MY KEY CLUB STORY

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my freshman year of high school was entirely online, so making many connections with my school or the communities within was challenging. When I returned to school in person at the beginning of my sophomore year, I felt quite detached. I first heard about Key Club through a poster at my school, wherein it said that Key Club "Doesn't make keys, but helps you open doors!". This statement intrigued me, and upon asking my peers, I found out it was a service organization. I had always loved to participate in helping my community whenever possible, but the opportunities to do so were relatively limited, so I quickly decided to attend the first meeting of the school year. Through this meeting, I truly saw what the Sumner High School Key Club had to offer. The club was relatively small, with only roughly twenty members attending the first meeting, but the effervescent atmosphere was evident; every individual I met was incredibly kind and had a true passion for service. With each successive meeting, I connected with more people, and through our meetings, led by a thoughtful and diligent group of officers, I learned about the many service projects there. My first service project, which remains my favorite to this day, was our monthly volunteering at our local food bank. As the months progressed, I was exposed to more avenues of service, and by the time elections rolled around, my passion for service and the motivation of my peers led me to run for the position of treasurer.

Throughout my position as treasurer, I had two primary goals: to explore the world of Key Club further and to foster the same enthusiastic spirit for others that motivated me to connect with my community. Since our outgoing board was all seniors, our officer board was all new to our respective positions. Still, we quickly bonded to overcome these challenges and create a more pleasurable Key Club experience for all. I attended DCON shortly after, and although I could not attend in person, I was amazed to see how large the PNW Key Club was, and the information I learned through workshops and from other officers was invaluable. One of the highlights of my term as treasurer was working with the officer board directly to brainstorm new service projects and how to enliven meetings. During one of these meetings, our previous Lieutenant Governor, Natasha Trivitt, visited our club and shared inspiring information about the division and our district with us. Although I loved my position as treasurer, I wanted to further my journey to fulfill the objectives I initially set out to do. This desire was only heightened as I attended numerous DCMs, and shortly thereafter, I ran for the position of Lieutenant Governor of Division 30.

Since my election, I have seen Key Club in a light I never have before. I have attended many board meetings where I have learned about others' Key Club journeys, and I also had the privilege of attending DCON 2023! I have also visited all six clubs in my division and seen hundreds of incredible members and officers demonstrate their desire to help their community. Through DCMs and PCMs, I have also been able to disseminate information about Key Club and service to inspire others to do the same. I would not be where I am today if it were not for all the individuals who supported me on my journey. I would specifically like to thank my officer board, advisor, immediate-past Lieutenant Governor, and area administrator for facilitating my journey. Though I do not know what the future holds, I know it will be filled with service and community, and I cannot wait to experience the rest of my term with everyone!

-KobeRodriguez Lieutenant Governor (30)