo Division 13 LTG

Madison Matice Division 18 LTG

Dhannya Ghanta Division 23 LTG

"THE TREASURER, A RESPECTED OFFICER OF THE CLUB, DISPLAYS THE LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO PUSH ON EVEN THROUGH HARDSHIP MONTH AFTER MONTH" -SIDDHAARTA VENKATESH District

Treasurer

Click here to nominate a treasurer

A W A R

Went to a key club event recently? Write an article and submit photos to get it published on The Empire Key! Earn recognition for your service by clicking or scanning the QR code.

C H

EDITOR'S I C E

EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD Jena

NYC Parks Flushing Meadows Park Cleanup It was a beautiful Monday morning, school had just officially finished and it was the start of a new week. The hot summer breeze was hugging you, whilst you were sweating profusely and picking up litter. Although this sounds not ideal to many, to 10 dedicated Key Clubbers, this was the perfect opportunity to volunteer to help out our community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals have been going outside to parks and other public areas for fresh air. As a result, more and more trash has been accumulating in parks all around NYC. This service year has made an impact on how we can volunteer to help out our home, school, and community, since most events have stayed virtual to Key Clubbers. As such, while following COVID guidelines, members were ecstatic to finally be able to participate in an inperson event! Traveling to Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Francis Lewis Key Clubbers were provided with gloves, trash bags and tools to be able to pick up the litter. Key Clubbers were able to talk, meet each other and enjoy the view of Meadow Lake!

Kim

This was not only a great opportunity to volunteer, but as everything has been online, this was many members' first time meeting one another! Shyla Budhai, a rising Sophomore who had transferred to Francis Lewis around March and has had exceptional participation in Key Club explains that, “My experience at the Flushing Meadows Park Cleanup was amazing! Not only was it exciting to finally see everyone, but it felt great to help the environment!” As parks are a hotspot for teens and kids to interact and make new friends, many hold a larger significance than face-value. Being born and raised in Queens, it was shocking to see how many of my childhood parks were impacted by the trash. Hence, volunteering to clean up the trash around Flushing Meadows Corona Park meant being able to preserve that childhood aspect and memory for another individual, who may not be able to make any memories due to the endless amounts of trash. After two full hours of volunteering, Francis Lewis Key Clubbers were able to fill up about three trash bags, coming in at around 35-40 lbs!

-Jena Kim [Division 8]

EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD Shiya

Lin

NYC Triathlon Volunteering Event The NYC Triathlon was the first in-person event that we had in about a year and a half!! During the event, Key Clubbers from D8, D11, and the Circle K Liberty Division helped find and hand out bags with previously stored possessions to athletes who were finishing the race. The entire tent was filled with Key Clubbers yelling athlete numbers and others rummaging through waist-length boxes to find the appropriate bags. It was honestly super fun, and while there were many Key Clubbers and Circle K members that I had never met before, it was really easy to get along with everyone! It’s crazy how something as simple as giving someone a high-five or walking to the train station together afterwards could make the entire event worthwhile. This event reminded me about how easy it was for people to bond over volunteering, and I was also surprised by the number of faces I recognized from just Zoom! I had multiple people come up to me because they recognized me at virtual meetings and divisionals, and that was one of the coolest coincidences. Not to mention the Key Clubbers that I saw finally becoming active again because we were back in-person!!

I met so many new and familiar faces at this event, and it makes me really grateful to be able to surround myself with such an amazing community. And while we didn’t participate in the race itself, I still think we all deserved a medal for volunteering and getting through this tough year. The one thing I regretted the most was not going to as many in-person events as I could have, so going to this event was a really important milestone for me. From watching the election of our new international board at the Summer Leadership Conference the day prior, to finally participating in our first in-person event, it felt like I was stepping into the start of a new year for Key Club-- one that was finally “normal” again. Attending this event was my own promise to myself that I would go to as many events as I could so that I would never complain about the year and a half of Key Club that I missed out on. I’m so happy that we’re beginning to go back in-person now, and I can’t wait for all of the new memories I’m about to make with my fellow Key Clubbers!!

-Shiya Lin [Division 11]

Honorable Mention

JESSICA KWONG

Queens Botanical Garden Beautification Compost Event I attended a 2.5 hour Queens Botanical Garden Beautification Compost Event where members assisted volunteers with cleaning up the garden to make the garden more safe, appealing, and accessible. To start, we were handed large brooms to push the remnants of some compost into a larger pile, so the area would be clear for more compost. Later, we cleared out a small path so visitors would be able to walk from one side to another without the fear of brushing up against a poison ivy plant or being pricked by invasive plants. It was on Wednesday, June 30th, one of the hottest days of the year, making it difficult to move around much. I was constantly drinking water because it was so hot and sticky-- the heat almost made me pass out! It was your typical mid-summer day, with the bugs biting, and the sun shining.

Plan Promote 24

Eventually, I rejoined the group when I had cooled down a bit. I loved the fact that we would be able to assist in “beautifying” a garden so close to home, as well as able to enjoy the greenery around us. During the event, I met other fun key clubbers, which was fun because for the past year it's been pretty difficult- staying home and genuinely talking to others through a virtual platform. This event was so special to me because I love seeing the difference I’m really making in my community, and while working with other fellow key clubbers, volunteers, and interns, the difference was so noticeable, giving me that warm fuzzy feeling, knowing I did something good.

-Jessica Kwong [Division 8]

Start the new school year with an exciting event! Contact the district board for assistance + ideas!

Act

Honorable Mention Key Club Thirst Week Currently, 785 million people on Earth lack access to safe and clean drinking water. This statistic is what the Thirst Project, a nonprofit organization that builds freshwater wells in developing communities, aims to combat. From June 26th to July 1st, Key Club Thirst Week gathered members from New York District Key Club’s divisions 7, 8, 8a, 9, 10, and 11 to learn and support the Thirst Project. On the first day of Thirst Week, Key Clubbers attended a Zoom meeting to participate in an exclusive webinar with Evan Wesley, an eager Thirst Project team member. He discussed the severity of the global water crisis, its connection to other issues, and the importance of service in our lives. A memorable moment from the webinar was when Evan asked us to grab a glass of water and write down the number of steps it took us to get it. While it took me and other Key Clubbers about ten footsteps, women in Eswatini must travel about 3.75 miles for water. I was shocked at the disparity between the number of steps. This instance impacted me as a Key Clubber because it reinforced my purpose in Key Club, to advocate for a more equitable world through community service.

SAHRA WAHEDI

After the webinar, I received a bingo sheet with fun opportunities to show my support for the Thirst Project. Some activities included using a reusable water bottle, creating a poster about the global water crisis, educating others, and so forth. I was delighted to lend a hand in relatively simple ways. Thirst Week concluded with a fun game night where each lieutenant governor hosted a breakout room and provided an opportunity for Key Clubbers of different divisions to connect. In these sessions, I met numerous Key Club members of high ranks, applauded other people for their drawings in Gartic Phone, and answered trivia questions for Jeopardy. Finally, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I was one of the bingo raffle winners. Overall, Key Club Thirst Week was a special event because it allowed members from various divisions to connect for a unique cause.

-Sahra Wahedi [Division 8]

June Treasurer of the Month Emily Kipp “Emily Kipp has demonstrated extraordinary excellence in her leadership, character, and service this month. She helped organize the funds for Minisink Valley NHS & Key Minisink Valley High School Club's Drive-In Movie Fundraiser, (Division 13) raising over $2,032 for local senior citizens in need. She is an absolute asset to our club, and continues to exhibit outstanding dedication to her role as treasurer!” - Antonella Lombardo (Division 13 LTG)

So far in this service year, she helped her club raise over $2,600 for various organizations.

July Treasurer of the Month Stephen Ogunbiyi “Stephen Ogunbiyi is an outstanding treasurer that performs beyond the expectations set out for him. He raised over $1,067 for multiple charities, including our District Project, throughout his term. He works great with his club and other clubs in planning successful fundraisers.” - Melanie Ng (Division 11 LTG)

So far in this service year, he helped his club raise over $1,000 for various organizations.

Bronx High School of Science (Division 11)

August Treasurer of the Month Emma Ward “During the summer, Emma helped her club raise $450 for March of Dimes. As a club, 1,800 miles were walked. Emma has consistently displayed her Lynbrook High School dedication to Key Club throughout the service year! She is always eager (Division 7) to find ways to help her club, division, and community!” - Zakkiyya Fraser (Division 7 LTG)

So far in this service year, she helped her club raise over $1,950 for various organizations.

Progress

Update

Quarterly Report (Q2) Service Hours: 53,562 Hours

54%

District Goal: 100,000 Hours [Projection: On Target]

Second Financial Quarter (Q2) Fundraising: $28,555.72 (USD)

19%

District Goal: $150,000 (USD) [Projection: On Target]

Check nydkc.org for updates

E G D E L IP

ON MY HONOR, TO UPHOLD THE OBJECTS OF KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL; TO BUILD MY HOME, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY; TO SERVE MY NATION AND WORLD; AND COMBAT ALL FORCES THAT TEND TO UNDERMINE THESE INSTITUTIONS.

SPOTLIGHTS

TOTE BAG FUNDRAISER Sunny Huang (Leon M Goldstein High School D9)

Picnic mats filled with students from

Not only did new friendships and

Brooklyn Tech, Frances Lewis,

socialization begin at this

Goldstein, and more. Everyone, with

fundraiser, it was clear that the

their eyes fixed onto their tote bags,

district board was heavily involved

had the wonderful opportunity of

in giving advice to key clubbers from

both getting a tote bag and even

all schools, some advice for success

meeting new people! For me

and their personal journey on

personally, the picnic mats around

becoming a part of the district

me were filled with fun and

board. Listening to the district

interactions, and even people

bulletin editor was an inspiration to

sharing brushes with one another.

the possibilities that I could achieve

For instance, my painting required a

personally as my home club’s

bigger sized brush while district EA

bulletin editor while the district

Gabriella Slootsky needed a smaller

treasurer also made me consider

brush for finer details of her

the importance of being treasurer.

wonderful sunflower. Thus, we both

Although the dreary rain postponed

traded brushes and that was also

our event, I was delighted that we

the start of a wonderful

spent our sunny, Wednesday

conversation as well as a new

afternoon at Battery Park to paint

friendship.

and escape from the busy city

streets and other stresses.

SPOTLIGHTS

MOVIE NIGHT FUNDRAISER

Justin Zhou (Staten Island Technical High School D10)

Moreover, all the money garnered On the evening of July 25th,

was given directly to charity; our

members from both the Staten

charity of choice was the Anera

Island Technical High School Key

Foundation. Since 1968, Anera has

Club and New Dorp Key Club got

helped refugees and families

together to enjoy a movie... On

wounded by conflicts in the middle

Discord! In correspondence with

east live with dignity and purpose.

COVID-19 guidelines and social

They allocate resources for medical

distancing, we decided it would be

relief, long term health and

best to hold our movie night

the economic development of areas

fundraiser virtually.

damaged or engulfed in turmoil. In support of their cause, we raised

In collaboration with New Dorp High

$70 total, with all proceeds going

School, we created a separate

directly towards their funding and

Discord server where members

goals.

could join voice channels and watch the movie from the comfort of their own homes. We streamed Raya and the Last Dragon, a suspenseful and energetic movie centered around

Finally, big shout outs to New

Southeast Asian mythology. We

Dorp Key Club for helping out and

charged $5 for admission into the

making this fundraiser a huge

Discord server, which was

success. Not only did we raise

administered through a Gofundme

money to build better lives, we

campaign; donors who’ve paid $5 or

strengthened the bond between our