THE LOCKSMITH New York District / Division 11 Volume 5 Issue 6
Stuyvesant High School Key Club October Issue
About Us What does Key Club mean to you? Featured writer: Jeffrey Chen To me, Key Club is a second home where I can relax and have fun while still contributing to a larger cause. The thing I love most about Key Club is the community, which, coupled with the free food at a lot of events, provides a refreshing breath of air after a stressful day or week of school. Each event is a new place to forge friendships with people from different grades and schools that you would’ve perhaps never approached otherwise. Volunteering at an event with someone brings you closer to them in a way that nothing else can, even if you barely knew them beforehand. At the same time, however, the club is incredibly rewarding to be in, with each hour spent contributing to a larger cause, whether it’s to a local park or to children halfway across the globe.
Give Us a Shout!
Cabinet Michelle Yang, President librasapphire2000@gmail.com Yuki Lau, Vice President stuyyuki@gmail.com
Contacts
Jenna Foo, Secretary jfoo@stuy.edu
Gilbert Papagayo, Faculty Advisor g.papagayo@gmail.com
Justin Chan, Treasurer jchan15@stuy.edu
Stuyvesant High School 345 Chambers St. New York, NY 10282
Tiffany Chen, Editor tchen8@stuy.edu Jason Lam, Webmaster jlam6@stuy.edu
Table of Contents Letters from Tiffany and Sammi Announcements from Stuyvesant Key Club Announcements from Division 11 Announcements from New York District Key Club Announcements from Key Club International Timeline of Past Events Timeline of Upcoming Events Fun and Games Featured Key Club: Brooklyn Tech Photos and Articles
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Letters from Tiffany and Sammi Tiffany Chen, Editor
Sammi Lin, Locksmith Committee Director
Hey you guys! I’m really excited to share this Locksmith with y’all. This Locksmith is a very special one; we got over 30 submissions with dazzling photos and riveting articles. This Locksmith is 96 pages because of you guys, and I greatly appreciate all of your efforts. I hope that your first marking period grades were good! To all the seniors reading, I hope you got your early applications in on time! Thanks again for reading this issue of the Locksmith. Continue to send in photos and articles!
Hey Key Clubbers! HOLY COW! This might be our longest Locksmith yet! Thanks so much to everyone who consistently attends events and continues to send in photos and articles. The Locksmith only gets better when each and every one of you goes that extra step to helping out! In the spirit of Halloween, we made this special *spooky* monochrome theme, so please enjoy looking back at all the activity that has happened this past month in the Key Club community!
Announcements from Stuyvesant Key Club Here is a message from Justin, our Treasurer, pertaining our past fundraiser, Color Wars. If someone told me a month ago that Color Wars would occur on a rainy day I'd tell them that they’re crazy. But maybe a little bit of craziness is what we need in life. I’d like to thank every single person who was crazy enough to come to color wars knowing that there would be a downpour. I expected a measly turnout because the weather sucked, The turnout was far from it: over 100 people came. It was amazing watching teams run around for the scavenger hunt with umbrellas. We raised so much more than anyone could have hoped for. No one expected to raise as much as we did on Color Wars. I really need to thank Flora for doing the legwork to run and organize this fundraiser. Even though I urged her to postpone, she wouldn’t budge, and luckily, we didn't cancel the event. I’d also like to thank Evan and Vicky for scouting around In Rockefeller Park after school for our scavenger hunt hints! I really hope everyone had fun. In total, we raised $1,300 for Hurricane Maria relief. Thank you again for everyone that came; hopefully no one got sick from the rain! I hope to see y’all at Color Wars V2 where hopefully the weather will cooperate. One last thing, To ensure that next time it’ll be much better LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN IMPROVE. Please fill out this anonymous form! With appreciation, Justin
If you still haven’t paid dues, please do! It’s only $14 this year ($1 less than last year!). You would be an official member of Key Club, allowing you to later run for cabinet positions and director spots. In addition, if you pay dues, you get a shirt! Here’s a picture of our shirt.
If you’re interested in paying dues, please complete this form and email us so that we can meet up with you to receive your dues. We now have a Google Doc updated regularly with our future events and fundraisers so that you don’t have to dig through your email or our Facebook group to sign up for our awesome events. The link is here.
Join us at our Chipotle fundraiser on Wednesday, November 22 between 4:00pm and 8:00pm! 50% of all profits will be given to us!
Announcements from Division 11 Division 11 is selling windbreakers! They will be $40 without customization and $45 with customization. A picture is below. If you decide to buy one, fill out this form and give your money to our president (Michelle Yang). They look really good, so you should get one!
Bronx Science Key Club and Frank McCourt Key Club are having a movie fundraiser on Saturday, November 12. They will be watching Thor: Ragnarok at AMC Kips Bay 15 at 10:00am! It will be $13, and all proceeds will go to wildfire victims in California. Go to watch a movie with all your friends! LaGuardia Key Club hosted a karaoke fundraiser at Soho KTV on October 21 from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. They were able to raise $180 for Rohingya refugees and hurricane relief. Congrats to them!
Announcements from New York District Key Club Join Divisions 8-13 at Fall Rally on Saturday, November 11. There, you can gain leadership skills at several workshops and meet Key Clubbers from all around the city! There will also be a Kiwanis speaker and a Circle K speaker. It will be at Stuyvesant, so location is not an good excuse to not go! The admission price will be $8, which includes breakfast and lunch. Come to see our president, Michelle Yang, lead a workshop! It’ll be lit.
Announcements from Key Club International UNICEF Trick or Treat boxes have started! Collect money with UNICEF to protect a mother and her children from neonatal and maternal tetanus. You can learn more here.
If you want to serve others, learn more about yourself, and have one of the best Key Club experiences possible, join us Jan. 1-7, 2018, in either Miami, Florida, or New Orleans, Louisiana, for Breakthrough. This immersion experience focuses on learning about the host city while serving there. During service events, participants focus on the city's needs and serve alongside other members of the Kiwanis family. Find more information, the application, and an incredible video about last year's experience here. On Saturday, October 28, members of Kiwanis-family programs—including Key Club, Circle K International, Builders Club, K-Kids and Aktion Club—came together to make a difference in cities around the world. YOF applications are due on November 15. Make sure to finish it soon!
Mark your calendars, the best week of the year is coming! Key Club Week starts November 6 and will feature a daily theme. Show your school and community your love for service. Post a picture showing how your club demonstrates the daily theme on Twitter or Instagram with #keyclubweek for a chance to win awesome Key Club swag. Find out more about Key Club Week here. Key Club supports the March of Dimes all year by hosting service projects, raising funds and educating communities about preterm birth. Wear purple on November 17, Prematurity Awareness Day, to support March of Dimes. Learn more here. You and your Key Club can make a huge difference in bringing safe, clean drinking water to those who need it in Swaziland by partnering with Thirst Project. Rally your club to participate in this year’s Thirsty 30 fundraising campaign to give water and give life! Pledge and get more info here. Kiwanis partner Sister Cities International is sharing scholarship opportunities for high school students who are interested in expanding their horizons and studying abroad. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs offers scholarships to high school students (ages 15-18) to study abroad for one academic year. Learn more here. Nickelodeon’s HALO Movement is accepting applications for Key Clubbers to receive $2,500 to make their ideas for big projects a reality. Applications already opened and are due November 30th. Learn more here. The Up With People team announced that US$3,000 grants are available exclusively to Key Club members for program fee assistance to make an impact on communities around the world. Learn more by contacting Beyah Rasool at BRasool@upwithpeople.org.
Timeline of Past Events â—?
October 1: Rise Up Against Addiction Time: 6:30am to 12:00pm Location: 555 12th Avenue New York, NY 10036 Project Captain: Justin Chan Description: The Rise Up Against Addiction 5K hoped to raise awareness about addiction, one of the leading causes of accidental death in the United States! We were in one of three teams: the welcome team, the festival team, and the course team.
STA Helping Hands Time: 12:00pm to 4:30pm (various shifts) Location: Chatham Square (Chinatown), 65th St and 8th Ave (Bensonhurst), Main St and Kissena Blvd (Flushing) Project Captain: Chelsea Yan Description: We collaborated with the Stuyvesant Transit Association and United Fujianese American Association (UFAA) to distribute Chinese/English bilingual safety manuals to Chinese senior citizens across NYC!
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October 7: Undy Run Time: 9:00am to 11:00am Location: 425 Main St, Roosevelt Island Project Captain: Vincent Huang Description: We helped with the set-up, check-in, water stations, the food, beverage tent, course cheering and marshaling, and cleaning up.
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October 8: Autumn Moon Festival Time: 9:30am to 7:00pm (various shifts) Location: Mott Street (between Canal and Bayard) Project Captain: Jenna Foo and Justin Chan Description: We helped with setting up, running the festival activities, and breaking down.
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October 9: Color Wars Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm Location: Rockefeller Park Project Captain: N/A Description: We had fun at Color Wars to raise money for hurricane relief.
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October 10: Stuyvesant Open House Time: 4:00pm to 8:00pm Location: Stuy (1st Floor) Project Captain: N/A Description: We helped out at the Stuyvesant Open House! We will gave tours, answered questions, did crowd control and were cheerful, open, and helpful overall!
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October 11: Stuyvesant Open House October 14: Walk With Us To Cure Lupus Time: 7:00am to 11:30am Location: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum -- Pier 86 Project Captain: Vincent Huang Description: Volunteers distributed food and beverages to the participants, did check-ins, and cheered on the walkers.
Bed-Stuy Alive Time: 12:00pm to 4:00pm Location: Fulton St. & Marcy Ave Project Captain: Il Kyu Lee Description: We helped out at Bed Stuy Alive, an event hosted by the New York State of Mind. Volunteers assisted with activities in the children's village of the event, including temporary tattoos and craft projects!
Light the Night Walks Time: 5:00pm to 9:30pm Location: Astoria Park, Queens Project Captain: Evan Zou Description: Light the Night Walks are dedicated to lighting our way towards a future where hundreds of people don't have to die from cancer. All funds were used to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS)! Bronx Science Key Club and several other Key Clubs were also at this event.
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October 15: Breast Cancer Walk Time: 7:30am to 12:00pm Location: Central Park 72nd Street Bandshell Project Captain: Justin Chan Description: The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk is organized by the American Cancer Society annually in order to raise funds and awareness to save lives from breast cancer. All funds raised went toward research and providing free resources and information to those who need it! We walked alongside the rest of Division 11, including LaGuardia Key Club, Bronx Science Key Club, and Hunter Key Club.
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October 20: Club Meeting Time: 3:50pm to 5:00pm Location: Stuyvesant High School Project Captain: N/A Description: We collected dues and handed out UNICEF boxes. Thank you to whoever came!
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October 21: NYC Hot Cider Hustle 5k Time: 7:00am to 11:00am Location: Firefighters Field Roosevelt Island Project Captain: Matthew Chan Description: We oversaw the 5K run! We gave runners water and their finisher gifts. We also handed out apple cider and caramel apples to the runners! This specific event supported Special Olympics New York.
Monster Mash Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm Location: Studio 10 -- 566 Nostrand Ave Project Captain: Yasmine Chokrane Description: We helped out at Monster Mash hosted by NYSoM! There were Halloween activities such as pumpkin painting and slime making.
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October 26: Parent Teacher Conferences Time: 5:30pm - 8:00pm (Thursday) Location: Stuyvesant! Project Captain: N/A Description: We helped out at Parent Teacher Conferences! We aided teachers with sign-ins and controlled the crowd.
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October 27: Parent Teacher Conferences Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm (Friday) Location: Stuyvesant! Project Captain: N/A Description: We helped out at Parent Teacher Conferences! We aided teachers with sign-ins and controlled the crowd.
October Divisional Time: 3:00pm to 6:00pm Location: 5th floor outside the Cafeteria at our Bake Sale Booth Project Captain: N/A Description: This was our first divisional of the 2017-2018 school year! We had fun activities for new members and old members to learn more about Key Club and got to hear some updates from the divisional board and clubs.
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October 28: Halloween Festival Time: 11:30am to 3:00pm Location: Totten Ave & 15 Rd, Bayside, NY 11359 Project Captain: Evan Zou Description: We helped out with set-ups and various activities like obstacle courses, rides, mazes, and more.
Playcrafting’s Halloween Expo Time: 1:00pm to 4:30pm, 4:30pm to 8:00pm, or both Location: Microsoft Office (11 Times Square) Project Captain: Jason Xiong Description: We helped with setup, breakdown, badge hand-out, or way-finding. This was a fun event filled with playing, making, and celebrating Halloween!
Halloween Havoc Time: 3:00pm to 6:00pm Location: ITarget East Harlem Garden on 117th St between 1st Ave & Pleasant Project Captain: Irene Chen Description: We helped out at Halloween Havoc, hosted by NYSoM! There were fun Halloween activities, themed gardens and we were provided costumes!
Timeline of Upcoming Events ●
November 4:
Leaf No Trace Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm Location: Fort Greene Park -- Washington Park Street, Brooklyn, NY 11205 Project Captain: *needed* Description: We will help Fort Green Park get ready for winter and keep the park clean! We will help with raking and bagging leaves around the park. Sign up here!
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November 9:
Release of the Fishes Time: 3:00pm to 7:00pm Location: Pier 40 at Houston St and West St Project Captain: *needed* Description: The River Project will be releasing fish back into the Hudson River! We will help out with setup, breakdown, greeting guests, serving food and drinks, making popcorn, or selling raffle tickets and t-shirts. This event is capped at 3 people; sign up now! Sign up here!
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November 16:
Free Bird Gala Time: 5:00pm to 10:00pm Location: Union Square Ballroom - 27 Union Square W Project Captain: *needed* Description: We'll be helping out a gala hosted by A Free Bird Organization! There will be live performances and a sneak peek at their perfume line! We will be assisting as servers and ushers and helping with setup and cleanup. Sign up here!
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November 18:
Queens Half Marathon Time: 7:00am to 12:00pm Location: Flushing Meadows Corona Park Queens, NY Project Captain: *needed* Description: NYCRuns is holding its 4th annual Queens Half Marathon, where runners will be taking a tour of New York's most diverse borough and be treated to great local music and enthusiastic crows along the way! We will be assisting the run while enjoying ourselves. Sign up here!
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November 19:
Brooklyn Marathon Time: 6:30am to 1:00pm Location: Prospect Park - Center Drive Brooklyn, NY Project Captain: *needed* Description: NYCRuns is holding its 7th annual Brooklyn Marathon! We will be assisting the run while enjoying ourselves. Sign up here!
Fun and Games In each Locksmith, we will have a crossword puzzle and a word search for you to enjoy. Print them out, complete them, and send them to our email to get 5 points! You can only send one of each per issue. Have fun!
Cabinet Members Puzzle
Across: 1. Ask him about PC games! 3. On the fourth page of the Locksmith. 5. Our new leader. Down: 1. Salty about her minimum wage. 2. Played Naive Steve in Junior SING! 4. Barcelona!
October Word Search
Words: CURELUPUS LOCKSMITH MONSTERMASH DISTRICT ELEVEN HALLOWEEN UNDYRUN
Featured Key Club: Brooklyn Tech In each Locksmith, we feature a different high school’s Key Club to spread awareness of our interclub activities and emphasize the large community Key Club fosters. This issue, we are focusing on Brooklyn Tech Key Club of Division 9.
Ayan Rahman, Editor: Hey Stuy Key Club! It’s Ayan from all the way in Brooklyn, repping Brooklyn Tech Key Club! Since the end of August, our club has been so productive, and we’ve established a huge community of Key Clubbers here! We’ve done a whole lot in terms of advertising recently—so much so that we’ve reached more than 700 applied members. We’ve been making cute graphics that we’ve posted around the school, used A LOT of social media such as our Instagram, and did a lot of talking at club fairs and interest meetings. Aside from all that, we’ve also been participating in many events! Since school has started, we’ve gone to too many friendship picnics and awareness walks to count, volunteered at park clean up events, and participated in many divisional events, Our most notable event thus far has probably been the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and Out of the Darkness Walk, where new and returning Key Clubbers showed passion and spirit towards amazing causes. We’re so looking forward to the future; we’ve been planning super fun Halloween themed events for our new members to attend and are looking to open up committees for our members to join. This way, we’d be motivated to achieve more and have fun in the process. We’re also looking into engaging more with other Key Club’s throughout the city, because Key Club is more fun with more friends! In the end, I’ve personally gained so much from the experiences I’ve attained in Key Club. I’ve become engaged with a network of such passionate and hard-working people, which I would have never done if I didn’t join this club. Just from being surrounded by such an amazing group of people at all times has motivated me to be a better person and be more ambitious, and I know that that is the case for so many more Key Clubbers at Tech. Looking forward to future endeavors and getting to meet more people in the Key Club Community! And of course, we can’t wait to work with your club next.
Pho & Artic
otos & cles
Rise Up Against Addiction
Photos taken by Irene Chen
Photos taken by Irene Chen
Undy Run By Vincent Huang As I arrived at the scene of the event, I was taken aback by the view. Roosevelt Island was such a beautiful place, with breathtaking scenery perfect for taking profile pictures, as recommended by Penny. I was greeted by Key Club members from all over the city, including Brooklyn Tech, Bronx Science, and HSMSE. I was surprised though by all of the runners who were wearing underwear over their pants (and that’s when I realized that Undy Run actually stood for Underwear Run, which made perfect sense considering that the event was for colon cancer). Music blasted from the speakers and the emcee began hosting the event. The crowd of runners gathered in the center of the site, and the cause was introduced, along with stories from survivors. It was very inspirational as we held a moment of silence for those that had lost their lives to cancer. Soon enough, the run began, the runners flaunting their underwear as they raced across the premise. Even the dogs wore underwear, and it was a glorious moment. As we awaited the runners before the finish line, the first came, and soon it was a cascade of runners coming towards us. We cheered and wooed for the crowd as I frantically ran back and forth, handing out water bottles. It was really an amazing sight, seeing infants to even the elderly participating in the run. Medals were given out to the top runners and volunteers were allowed to take home all of the remaining snacks, which we, of course, took advantage of. All in all, the event was definitely a fun experience that I’d recommend anyone to go to.
Photos taken by Vincent Huang
Video taken by Vincent Huang
Video taken by Vincent Huang
Autumn Moon Festival
Photos taken by Evelyn Cao
By Freya Zhu As the day began, my friends and I arrive at the location stated in the email that was sent to us. Our day started earlier than most as we also signed up for Red Cross. In a state of confusion, we wandered around the block not knowing if we are at the right place. A girl from Brooklyn Tech starting shouting something about Outrage or OutReach. As we started to unpack and organize the things within the garage, it started to pour. My morning was filled with rain, chairs. tables, and more rain. As the truck left for the third time, we walked to Leif Ericson together. When we arrived, the park was already filled with booths and students from different schools. After we signed in, our volunteering purpose was a little foggy, after wandering around by myself confused, I came across the best thing there—IT WAS A COSTUME BOOTH. It was an intense few minutes of me struggling to get into my costume but in the end, I succeeded. The costume was obviously not meant for my small size as the stomach drooped down below where it was supposed to and the legs were also too long; however, I loved it, and I was determined to be the best Winnie The Pooh. Walking around with a sense of pride and happiness, I was pulled aside multiple times by grandparents and mothers that wanted a picture of me with their kid. It was awkward and amazing at the same time. By the time lunch came around, I had been assaulted by random students with hugs and my legs were starting to ache due to the amount of walking I was doing. I had not eaten breakfast and I was starving. When I thought I could finally relax, a girl, whom I later found out was the Bronx Science Key Club leader, asked me and my friends to follow her. Turns out we had to participate in the parade. I almost backed out as I have been walking all day and my shoes were drenched; however, I persevered. At first, the dragon didn't move much, stopping five seconds after it moved. The parade eventually started to pick up the pace and we had to hold the dragons as we walk from side to side and in circles. We had to do this for forty blocks, twenty blocks one way and another twenty back, I had to switch out about halfway as I couldn't walk any further. I walked alongside the dragon as
we made our journey down Eighth Ave. I helped myself to a second helping of lunch after we came back and relaxed until we had to pack up the tents and everything and bring it back to the garage. This event, though was long and tiring as I had signed up for all the shifts, was fun and rewarding. I had collected many great memories in one day and somewhat bonded with the club leaders. This was my first event at Stuyvesant and I couldn't wish for a better one. As I jumped onto my bed with wet hair and aching legs, I looked up smiling at the ceiling, excited for my next event with Key Club and Red Cross was the week after. By Jason Xiong October 7th was a day of festivities to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was on October 4th. To prepare for the festivities, volunteers started early in the morning to help with the setup. To start, tent umbrellas were set up around the park as things were being unloaded and set up. After setup, people started to slowly pile in as the festival was going on. Under the tent umbrellas were people selling foods, promoting products, and more. On the sidewalk outside the park was a big stage set up and it was where some speeches and performances took place. Though the weather that day wasn’t the best, the small rain did not stop the festivities from going strong. Lunchtime soon came as people lined up to get their lunches. On the menu was noodles with meat and fishball as well as Hubert’s Lemonade. The lemonade came in three flavors: original, strawberry, and watermelon. To be honest, the original one tasted okay and the other two were just odd combinations that tasted too sour. Lunchtime was followed by the parade along Eighth Ave. It was supposed to be a 10 block parade with dragons, performers, and important people who are waving from their car. Honestly, this was probably the most tiring part of the event because my job was to hold the dragon and it was pretty heavy. Holding it for 10 whole blocks and back was so much work. By the time it was over, I was dizzy and quite tired. Throughout the parade, there were performers ranging from little kids to adults who all have their own fygbhnj
talents. There were tons of people on the sidewalk taking pictures and videos, showing their support (or maybe they just need something new to post on Instagram). After the parade, the volunteers headed back to Leif Ericson Park, and slowly, the tent umbrellas were closed and things were put away. Cleanup was basically the same things as setup but backwards. However, it was a lot easier this time because when we were setting up in the morning, it was raining. The evening weather was definitely on the brighter side, and that made it a lot easier to carry the tables and the chairs. Everyone was much more productive in the evening. Together, the volunteers from different organizations from different schools worked together to put away everything. The event shifted early but nobody complained because after all that work, we all needed a rest.fygbhnj
Photos taken by Irene Song
Photos taken by Irene Chen
Photos taken by Kelly Chen
Photos taken by Kelly Chen
Photos taken by Evelyn Cao
Photos taken by Jon-Yeon Moon
Top left photo taken by Freya Zhu Other 3 photos taken by Stacey Xue
Photos taken by Sammi Lin
Photos taken by Sammi Lin
Photos taken by Sammi Lin
Color Wars By Tiffany Chen I got to Color Wars with an umbrella in my hand. While I was excited, I didn’t really want to get rained on. I met up with my friends and got war paint. I was on a team with Midwood and CCNY, which was really nice because I got to know a bunch of new people. Plus, our color was pink, which meant that I could rep pink war paint on my cheeks! We quickly played a game of Ninja (I only got one arm taken away!) before the scavenger hunt began. We were to look for things in the park and take pictures of them. One team captain (which was Alfredo) had to send them to Flora so that we got points. We first shot a video of ourselves saying the Key Club chant before going our separate ways in the park. Admittedly, some of the clues were really hard. There was one about glass panels that had me and my team stumped. In addition, the rain really started to pour during the scavenger hunt, and that really drained our energy. After the scavenger hunt, we got lunch, and luckily, a bunch of pizzas were ordered. I got a slice and a can of Sprite, eating it under a building that protected me from the rain. After lunch, the weather started to clear up, so we started to pie people. I recorded them all; they were just so funny! It was amazing that Flora got $100 to get pied. We then started other games like tug-of-war and an egg-spoon race. However, after I participated in tug-of-war, I had to go. I had a lot of fun at Color Wars, and I can’t wait for the one happening next spring.
Stuyvesant Open House By Tiffany Chen I love giving tours. I get such a rush from it. Showing people around the school is just so much fun. I was excited, therefore, for Open House this year. I was so ready to volunteer. On my first day, I got three tours. While I couldn’t get in the rhythm with my fellow tour guide for the first one, I got it by the second. In the second tour, I led three 7th graders who all were really excited about Stuy. All of them asked questions pertaining Stuy life. I really loved answering them. For the third tour, I only had one family. He only wanted to see the robotics demonstration, which, by then, already ended. I tried to make it up by showing him the robotics room. I really hope it worked. On my second day, I got three tours as well. I was much better the second day because I was with a tour guide I knew very well. We bounced off of each other’s energy, making for a successful tour. However, for my third tour, I was separated from her, as I was recruited by Mr. Moran to give a specialized tour to a boy and his father. We went to all the science labs and the CS Dojo; out of all of them, he seemed the most interested in our computer science program. After finishing that tour, I went to the robotics demonstration to meet up with my friends. Overall, I had a great time. I really hope that I can volunteer for the next Open House in spring.
Walk With Us to Cure Lupus By Jason Xiong As the number of people with lupus increases, it is more important to raise awareness about it. Lupus is a disease that can made better through treatments but cannot be completely cured. A walk was held to raise awareness for the disease and also for people to show support for their family members with the disease. The walk started at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and ended at Chelsea Piers. After signing in, we got our “Walk With Us To Cure Lupus� shirt and changed into them. As volunteers responsible for the routes, many volunteers, including myself, also got a yellow vest to wear. As route volunteers, we had to hold up a sign that tells people where to walk and cheer them on throughout the walk. At our assigned spots at 8:30, we had half an hour before the walk started. Half an hour was a long wait, but when it was over, it didn’t actually feel too long. Pretty quickly, people wearing all different colors started to appear. The majority of the people were wearing purple. As people walked by, volunteers cheered for them, and occasionally, when we were too tired to cheer, we just smiled. In addition, there were many groups of adults and little kids wearing tiny purple wings on their back and some of them even have purple antennas sticking up from a headband. A woman even made an Instagram post frame and held it so it was around her face to show her support for the event. A lot of the people wore holding signs saying who they are walking for. As time passed, people started to walk back from Chelsea Piers toward the Intrepid. The volunteers moved to the other side and pointed the sign the other way toward the finish line. As more and more people get closer to the end, volunteers gathered together at the finish line, cheering for people for finishing the long walk. Some people were tired while others were not; however, they have all finished the walk to support the same cause.
Back at the event itself, there was a big stage with people playing music. There were also many tables set up under tent umbrellas. There were tons of food like yogurt, cookies, and fruits. People were also making purple tie-dye t-shirts to support the cause. After coming back from route duty, I walked around, looking at the festivities I missed for the past few hours because I was standing in the middle of the street. No matter whether I was on route duty or food duty (hand out food to people), it was for the same purpose, supporting the same cause, and that’s all that matters.
Photos taken by Freya Zhu
Photos taken by Freya Zhu
Photos taken by Vincent Huang
By Vincent Huang The day couldn’t have started without its shenanigans, and at 7:00am, I was already on the run after missing the train. Racing through the streets of Times Square, my duty of project captain was being held on the line in this crucial moment. Once I finally arrived at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, almost half an hour late, I entered the premises and exited through the back. I signed in at a table for the volunteers and received a T-shirt and a yellow vest, resembling the jacket of a construction worker. There were actually a surprising number of Key Clubbers present, considering how early in the morning the event was taking place. After meeting up with Key Clubbers from Stuy, we headed down to Chelsea Piers, following the supervisors of the event. Our job was to direct the walkers along the trail and we were placed towards the end. The walkers eventually arrived and each participant was enthusiastic about the cause. We had a lot of fun clapping and cheering for the walkers, wooing until our throats nearly died. Support groups of all names and sizes took part in the event and crowds of walkers spilled into the trail, many of them children and some even dealing with lupus themselves. This event really helped open my perspective, and I came out of this event with a greater appreciation for Key Club events as a whole. Lupus is a devastating illness, and this walk helped to bring us closer together. Each walker put forth their energy and time in an effort to raise awareness for lupus. Although there is still no cure, I’m sure we were able to make a difference, and at the end of the day, that’s all we need to make it count.
Light the Night Walk
Photos taken by Kenny Lin
Photos taken by Kenny Lin
Photos taken by Vincent Huang
By Vincent Huang Light the Night is definitely one of the largest events you can take part in during the service year. Taking place in Astoria Park, it is part of a fundraising campaign to support research to fight leukemia and lymphoma. I was excited to go to the event since this would be the second year that I attended, but this time around, I would be participating in the actual walk instead of signing walkers in as a volunteer. When I arrived at the park after significant bus delays, I was shocked by the sheer number of Key Clubbers present. So many of them came from different schools, not only from Division 11, but other divisions as well. It was really mind-boggling to see the Key Club community all at once, which is what makes this event so special. I met up with a friend and we both got red lanterns, which were carried by supporters. We roamed the many tents preoccupying the site and listened to singers belt out lyrics on stage. As we made our way to the stage, the host began to speak, and we heard inspirational stories from both survivors and those remembering loved ones lost to cancer. Each story was so tear-jerking and eye-opening to the world around us, and it is a moment that I will forever have engraved in my memory. Each walker switched their lanterns on, and a wave of white, gold, and red lanterns could be seen radiating throughout Astoria Park. Once the walk began, we walked side-by-side, each holding a lantern and traveled in a dense, packed crowd as the lanterns illuminated the night sky. Light the Night is definitely a life-changing experience every time I attend, and I hope I can continue to attend the event for the rest of my years at Stuy.
Breast Cancer Walk By Jason Xiong On Sunday, October 15th, tens of thousands of people had gathered around the bandshell in Central Park for a 4-mile walk. All around, you see so many different shades of pink and probably questions since when are there so many shades of pink. Beside wearing pink, people also made posters, banners, flags, and more to support the fight against breast cancer as well as to raise awareness about the disease. Though the walk starts at 9-ish, people are already getting ready at 7. People of all ages had come together to walk to fight against breast cancer. A little after 9, we started to walk our 4-mile work. It was quite tiring consider that it was uphill. However, after around 10 minutes, we arrived at the first-mile marker, marking the completion of the first mile. Maybe the walk will only take less than an hour to finish. Of course, it took way longer than that, especially after our feet began to get tired and sore. After more than half an hour of walking, we finally the second-mile marker. Immediately, we began to question why the first mile was so short or maybe it’s just that we lose energy over time and got slower. Along the path where the walk would take place, there will be volunteers handing out water bottles to support the walkers. Once in awhile, there will be signs that look like mile markers but in reality, it’s just an advertisement. Those signs get people really excited because we think it’s a mile marker even though it’s not. After what felt a very long time, we finally made it to the end of the second mile and there is still 2 more miles left. However, two miles took even longer than the second as our feet began to cry for help. The third and the fourth mile were walked with hardships and tiredness. It was not easy but we all did it. After an eternity, the walk is finally over as we pass the third and the fourth-mile marker. Everyone is tired, sore, and about to collapse. Though everyone finishes the race at their own pace, they can all celebrate together vgsjbhkn
at the end for completing the walk. After some group photos and goodbyes, everyone began to head their own ways. Some went straight home to finish their homework while others stayed at Central Park where the festivities are still going on. Besides the walk, there are many other things planned. There are tent umbrellas set up to support the cause as well as some of their own cause. There are boutique tents where they sell clothes that protest for the cause and against breast cancer. They are also refreshments given to volunteers and walkers, including lots of water to keep us hydrated as well as many, many bags of Herr’s chips. There are performances at the main stage at the bandshell. People of all ages with different backgrounds had all came together for the same cause and the result is a day of cardio workout and festivities.
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Jessy Mei
Photos taken by Jessy Mei
Monster Mash By Jason Xiong Volunteers had gathered together on October 21st to make sure that the afternoon will be filled with Halloween festivities. Upon arriving, there are already many volunteers who were helping to set up for the event. Volunteers were making fake webs and putting up Halloween posters. There were many “stations� that needs to be set up. Right next to the dance floor is the slime making table where the volunteers and the kids make slime together. Next to that table is the pumpkin painting table where little kids use paint to paint their pumpkins. They then left it to dry on the table and let’s just say most of them forgot to pick it up. There is also a face-painting station next to the bar and a bean bag throwing station. Kids soon started to come in and flood the place as they run from one station to the other. The station I was at was the word search/finger puppet/maze/bingo table. The finger puppets were honestly so hard to cut out. We had to first use a scissor to cut the outline so the hole puncher can reach the finger puppet and then we hole-punched some holes. The word search and maze are basically fun worksheets for the kids to complete and they get a prize when they complete one. (After we started to run out of prizes, we made the kids compete with each other and only the winner gets the prize.) The activity I was mainly in charge of was bingo. At first, nobody came to play bingo because the pumpkin painting station next to us was just so much more popular. However, that quickly changed after the kids realized we had prizes: bouncy balls, fake fangs, and bottles of bubbles. Kids soon crowded excitedly to play bingo. However, we started to run out of prizes. No fear though because we got extremely talented volunteers who started to make paper cranes and paper stars. Though nobody really wanted the stars, the cranes were a success. For the weirdest reason, the paper cranes appealed to them a lot more than the original prizes. Afterward, we started to give out the candies as prizes because kids kept on coming back for more prizes. By fxcgvhbjkn vgsjbhkn
the time the event was almost over, my throat hurt from screaming out what was on the cards I drew and congratulating the winner every round. Beside fun activities, there were also lots of refreshments such as drinks, chips, and candies. Kids got their face painted with cat whiskers and Pikachu blush. Some of them turned out great while others turned out quite frightening due to the fact that some people like to move around way too much. Parents chased after their kids, who were just running all over the place. It feels great to be part of something so fun and relaxing. Though it was pretty tiring overall, it was still a great event that I don’t regret going to. By Helena Williams On a busy Brooklyn street, tucked in between a beauty supply store and a 99-cent shop, a pale pink awning read “STUDIO 11.� A couple teenagers were stationed outside the entrance, inviting people in. However, once you climbed the narrow flight of stairs and turned the corner, you entered a Halloween extravaganza. Skeletons, spiders, and superheroes filled the room. Catchy pop music pounded from speakers as a DJ mixed tracks, and Key Club volunteers manned special stations related to all things Halloween. Kids of all ages completed crosswords, played bingo, and painted their own miniature pumpkins to bring home. Next to all of the fun and festivities, there were tables set up with special information for adults. Financial aid, housing programs, and other important flyers were displayed, and representatives from NYSoM (New York State of Mind), the organization hosting the party, were there to help. I arrived a few minutes early, when the room was being organized. I joined the group of Stuyvesant volunteers, and after some deliberation, decided to become a face painter. Although I was apprehensive about my drawing skills, I took my place at the circular table with the other three face painters and got my own brush and sponge. My first customer was a little girl, who wanted a flower on her cheek. Nervously, I dabbed my brush in purple paint and got started. I had never painted faces before. My flower ended up looking slightly like a blob, but the fhgjhk
girl smiled up at me. Next, I made a simple black bat that looked more like a squiggle on a vampire girl’s cheek, and I painted a witch’s face green. I thought things were going okay until an older boy came and asked to have a Deadpool mask painted on his face. Unlike a flower or a bat, this mask would have to transform the kid into a very specific superhero. I was nervous and nearly surrendered the project to the other, more experienced, face painters, but I thought that I should help out. After painting the boy’s face red, I asked for help. Two of the other girls came over, and I watched the techniques they used. They used photos for reference and worked slowly to adapt the pictures to the face. Maybe by imitating how they worked, I could paint images that kids would love. My real test came when another boy approached, saying he wanted a Captain America mask, to go with his Captain America costume. I asked the other girls if they could handle it, but they insisted, “You should try!” I pulled up a picture of Captain America on my phone, and studied it. I decided I would color the upper face blue in a half-mask to suggest the helmet in the picture, and paint an “A” on the boy’s forehead. If anything went wrong, I had wet paper towels to wipe away my mistakes. Despite my expectations, the mask went well. Really well, in fact. The boy was thrilled! I could do this after all. As the afternoon went on, I painted butterflies, Pikachu, and even a Power Ranger mask. Somehow, I’d managed to become a decent face painter. Maybe I wasn’t professional-grade, but the kids really liked my work. Being a part of the Monster Mash helped me to challenge myself. It also felt great to be part of an event where kids could have fun and adults could get important information and connect with a great organization, NYSoM. That day, Key Club was able to help out in an important way, but we also had a great time making little kids happy. By Freya Zhu: This event was one that involves a lot of interaction and patience. The way there was one that was both confusing and weird. I had a weird experience with one of the people living there and I had trouble finding the hgjhkj
location as I passed the building multiple times before realizing that I had arrived at the site. As soon as I walked in, I was blinded by the flashing lights and deafened by blaring music. I was called over to help with the decorations. I had spent about ten minutes just pulling and stretching the wool in hopes of making it look like a spider’s web and I feel that I was somewhat successful. My role that afternoon was facepainting. There, I met two people. A student that's also volunteering and a woman that used to be a makeup artist. Our first customer wanted to be a skull. With much patience, I was pretty satisfied with the outcome and most importantly, so did the parents and the kid. Before we knew it, a line had formed and we were busy for next few hours. In the end, I feel that we were successful as our supplies were limited. This event was one that I will remember for a long time.
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Kelly Chen
Photos taken by Kelly Chen
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Chenyang Wu
Photos taken by Chenyang Wu
New York City Hot Cider Hustle 5K By Jason Xiong Many runners showed up on October 21st to support Special Olympics New York. Some of them were professional and well-trained runners while others were just running with their family and friends to support the cause. Runners from around the city and possibly outside the city had started to arrive at the field doing warmups and stretches. Volunteers and others helped to set up the caramel apple tables, hot cider tables, registration, and more. Volunteers also set up the prizes for these hardworking runners: water and a special mug to remember this day. They also got a very comfy pullover to wear. However, all we got was a t-shirt (just kidding, we got a pullover too because there were so many extra ones left). After setup, the volunteers lined up close to the starting line (also the finish line) to tell the runners where to go. The race started with the sound of a horn and runners began running very slowly. Very quickly, however, a runner had finished the 5k race. Following him, more and more people had started to finish and began to head into the fields to get their hot cider and caramel apples. Soon, I headed in as more and more people went to get their food to help with distribution. Instead, I got trash duty, which I didn’t hate but it was clearly less fun than distribution. I spent the next two hours throwing out boxes, bubble wraps, foam, as well as the tear-off tickets that runners have to hand in to get their caramel apples. There were way too many tickets as people dropped them, and picking them up was a struggle after you bent down hundreds of times. The best part was honestly just the bubble wrap, which I enjoyed because there is just something so satisfying about popping the bubbles in a bubble wrap. It turned out to be more fun because I didn’t have to spend two hours talking (and sometimes screaming if they were far or walked away) to give in their tickets. After everyone had gotten their caramel apples, the volunteers excitedly opened their leftover ones to try it. The caramel and the nuts tasted really gchjbt
good but the apple was kind of… hard. The hot cider, on the other hand, was extremely sour but I couldn’t stop drinking it because it was so warm and heated you up on a cold day (it wasn’t really that cold, but it was not too warm either). The event had basically ended after that point and I headed back to the subway to go to my next event. By Freya Zhu Commuting to the site of this event was definitely challenging. My friends and I had devised this plan of how we can meet at a specific stop and then go to Roosevelt Island together. This plan did not work and we ended up being separated. I then got off at prince street and got lost. Him, on the other hand, was still waiting for the train. After much confusion, we managed to arrive at the park, separately though. We each got free shirts that may I say, look fabulous, and we went over to the area where the race was to start. There I met this other Key Club girl who’s a junior. We cheered on the runs as they started the race. The runners ranged from little kids to the elderly in wheelchairs. It warmed my heart to see the energy that these runners put into completing the race and I couldn’t help smiling. We headed over to the booth where they had the caramel apples and we waited for the runners to finish. We had a difficult time trying to rip off the little part of their tags but we managed. The handing out of the caramel apples turned into some sort of competition to see who would give out the most the fastest. Needless to say, I lost. The leftover apples went to us and the whole team devoured at least fifteen apples. After some cider and group pictures, the event concluded and we were allowed to go. This event was the perfect event for the fall season.
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
October Divisional By Tiffany Chen When I met with everyone at the fifth floor cafeteria, I was shocked at how many people I saw. There were at least 20 people eagerly waiting to go to HSMSE for the divisional. I was so happy; just a few months ago, barely 10 people went to the divisional. However, we had an hour to spare before we had to head uptown, so we split up to get food and water. Some of us picked up some food at the Junior Caucus’ bake sale while others (such as Jenna and I) went around Stuy to pick up water. Once it was 4:00pm, we all met up at the 123 Chambers St subway station and headed on the uptown express train to 96th St. Then, we transferred on the 1 train until 137 St. This was the first time I went to HSMSE and CCNY, and I thought the campus was beautiful. Some of the buildings felt like a mini castle. After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at HSMSE. We took our seats as we took out our phones to play Kahoot. However, because the screen was really hard to read, a bunch of us went to the front of the room to play, therefore relinquishing our seats. While the game ended early, I was at 6th place at the end. I was super proud of myself. Afterwards, we started the divisional, and I got to hear everyone’s announcements. It was really nice to see all my friends from different schools talk about their experiences at different events. Once everything was done, we went to take a group photo outside (since doing it inside would’ve been a fire hazard). After the photo, I grabbed my stuff and said goodbye to my friends before walking home.
By Jason Xiong On Friday, October 27th, we had our first divisional of the school year at HSMSE. This was my first divisional so I had absolutely no clue about what’s gonna happen. After parent-teacher conferences had ended, the entire Key Club (well, only those that were going) headed to the Chambers Street train station to take the 2 or 3 train to 96th St and transferring for the 1 train to 137th St to go to HSMSE. Upon arrival, there were already so many Key Clubbers there. I saw many of my friends from other high schools, which is probably my favorite part of the event. At the divisional, everyone got ready for a game of Kahoot. Excited like everyone else, I pulled out my phone and then tried to connect to HSMSE’s wifi. However, after many unsuccessful attempts. I started to debate whether I should use own data or just not play the Kahoot game. Before I made up my mind, the game had started and I don’t know to answer to half of them. Unfortunately, we never got to finish the Kahoot game because the introduction was going to start. At the divisional, I learned about how every divisional works. We start with the introduction, then going into the new and old businesses, and then finishing it with some miscellaneous announcements. I also learned that when we clap, it’s only one clap and it’s called a power clap. Each school’s Key Club president then talked about their past events as well as upcoming events. We tried to take a group picture inside but it was considered a “fire hazard” so everyone had to go outside to take the picture. As soon as we’re outside, everyone rushed to the flagpole to get a spot. The short people stood in the front while the tall people went in the back. Some people just bend down a little so they don’t block the people behind them. After the division 11 picture, each Key Club began to take their individual group pictures. Our picture was photobombed by Aaron, who stood right in front of me and I was pretty sure that he completely blocked me from being seen. We were also selling the baked goods we brought with us from the bake sale at the parent-teacher conference. When the divisional is finally over, I headed toward the subway station to head back home.
By Vincent Huang Walking to the fifth floor cafeteria after volunteering for my European Literature teacher, I was amazed by the number of people there, all eager to attend the divisional. Since it didn’t start until 5:00pm, we had a lot of time to spare, so we headed down to the Junior Caucus Bake Sale Booth, where there was an extreme discount on baked goods. Eventually, 4:00pm rolled around, and we headed to the subways to begin our commute to HSMSE. As packed and crowded the subways were, it was fun to hang out with friends and have a break from the stress-filled week. Once I arrived at HSMSE, I was amazed by the campus, which appeared so majestic and grand. Although the lounge was already packed, all 26 of us managed to squeeze in and there, we began a game of Kahoot, Key Club-inspired of course. I failed epically, placing 43rd place out of the total number of contestants. We then listened to many announcements for upcoming events, the most notable ones being the Fall Rally and LTC, a yearly gathering of Key Clubbers from all over New York City. We then heard from the presidents of each respective club in Division 11, and when announcements were all finished, the divisional was adjourned. Although we were supposed to take a picture inside the lounge, it was deemed a fire hazard, so we moved outside, where we took the divisional picture. Once all was said and done, I left the school with my friends and we started the long journey home.
Photo taken by Benson Goldman
Photos taken by Vincent Huang
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Wentao Lin
Halloween Expo By Jason Xiong On October 28th, I headed to Times Square with my friends feeling very excited. One of the reasons was that I got to volunteer at a place where I could just play games. The second reason was that it was my first time being the project captain for an event. Since a project captain should get to the event earlier than the other volunteers, I left the house at 11:00am, even though the event doesn’t start until 1:00pm. That was probably the dumbest decision I made that day. We ended up getting there more than an hour early and with so much time to kill, we decided to start eating lunch. When it was almost 1:00pm, we headed into the Microsoft office and Dave, the person in charge of this event, told us to wait as they sign in the game developers. After waiting for some time, Dave asked us to follow him up to the sixth floor. I stayed behind to wait for the rest of the volunteers to show up. Afterward, I went up to the 6th floor as well. The first thing we did was getting coffee from Microsoft’s two coffee machines. Everyone began to crowd around the machines to get their fix of hot chocolate, coffee, and even tea. A man then told us to put up some signs to show the visitors where everything is. After doing that, we went back to where we got coffee and some boxes (when I say some, I mean a lot) caught my eye. PIZZA! I didn’t know that they were going to serve us lunches so I already ate downstairs. Let’s be real though, who can say no to free pizza? Though I was somewhat full, I still grabbed some slices of pizzas to eat later when I get hungry. Dave came to us with a bunch of skulls and ghosts, asking us to put them up. He also gave us a bunch of candies and trick-or-treat baskets to put the candies in. We grabbed the decorations and candies and began to put them in different places across the floor. After that, we didn’t do much since everyone seemed to know where to go, though some people did ask for help. Near the double door was a table giving away Justice League merch and I had the idea to get everyone to get a shirt so we can take a group photo gcvhbjnhhh
wearing the shirt. All we had to do was take a picture and then post it to a social media using some hashtags. It was actually a lot harder. I went with Freya, Wentao, Vincent, and Annie, thinking only one of us have to post it. However, it turned out that all five of us had to post the picture to get the shirt. Finally, after a lot of social struggles, we got the Justice League shirt. Though it was my idea, we all wanted a group picture for some extra points so we asked a random person to take a group picture for us, on all of our phones. To ensure that all 5 pictures look different, we changed poses and spots to get 5 different pictures. Let’s just say it took a lot longer than intended but it was worth it. After the mini photoshoot, we went back to enjoy the expo ourselves, collecting pins, cards, and candies. My favorite table was the Complicated Board Game located at the Tabletop Games section. After all festivities comes cleanup and this event is no exception. As the game developers began to leave, we began to take down the decorations we put up early and carried all the chairs back to the conference room. We also had to erase all the boards, which consists of cartoon drawings, a promo for the company, and the wifi password (which would have been useful if I knew what it was 7 hours ago). We finished cleaning up and head downstairs to the conference room where our belongings were kept, trying our best to avoid getting excited over the Miku plushies that were there. After a long 7 hour shift, we all headed in different directions towards home. By Freya Zhu This event was by far my favorite event of the year so far. Everything from the decorations to the atmosphere was really fun. I was excited at first as visiting the Microsoft building is nostalgic and brings back memories from middle school. When we arrived on the 6th floor, we all headed straight for the refreshments area. We filled up on coffee and hot chocolate and then we were lead into the main room. We decorated the room with ghosts, skeletons, skulls, and buckets of candy. Before we knew it, people were flooding into the building.
After we had our fill of pizza and soda, we went off and started to explore the event. The first game that caught my eye was a puzzle game that plays with light and shadow. The game was very interesting and I had almost beaten the whole thing when I was called over by my friends. They had found a way to get free shirts and anything that’s free is just amazing. We took pictures and posted it on social media. Then we all got matching shirts. My friends and I got competitive over some board games that later were given to some of us. One of them was called status report. The objective of the game for the captain was to determine who the corrupted A.I.s were and to make it to the end without losing all of the crew members while the A.I.s were either trying to help them stay alive or try to kill as many as possible. The other one was a card game that ended when someone got rid of all their pieces. I had gone off exploring some more and found myself in a room called the Miku Jam where I found the cutest plushies. In hopes of getting my hands on one of these plushies, I convinced some of my friends to sign up with me. Near the end of the event, there was a costume contest and I really wanted the Harry Potter Legacy family to win it. I saw them earlier and I absolutely loved their costumes. Sadly, they didn’t win but a little boy with another cute costume did! After putting the chairs away, we were free to leave. This was a really fun event and I can’t wait to go again next year.
Photo taken by Vincent Huang
Photos taken by Vincent Huang
Photos taken by Wentao Lin
Photos taken by Wentao Lin
Photos taken by Freya Zhu
Photos taken by Freya Zhu
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Photos taken by Jason Xiong
Halloween Havoc By Irene Chen Truthfully, before I even arrived in Harlem, where the event was taking place, I was hyped for this event. It was my first event as Project Captain and it was a festival, which meant it would be one of Key Club’s more exciting events. I arrived at around 2:50pm, which was a few minutes early, and immediately met with the coordinator, who began to direct people to stations. I was separated from my friend and placed behind a table with activity sheets and Bingo. I was left without instructions, and I simply stood there for 10 minutes or so. Paul, the coordinator, came back and told me to cut out paper finger puppets and run the Bingo game. A few other volunteers began to arrive and they manned the other stations. A few minutes after Paul left, people began to walk through the doors to our section. The festival took place in four different family-owned gardens. The first had cotton candy, balloon animals, and registration. The next, where I was located, had Bingo, face painting, and pumpkin painting. The third included decorating cookies and other things. The fourth made slime. Personally, I felt the event was rather chaotic at first, and I wasn’t particularly enjoying it. Bingo wasn’t the most interesting game and the wind was constantly blowing our activity sheets and bingo chips off the table. Contrary to my earlier excitement, the turnout and my high expectations left me feeling a bit disappointed. However, in the second half of the event, my mood began to change as the lackluster event began to seem more appealing. I walked through a few of the booths, got some cotton candy, and visited the other volunteers, where I was able to chat with Key Clubbers from HSMSE as well. As the event progressed, more people became interested in Bingo, and watching the kids happily yelling “BINGO!” was nice. Most of the kids were dressed up in Halloween costumes; some went as the common superhero or monster, and gfhgjhkj
others created their own costumes, like Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Near the end of the event, we gathered for a group picture which a couple Key Clubbers from HSMSE decided to photobomb, and the event ended as we stayed behind to clean up. Overall, the event was a lot of fun, and I was able to meet a lot of new people. I’ll definitely be going to this event again next year, should NYSoM organize it again.
Photos taken by Irene Chen
Photos taken by Irene Chen
Photos taken by Julie Zheng
Photos taken by Sammi Yang
Photos taken by Sammi Yang
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