January 2020
NEW YORK
DISTRICT KEY
CLUB IN
QUARANTINE An official guide provided by the Pandemic Response Committee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Personal Statements (pg.3) Virtual Service Project Ideas (pg.4) Virtual Fundraiser Ideas (pg.5-6) Member Engagement (pg.7) Club Meetings (pg.8) Member Recruitment (pg. 9) Facing the Frontlines: Healthcare Nurses in the Pandemic (pg.10-11) The Pandemic Perspective: The Virtual Narrative (pg.12-15) Contact Info (pg.16)
WHY KEY CLUB IS IMPORTANT
DURING QUARANTINE
Personal Statements
Kristen, District Webmaster from Queens County
I joined Key Club to meet and share experiences with others. Key Clubbers in quarantine should be able to do the same!
Joseph, Division 2 Lt. Governor from Suffolk County
We are well aware that many of us are struggling, Key Club has persisted through some of the toughest events to befall humanity in recent history. Now we are stronger than ever before and we must use our strength to help those in need because they need our help now more than ever.
Matt, Division 7 Lt. Governor from Nassau County
The service we conduct through Key Club is vital for our communities, but it also fosters a sense of unity and togetherness among Key Clubbers. Both of these impacts are especially important in the current situation. As such, I'm glad all of you have a desire to keep Key Club active while staying safe!
Bryan, Division 8A Lt. Governor from Queens County
It is amazing how much effort everyone is putting into helping their own communities during this time. This is what Key Club is all about and I'm proud to be part of it.
Haley, Division 16 Lt. Governor from Albany County
During these times it is important to maintain a sense of community and a group of people you can connect with. You can still help out your community while laughing and bonding with your fellow Key Clubbers, something we all really need right now!
Amanda, Division 26 Lt. Governor from Chautauqua County
Key Club is so important especially during a pandemic because it gives us the opportunity to serve our communities. It also allows us to stay connected and have fun, whether it be socially distanced or virtual!
VIRTUAL SERVICE
PROJECT IDEAS
Free Rice
Free Rice is an App that, by answering trivia questions right, it donates roughly 10 grains of rice. There are many categories to choose ranging from math, grammar, geography and much more. It is supported by advertisements and the money goes to different parts of the world that are in need. It is fun and easy! You can create your own account and your club can make a team and see how many grains you are able to donate! There is both an app and website that you can get started at! https://freerice.com/ Be My Eyes
Key Clubbers like you can use this application to help people who have low vision or are blind do tasks that would otherwise be difficult for them on their own. Download the app today to become a volunteer or present this app to someone who you think might benefit from this. The assistance occurs through video calls making it fast and effective for those who need assistance. https://www.bemyeyes.com/ Send a Note of Hope through March of Dimes
Every year 4 million babies are born. This is great until you realize that not all of these procedures go as planned. People need support in forms of letters by those who believe in them! This project is contained entirely within the website so there is no need to send things by mail. Head to https://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/send-a-note.aspx Send a note to a mom, dad, or family with a baby currently in the NICU. Be sure to include your own advice, experience and words of encouragement Send a note to healthcare providers, nurses, and staff who are working tirelessly to ensure that moms and babies are given the best possible care.
DOUBLE GOOD
POPCORN FUNDRAISER
The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed how the world is running, but the Double Good Popcorn company has changed with it. In response to lockdowns, social distancing, and other restrictions on in-person contact, the platform revolutionized its methods to ensure groups can conduct safe fundraisers. It has added a contactless, online fundraising option for groups to use, so we recommend taking advantage of this instead of using the in-person fundraising option. Here’s how it works: An advisor or club officer creates a fundraising team and selects a selling period The team leader shares join links to all club members Members use the link to join the team and create a pop-up store When the selling period begins, everyone shares the link to their online pop-up store with friends and family Compete to stay at the top of the leaderboard for the 4 day fundraising period by selling the most specialty popcorn Groups receive the funds they raise (50% of total sales revenue) within 2 weeks Popcorn is shipped out to buyers shortly after the event ends Does this seem interesting to you? Try it out! This is an easy fundraiser to set up, but it still allows for a massive impact. All you have to do is spread word of the fundraiser to friends, family, and members of the community. The Double Good Popcorn Company takes responsibility for distributing popcorn and (transparently) handling customers’ money, so you don’t have to worry about these aspects of a typical fundraiser. Lynbrook Key Club raised over $18,000 with this platform, and Oceanside Key Club donated $13,000 to Project Hope with a Double Good Popcorn fundraiser. The New York District Board and its Going Virtual & Pandemic Response Committee are looking forward to seeing more clubs match this success. Don’t believe us? You can explore the Double Good Popcorn website on your own and begin setting up your fundraiser with the link below. You can fundraise for any charity with this service, but remember to fill out an FRF after the 4 day selling period ends. Link: https://popup.doublegood.com/store-demo
FUNDRAISER IDEAS
Ecosia
Now that schools and (many) clubs have restarted, it's a perfect time to share the Charity Miles fundraiser with your members! You can introduce members to the project in less than 10 minutes, and this will continually benefit a charity with long-term donations. Make sure to have members download the Charity Miles app from the app store or use the link below. Then, create a team for your club and have members join it. All participants can raise money just by running and walking ($0.25/mile) or biking ($0.10/miles), and there are an array of charities to support through the app. Link: https://miles.app.link/XAJnrsPEa8
Charity Miles
Another example of a fundraising platform is Ecosia. This is a search engine meaning it functions similarly to Google, and it can even be added to Chrome. However, the company will use the ad revenue you generate to plant a tree allowing you to help the environment. This is an extremely easy way to have a positive impact on the world. In fact, it tracks the number of searches you’ve made and provides an estimate for the number of trees you helped plant. Have members use the search engine to continually help the environment during daily life. Link: www.ecosia.org
UNICEF Math for Good
Another example of an online fundraising platform is the UNICEF Math for Good website. As we all attend school in some form- fully in-person, hybrid, or remote- this year, millions of impoverished children across the world are unable to. You can help these children obtain an education by raising money for UNICEF (which is a preferred charity!) through math practice. Each correct answer on the math quiz given by the charity’s website raises $0.25, and this goes towards funding education programs. Have a competition between members during a club meeting, or ask members to sharpen their skills during free time. Link: www.unicefusa.org/math-quiz
MEMBER
ENGAGEMENT An extremely important aspect to Key Club this year is keeping your members engaged. This can be achieved in many different ways and it is important to use a mixture of these and not just one strategy! You want to keep your members engaged with each other as well as in your meetings!
During meetings
To keep your members engaged, start your meeting by asking your members how they are doing on a scale from 1-10 and have them drop it in the chat!
PowerPoint
You want to make sure you are keeping your members engaged as you go through announcements. Create a PowerPoint that is pleasing to the eye that they are able to follow along with. Try to create this using either Slides Carnival, Canva, or any site that creates themed PowerPoints that are nice to look at! Another important part is allowing your members to take a brain break in the middle of the PowerPoint. You can utilize brain teasers, ask members a question to answer in the chat, and more!
Music
No one wants to awkwardly stare at each other while everyone is entering the call so play some music (clean of course) while all of your members are hopping on the zoom call.
Social Media
It is important to keep using social media during these times since it is much harder to communicate in person. Making sure that your members know how appreciated their hard work is, is key, and by having member of the month you can successfully do this! Another thing to make sure you are doing is having attractive graphics to announce your meetings and upcoming events, using platforms like Canva is a great option! You can also create a linktree to add to your bio which allows your members to access any important links for your club.
Competitions
Virtual competitions within your club is an amazing way to keep members engaged because everyone loves a little competition! Apps such as the Free Rice App or having a virtual fundraiser where you have a reward for whoever gains the most grains or raises the most money! Remind and Google Classroom: Create a Remind and Google Classroom to make sure that you are able to get information out to your clubs! This allows for easy communication to all of your members.
CLUB MEETINGS
At this point most clubs are aware of if they can run or not. If your club is in a weird position where it is not sure if it is running or not then please contact your LTG so they can help you in what steps to take next. So assuming your club is able to run in some fashion the next question is how should your clubs run this year? In Person Meetings
Some clubs may be permitted to meet in person as long as members practice social distancing, stay at desks, and do not get up or move around in the room. Many clubs may struggle to have this option so it's important to look at the other ways a club can still meet and function because, as we all know, the members are the most important part of a club; without them there is no club. Virtual Meetings
Many clubs do not have enough space or are not allowed to meet in person and are therefore forced to meet virtually. Here are some platforms you can use to meet.
Zoom
This is a free to use platform that can host any size club you’d like, its controls are easy and most people are probably used to using it as many schools also use Zoom for their classes. The only thing to worry about is the time limit on the meetings which could cause issues if your club is doing more than just a basic meeting virtually. It will also help to schedule meetings ahead of time, and make sure to use the waiting room feature to block any unwanted guests.
Google Meets
This is a free application that anyone with a google account can use, it allows for 60 minute meetings rather than 40, make sure to schedule meetings ahead of time and if your school has the G Suite you can also use that for even longer meetings with more people. For more info look here: https://apps.google.com/meet/pricing/
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft teams is the least used out of the 3 programs but with seemingly the best features, it is free with a Microsoft account, it allows for 60 minutes on a call and 100 participants, make sure to organize your team with channels and as always schedule meetings ahead of time. If you’d like more info look here: https://www.microsoft.com/enus/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/free
MEMBER
RECRUITMENT
Members are Key Club’s source of strength, so recruitment is vital. But, how can new members be recruited right now? Reach out to younger students
Play the long game. Work on building an interest in Key Club among Middle School and elementary school students. This can be accomplished by founding Builders Clubs and K-Kids clubs in your school district. You can also ask teachers you’ve had in the past if you can virtually present about Key Club to their students. Social Media
The most versatile tool for spreading the word about Key Club to potential members is social media. Post about events, meetings, and even general Key Club facts on a club social media account. Then, encourage members to like, comment, and share these posts on their personal accounts to further spread the news. Mass Emails
This strategy is perfect if your school district provides a school email address to all students. Work with school administrators to send a brief email to all students advertising Key Club. If your school does not provide school emails, you can also request that announcements about Key Club are made each morning instead. Ensuring that people are aware about Key Club is the most important part of recruitment.
FACING THE FRONTLINES:
HEALTHCARE NURSES IN
THE PANDEMIC
This year has been nothing but normal. As we continue to battle with the corona virus across the world, our healthcare workers have been working tirelessly to ensure our safety. Joann Sands from UB Now says, “Nurses play a very important role both locally and globally. They are on the front lines caring for these patients day in and day out”. She is a clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Buffalo. Sands has also been has been a volunteer firefighter/EMT for the past 12 years. In the following interview she states the following... What roles do nurses play in mitigating the spread of
infectious diseases? Why and how are they important in
managing a health crisis such as a pandemic?
“Mitigating the spread of infectious diseases is so important because one of the main things we want to try to accomplish is reducing patient deaths and slowing the spread of the disease so we are able to handle the numbers of patients when the surge hits. Nurses are important in managing a health crisis because they are a vital link between the patient and the rest of the health care team. They are with their patients for their whole shift, and through assessment and critical thinking are able to notice subtle changes in their patients that could indicate they are decompensating or getting worse, or getting better. They are able to determine the human response to the medical problem. Nurses relay their assessment findings to providers, they are able to determine if respiratory therapy needs to be called, they are able to assess the patient’s response to medical treatments, and they educate the patients, along with providing a listening ear or a calming touch.”
What can they do to protect themselves against risk?
“One of the first things is having enough proper PPE to use while working. Health care workers are implementing other strategies to help protect themselves against risk, including changing out of their work attire before entering their homes, showering as soon as they get home, and many health care providers are also isolating themselves into a separate room of their home, away from other family members to try to protect their family members as best they can. And of course, meticulous hand washing!”
What advice would you give people trying their best
to live their lives and at the same time trying to stay
safe?
“The best thing is staying home, frequent hand washing, and keeping frequently touched surfaces clean. Everyone is trying to adjust to a new way of living, along with likely feeling overwhelmed. It is important to remember to take care of your mental health. Some ways to help cope with stress include developing a schedule, frequent breaks, staying active, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated and eating healthy, well-balanced meals. Be informed, but also limit your time in front of the news coverage. As our county executive keeps reiterating, it is important to stay physically distant, but that does not mean you need to be socially distant.”
THE PANDEMIC
PERSPECTIVE: THE
VIRTUAL NARRATIVE
It’s no secret that this past and present school year has presented the world as whole with multiple challenges and uncertainties, but also many new perspectives. Between social distancing, canceling future plans, and wondering when this pandemic will finally come to a halt, it’s easy to feel alone in the process. Many students and teachers are adjusting to virtual school, hybrid, and eager to go back to all in person with proper safety precautions in practice. In the following student interviews I had the pleasure of interviewing Brooke Jasinski (11th grade, Cassadaga Valley High School), Sophia Segal (10th grade, Huntington High School), and Hunter Larson (11th grade, Silver Creek High School). How has your learning process changed through
covid?
“I feel very unmotivated because their are so many assignments expected of us right now, and before I would do any missing assignments right away. I also feel like it’s the same day over and over again. We do new stuff all the time, it just feels like nothing is ever different.” -Brooke Jasinski “At the beginning of the pandemic it was difficult to focus virtually and get everything done on time. I am also a visual learner and because everything is over Google Meets, I’ve had to try adapting to be more of an audible learner too.” -Sophia Segal “Online school is definitely not the easiest. It may just be our generation’s attention span or may just be me. However, I find it difficult to sit at the screen and try and retain the information. Being virtual is not as good as being in person were you can focus with less distraction. I also had to do a lot of personal learning outside the classroom to keep up with my classes and work harder than in previous years.” -Hunter Larson
What were some positives that came out of your
experience during covid?
““I was able to get closer with my sister.“ -Brooke Jasinski “I was able to spend more time with my family. I was able to bake more and catch up on TV shows.” -Sophia Segal “I have been a lot more motivated to become healthier and working to get better for the upcoming football season. Hope has really been keeping me going right now, and so I’ve been channeling that hope to motivate myself to prepare for this next upcoming season.” -Hunter Larson What is one thing you want people to know right
now?
“I want people to understand that this is a real issue and they need to take proper precautions because people are dismissing the protocols which is the reason it has been going on for as long as it has.” -Brooke Jasinski “Please continue to social distance and wear your masks to slow the spread. Also, just make sure you are staying safe.” -Sophia Segal “I can’t say for certain, but it will get better. Keeping plugging away at your online work because it still matters in the present and in the future once we go back to school.” -Hunter Larson
How has this effected your family? Are your parents
essential workers? Or are you an essential worker?
“They are both back to work. My mom is a teacher and she has to do twice the planning and work. My dad is in the food service industry and has to be careful, especially because he is high risk. He has to get tested at least once a month.” -Brooke Jasinski “I am personally not an essential worker, however I have classmates and friends who are essential workers. They have to wear masks 24/7 especially on the weekends.” -Sophia Segal “Both my parents and myself are essential workers. My mom is a healthcare worker and works at a nursing home. She has put in a lot of extra hour and a lot of extra time. Things have changed a lot for her working in such a high risk area and having to wear big PPE equipment to stay safe. We have just gotten used to it at this point.” -Hunter Larson
Coming off of break what are your hopes for the rest
of the school year? What are you looking forward to?
“I hope activities start taking place more, I hope we get the pandemic under control having people take more precautions to see some positive progress. I just am looking forward to having a school year and I hope I see things only get better from where we are right now.” -Brooke Jasinski “I am looking forward to going back to doing activities like going to the movies, seeing friends, bowling, and not having to wear a mask.” -Sophia Segal “I’m just looking forward to going back to normal. Really, very aspect of my life has been changed, especially since sports is such a huge part of my life. Once we return to normal I can continue seeing my friends at school all at once, go back to sports, and continue my daily life and routine.”- Hunter Larson Also, without a doubt teachers are working tirelessly to be there for their students. They are making content and helping students learn in person, hybrid, and virtually. I was able to interview my AP Government teacher Ms.Foley. She is a social studies teacher at Silver Creek High School working with grades 9-12.
Have you had to change you teaching style because of
the pandemic and has new technology played a role in
this?
“Yes and no.... I always used to enjoy watching students interact with one another and engage in small group work discussions or interactive simulations, but I haven’t done those this year due to social distancing guidelines and the safety of the students. I still try to have big class discussions on topics and engage students that way, whether they are online or virtual. We still do class notes and watch video clips/documentaries, it is just sad that the students don’t get to experience history the way my classes have in the past. Technology has been our means of teaching for the past 4-5 months, and everything I present to the class is on the iPads, which is much different from last year before school closed, where it was a mixture of paper and iPad work.” Ms. Foley
What has been some of the biggest changes from
going in person, all virtual, and hybrid?
“In the beginning it was a struggle getting used to teaching some students in person while the rest were at home. I felt like I had to become more of a pro at multi-tasking, trying to monitor students in my classroom while also check in on those at home. When we are all virtual once a week it is less of a challenge due to the fact that all my students are on one screen and I don’t have to have my mind in so many different places, but I miss seeing their faces and having them with me in the classroom - it is very lonely! I am thankful that I get to see some students in person, because it is a big part of teaching, the face-to-face interactions! The participation and engagement in class is much higher when we are in person. I try to save big discussions and notes for days we are in person and videos/documentaries for virtual days since there is not an strong need for communication.” Ms. Foley Share something positive about teaching or in general
that has happened within and reflecting back on this
last year.
“I am thankful that I get to come to work everyday and be around my colleagues and students. That routine brings normalcy to my life, as everything was turned upside down last March. I am happy that I got to organize the 12th grade service project to raise money for a local veteran family in December 2020. Although the students didn’t get to wrap the gifts due to the school closure, I am pleased they got to raise money and buy gifts. It was a great lesson on how giving back to the community is never ending, even during the pandemic. I really cherish the times I get to spend with my students in person, because we can have in-depth discussions, research questions we have, and of course, laugh and make memories.” Ms. Foley Is there anything else you would like to share or
advice for students right now?
“This pandemic has changed so many aspects of our everyday life, but try to stay positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you are struggling with school, reach out for help! Your teachers want you to succeed and are here for you with whatever you need. Good luck with the rest of the school year! Hopefully there are brighter days ahead!” Ms. Foley
Contact Info
Emails
Kristen: Webmaster@nydkc.org Joseph: Division2@nydkc.org Matt: Division7@nydkc.org Bryan: Division8a@nydkc.org Haley: Division16@nydkc.org Amanda: Division26@nydkc.org Feel free to reach out to any of us through email with any questions or concerns you have!
Thank You New York District Key Clubs for all the amazing work you are doing even during this crazy year!! Keep it up, you are doing incredible! Thank you for taking time out of your day to read the Newsletter and we hope it helped! Stay Safe!