the
Randall Key Region 1 | Division 7/33
Volume 6 | Issue 3 | October 2021
Table of Contents Editor’s Note
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Photos
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Article: Happy Lunar New Year
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Riddle of the Month
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Article: The Big Cheese
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Upcoming Events
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February 2022 Calendar
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Article: Socials+Artwork= Super Awesome
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Article: We are all Happy for IHOP
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HOTO: Julia Frank
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Officers
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District Officers
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Partnerships
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Editor’s Note Dearest Key Club, January was a jubilant month, full of service and exciting events. Now, we look forward to February- a month full of love, friendship, and compassion. Let’s make sure to be part of the reason for that and finish off this winter with strength and determination. I love and appreciate all of you!
Your Editor, Brooke Newson
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Happy Lunar New Year By: Brooke Newson As January ends and February begins, a beautiful holiday is on the horizon. The first celebration that pops into everyone’s mind is typically Valentine’s Day, but there is another important holiday that comes before that- Lunar New Year. Although it is not celebrated in the United States of America, it is an important part of global culture- of the worldwide community. Thus, the Randall High School Key Club thought that it would be important to find a way to serve the community that honored Lunar New Year. The best idea that the Randall High School Key Club could come up with also fulfilled some of the criteria for the Governor’s project, so we were thrilled to be able to use it for that. We decided that we would collaborate with the after-school program at Gene Howe Elementary School to teach crafts to the elementary students in our district. For Lunar New Year in particular, we prepared an activity in which we would teach the students to draw the Chinese character for tiger (since 2022 is the year of the tiger) and gave them a coloring sheet including all twelve zodiac animals. Along with the activity, we prepared a small lesson to teach the children about Lunar New Year and the culture and stories that go along with it. We painted and colored along with the elementary students. We befriended them, answered their questions, and listened to their stories, and we shared with them the stories and traditions of another culture. We helped them discover what zodiac animal they “were” based on the year they were born. The kindergarten students and first graders were quite cute as they replied with dates like “August 11th!” and “February 24th!” when asked what year they were born. Seeing the future generation and all of their thoughts and creativity was endearing and inspiring. Not only did U.S. culture encounter some Asian culture that day but our teenage culture was able to encounter and exchange with the elementary school students’ culture. The result was wonderful. As a Key Club, we were able to help contribute to the cultural and creative enrichment of the youth. We were able to make a difference in our small little West Texas community as we appreciated the global community. We saw students smile, laugh, and learn. Best of all, we learned in the process as well. We grew as people by helping other people because we learned about a different culture and shared it with others. We learned how to draw a tiger, and we taught others to do it too! Roar!
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Riddle of the Month What runs but never walks, breaks but never mends?
A: Water/ A Stream
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The Big Cheese By: Kaeleigh Miller This snowy January the Randall High Key Club got to help with Amarillo’s Big Cheese, an event hosted by Hope and Healing Place. Local restaurants in the area including Tyler’s Barbeque, Hoffbrau Steak & Grill House, LaBella Pizza, and even United Supermarkets joined together to try and win the title for the best mac and cheese. Members from the community came and paid $25 to enjoy a night filled with lots of fun. The proceeds from the event will go towards the Hope and Healing Foundation. Hope and Healing is an organization that devotes its services toward adults, children, or families who need a safe space to express their thoughts and feelings. Activities they provide include drawing, painting, journaling, making crafts, and playing games. The Randall High School Key Club helped with everything from passing out waters, picking up trash, to cutting out arts and crafts for the children. When the event was over and the crowd had left, we stuck around and helped pick up the premises. We picked up the chairs, tables, and centerpieces and threw away extra trash. By the time we left, the Rexter Bax building looked brand new. The Big Cheese wasn’t all work and no play. While we were there the Randall High School Key Club had a chance to enjoy all the activities the event had to offer. We had the opportunity to take shifts and enjoy all of the delicious mac and cheese. There was every kind of mac and cheese you could think of, from chicken and waffle mac & cheese to jalapeno popper mac and cheese, to pizza mac and cheese to even lobster mac and cheese. After we enjoyed all the delicious mac and cheese we had a chance to take some silly photos. There were all kinds of silly props from fake wigs to colorful sunglasses. The Randall High School key is extremely thankful to the Hope and Healing Place. We had a spectacular time at this event and we would feel so grateful and honored to be asked to come back and do it all over again. We love our community and are excited to see how this event will help support those in need. A big thank you to Randall High School Key Club for showing up despite busy schedules and long nights. Your service is greatly appreciated!
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Upcoming Events ● Tuesday, February 1st- Washington Avenue Family Service Center (5:00-6:30) ● Monday, February 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th- Gene Howe Folders (4;00-4:45) ● Thursday, February 3rd, 11th, 18th, and 24th- Washington Family Service Center (5:00-6:30) ● Saturday, February 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th- Washington Family Service Center (5:00-6:30) ● Friday, February 4th- Kids Inc Blood Drive (all school day in the Randall cafeteria ● Monday, February 7th- Fill with Hope (4:30-5:30) ● Tuesday, February 8th- Fill with Hope (4:30-5:30) ● Tuesday, February 15th- Gene Howe Crafts (3:45-5:00) ● Wednesday, February 16th- Valentine’s Social in Mrs. Shipley’s Room (starting at 4:00) 7
February 2022 Monday
Tuesday
Wednes day
Thursd ay
Friday
Saturday
1 WAFSC 5:00-6:30
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3 WAFSC 5:00-6:30
4 Kids Inc Blood Drive
5 WAFSC 8:30am to 10:30am
7 Fill With Hope 4:30-5:30
8 Fill With Hope 4:30-5:30
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11 12 WAFSC Valentine Day 8:30am to Cards 10:30am Nursing Home After School 304E
14 Gene Howe Folders
15 Gene Howe Crafts 3:45 pm
16 Valentine Boxes Social!
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18 No School!
19 WAFSC 8:30am to 10:30am -IHOP 7:00 am!
21 No School
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26 WAFSC 8:30am to 10:30am
28 Gene Howe Folders
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Socials+Artwork=Awesome By: Brooke Newson January was one of the most eventful months for the Randall High School Key Club’s 2021-2022 school year. It was filled with socials, art projects, and service projects (of course!). The Randall High School Key Club has a super secret, special math formula that comes into play when we have all of these exciting events planned: socials plus artwork plus Key Club equals super awesome fun times. Key Club is meant to be an organization that promotes friendship and leadership, and sometimes those values are best promoted through some healthy fun. Our Key Club finds ways to have fun and build character through our many monthly socials in which we share our experiences and fellowship with one another. Among the many socials this month, one of the most successful was the Randall High School Key Club’s “Encanto” social. Many members met at the editor’s (Brooke Newson’s) house to watch “Encanto,” the Disney movie about family and self-worth. Before the movie, they worked on creating a 3D art project to honor Key Club. Kaeleigh Miller, our wonderful Randall Key Club president, provided play dough for crafting flowers, insects, and plants to support this year’s theme, “Grow Into Service.” She and Rachel also created an impressive replica of the Key Club logo using only play dough and their artistic talent. The final product grew into a gorgeous garden of creativity, full of venus fly traps, vibrant flowers, snails, butterflies, and worms. The Randall High School Key Club is quite pleased with it. They enjoyed socializing with one another, feeling the nostalgia associated with play dough, and eating some yummy snacks (i.e. sour patch kids, chocolate kisses, and kettle corn). The art project was an expression of our appreciation for all that is beautiful and meaningful in this world like nature, service, human expression, and, of course, Key Club. After the completion of our art project, we all sat down and watched “Encanto” together. We laughed, we cried, and we sang together. The message of the movie was so timely and very inspiring for us as members of Key Club. The movie teaches that you don’t have to have special gifts and talents to be important or impactful, for you are the gift. As high school students, struggling with stress and self-worth, we needed to hear that. More importantly, however, we needed to hear that as members of Key Club. We can be a gift, and our service can be a gift to the community. Best of all, we can teach others how valuable they are as we come to love and serve them. So how can one be super awesome? They can participate in some socials, try out some artwork, and come to appreciate the gift that is service.
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We are all Happy for IHOP By: Brooke Newson IHOP is the International House of Pancakes, the restaurant for breakfast memories and yummy food galore, and the location for one of the Randall High School’s newest traditions. Once a month, Key Club members gather at the local IHOP when the sky is still dark blue and the world is still asleep. The IHOP gathering is always held on a Saturday morning before one of the service sessions at the Washington Avenue Family Service Center. These IHOP adventures never fail to be fun and enjoyable, no matter how absolutely exhausted our members are. This past month, we had a particularly memorable IHOP social, as it was at 7 AM on the morning following The Big Cheese event, which lasted until 9 PM the previous night. Even more astonishing was the fact that all of those who woke up early and attended the social had been at The Big Cheese, so all of them had sacrificed much sleep to put Key Club first. Plus, exhaustion made the pancakes taste even better. Best of all, however, was the fact that the Randall High School Key Club managed to convince a guest to attend the social and Washington Avenue Family Service Center the day after he had already been so kind to help them clean up at The Big Cheese. They are so grateful for his contributions and service. IHOP provides a wonderful location for Key Club members to eat delicious food, like chicken and waffles, crispy bacon, and all kinds of pancakes, but, most importantly, it provides a place for open discussion. For example, at the most recent IHOP social, the Randall High School Key Club members were able to discuss LED-con and cover subjects like potential fundraising opportunities to help more members afford to go, our own workshop at the convention (which will involve get-to-know you games and aqua-bead crafts), the available training for future officers in our club, and the workshops and activities we wanted to attend most. Plus, we are able to talk about the well-being of our members and listen to each other's thoughts and feelings. It really helps us to figure out the logistics of coming events and to grow closer as a club. IHOP makes our bellies and our minds happy. It makes our Key Club happy. We “grow into service” as we learn and grow from the conversations we have at IHOP. I certainly hope IHOP breakfast socials will become a part of the Randall High School Key Club tradition and continue long after our current members are gone.
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HOTO: Julia Frank By: Julia Frank I’m Julia Frank, I’m a senior, and though I’ve only been involved in Key Club since last year, everyone in the club has welcomed me in like family. I participate in Band as well, but the friendships I’ve built with club members are different in that we spend time together serving others in the area, not just ourselves or a smaller group. Key Club is all about serving the Amarillo community, but I feel like we members offer each other so much as well. Kindness is offered when somebody asks “do you need a ride?” after volunteering, and laughs are shared during work that no longer feels like work. Key Club has been a relief from the stress of school for many of us, where we can bond with other members, all the while knowing we’re making an impact on something bigger than ourselves. This year especially has opened my eyes to what Key Club has done for me. With college and scholarship applications, along with admittedly some senioritis, I haven’t been as involved with the club as I previously was, and I miss it. I hope to start catching up on my hours, not just for the credit, but to serve others and connect with my fellow members. Every service opportunity is different, with not only different tasks at hand but a different group of volunteers each time. This means in Key Club, everybody knows everybody, and I was able to step out of my social comfort zone for the first time in my life. Volunteering with the club made me feel respected and welcome, and I’ve never had problems making conversation with classmates volunteering at the same event as me. Along with the friends I’ve made, for me, volunteering boosts my mood for the rest of the day. It makes me feel good to know that I’m doing my part in the community to help others, and to know that there are people my age who are willing to as well. Our generation gets a bad rep from older generations when it comes to values, but Key Club just proves how wrong those stereotypes about high schoolers are. Our officers and sponsor, Mrs.Shipley, take their own personal time to organize events and collaborate with organizations, and members between the ages of 14 and 18 use their home time to attend these volunteer opportunities. Though the Amarillo community is a smaller one, every member of our Key Club gives their all to make sure we’re able to reach everyone in the city and make a positive change in our world.
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Randall Key Club Officers President: Kaeleigh Miller, (910)-358-4661 Vice President: Selamawit Yemane, (806)-443-2854 Membership Secretary: Selamawit Yemane, (806)-443-2854 Recording Secretary: Emma Williams,(806)-681-8443 Editor: Brooke Newson, (801)-560-3249 Historian: Nikki Boron, (806)-673-1651
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District Officers District Governor: Lilian Thai, governor@tokeyclub.com District Secretary: Ginna Galindo Gomez, secretary@tokeyclub.com District Treasurer: Makayla Hsieh, treasurer@tokeyclub.com District Editor: Anushka Ranjan, editor@tokeyclub.com Convention Liaison: Val Hennessee, cl@tokeyclub.com Technology Producer: Noah Obuya, techproducer@tokeyclub.com International Trustee: Salma Eldeeb, salma.eldeeb@keyclub.org 13
Regional Advisor and Lieutenant Governor Regional Advisor-Olin Norrid, region1@tokeyclub.com Lieutenant Governor- Vacant, n/a for Region 1, Division 7/33
Partnerships
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