MEMBER OF THE MONTH Samuel Li

My introduction to Key Club holds a special place in my heart, mostly due to how vividly I remember the day that I decided to go to my first event, and in doing so, decide to change my life for the better. During my freshman year of high school, I felt lost and disconnected from the world around me, due to schools switching to remote learning due to the pandemic. During this time, I lost my self-confidence and my motivation to grow as a student and person, choosing to spend all day locked up in my room and avoiding any form of productive or social activity. However, near the start of my sophomore year, I made the best decision I have made during my time at Stuyvesant and went to Corlears Hook Park with two of my friends. Although my friends had pressured me into going and I didn’t exactly want to be outside, I hoped it would serve as an eye-opening experience and maybe even establish a routine of me going outside more frequently. Sure enough, I found the experience to be extremely rewarding, and although it was just the three of us representing Stuyvesant at the event, I found it to be really enjoyable and thought to myself that maybe going outside once in a while wasn’t so bad.

As I attended more and more events, however, I found that I felt like a part of something meaningful, something that I had even started to actively enjoy and look forward to doing, and no longer something I did to pass the time that I would otherwise be wasting at home; instead, it was something I set aside time for and looked forward to. Looking back, I realize how much Key Club has changed my life for the better. It may just be another school club, but it provided me with a platform to step out of my comfort zone and grow as an individual. It gave me a sense of purpose and a chance to make a positive impact in my community. But more than anything, Key Club helped me find who I am, and I am forever grateful for the growth and transformation it has brought to my life. I can't wait to see how it will continue to impact the lives of others, just as it has mine.