2015 February/March Tex-O-Key

The Tex-O-Key

TEXAS OKLAHOMA DISTRICT KEY CLUB

VOLUME 3 EDITION 5 tokeyclub.com

2015 February & March

VISIT TOKEYCLUB.COM

APRIL 9-12, 2015

SHERATON DALLAS HOTEL

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Texas-Oklahoma Key Clubbers, It is my honor and privilege to officially invite you all to the 66th Annual District Convention in Dallas, Texas from April 9-12, 2015. This is the most fun and exciting event of the Key Club year where you’ll surely have an “adventure.” I cannot wait for you all to see how we incorporate the theme into every aspect of your time at DCON 2015!

For four days and three nights at the Sheraton Hotel in the heart of Downtown Dallas, over 1000 Key Clubbers will meet for a huge celebration of accomplishments and a year of service. Not only will you be able to meet these other members, but you’ll have the chance to make lasting friendships and share ideas, making the most out of this unforgettable experience. I hope you all are ready for some informative yet exciting forums, fun activities, and a lot of contests that anyone can enter!

The District Board and I hope that this convention will help spark a new passion in you as a servant leader. In order to do this, we are once again offering forums that will provide quality information in an array of areas. Some forum topics include improving public speaking, reaching out to the community, stress management, and planning events. You will have the opportunity to attend six forums during your stay!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact your respective LTG or myself. We hope to see you on April 9-12 at District Convention 2015 for a Service Adventure!

Yours in Service, Andrew Loh Convention Liaison Texas-Oklahoma District 07

On behalf of the Texas-Oklahoma District Board of Key Club International, I cordially invite you to attend the 66th Annual District Convention April 9th-12th, 2015 in Dallas, Texas.

Dallas is truly an awe-inspiring city that has so much to offer.

From the Reunion Tower, to the John F. Kennedy Memorial, to the Perot Museum, you and your fellow Key Club members will experience Texas culture at its best. In addition to our hard work at convention, we will be having some fun as well! There will be interactive forums, service-oriented activities, wild contests, and our exciting awards ceremony. Don’t forget to bring your best pterodactyl moves to the Governor’s Ball!

This year’s convention theme, ‘Service Adventure,’ will be the greatest one yet. Our Welcoming Activity Committee, Events Public Relations Committee, Contest and Awards Committee, and the entire District Board have been working extremely hard to ensure this convention ‘roars’ its way into history.

Be sure to register starting February 1st, 2015 and see you in Dallas for a ‘Service Adventure’!

Yours in Service, Kaitlyn Wilson, Texas-Oklahoma District Governor

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☆;

CONTENTS

FUNSTUFF;

❝TAKE A LOOK INSIDE.❞

❝FIND THE FUN IN SERVICE.❞

04 DCON Invitations

FUN FACTS A T-rex's arm was only 3 feet long and it had 2-fingered hands!

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09 Governor’s Report

Alisa Vo, Mustang

❞ RIDDLES

10 From International

At 100 tons, the Arentinosaurus were the heaviest dinosaurs.

Diana Vazquez, Cypress Ridge

24 Looking Back 32 Letters to the Editor

What is a T-rex's least favorite song? Answer on page 18!

Shannon Steele, Cypress Woods

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14 DCON 2015

❞

Hannah Varghese, Allen

What do you call a fossil that doesn't ever want to work? Answer on page 28!

EDITOR’S UPDATES & NEWS TOKeyClub.com Editor’s Blog T-O District Key Club Editors Text @TOEd to

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An overall theme for each Tex-O-Key will be posted every 2 months on the TO website. Anyone may email me riddles & fun facts relating to the theme for +5 points if it is published in the Tex-O-Key!

Anyone may email me Key Club-related photos for +1 point per photo if it is published in the Tex-O-Key! Be sure to follow the criteria in the 2014-2015 Newsletters & Articles Guidelines. Cover photo by Springs Wood.

☆NOTE

EDITOR’S

Hey T-O Key Clubbers!

This is my last Tex-O-Key of my 2014-2015 term. It has been an absolute honor to serve all of you and this TO District. I hope that you have found these publications useful and entertaining!

The dreary days of cold and shivers are almost over. With aw-

fully pleasant weather, coming in what’s better than embarking on a service event outside? There are countless of volunteer opportunities in which you may take advantage of the excellent weather for these few weeks.

Better go outside before the unbearable heat sets in!

DCON is fast approaching!

Please try your best to attend this crucial event. Your District Board has dedicated a copious amount of time and effort into ensuring the great success of our 66th Annual District Convention.

Hope to see you there!

Yours in Service,

Emily Zhao

GOVERNOR’S REPORT Greetings T-O District!

DCON 2015 is almost here!

I hope you all are so excited! This is going to be an incredible event, one that will go down in history. Don't forget to send in your District and Governor's Project completion forms

by March 6th, 2015. Also, on March 13th Early Registration will end for DCON, so be sure to register soon! As of February 7th, I finished my Governors visits for the 2014 to 2015 year. I was able to go to all of the Regions that had a Lt. Governor serve for the year! Our Membership goal is to meet 18,000 members by DCON, and we are at 95% of that goal! Please do not forget to turn in your dues for the 2014 to 2015 year.

Although Lt. Governor Training Conference was canceled due to inclement weather, I am excited for the 2015 to 2016 Lt. Governors. The Lt. Governors that are serving the District next year are amazing. We can not wait to see all of their accomplishments!

Yours in Service,

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from your

INTERNATIONAL

PRESIDENT

Texas-Oklahoma Key Clubbers, As your convention approaches, I would like to thank you for an amazing year of serving your homes, schools, and communities. The Texas–Oklahoma District is one of Key Club International’s strongest and most effective. You all never fail to amaze Key Club International with your passion for making a difference.

As your year comes to a close, I would like to personally invite you to celebrate your successes at our International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. From June 24th to 28th, you will be with thousands of Key Clubbers who love helping others just as much as you do. We have workshops and educational seminars that will give you information to make your home club the best it can be, and we will also have dances, elections, and a concert by Hellogoodbye. I also have some surprises up my sleeve, and, let me just say, I have some amazing things in the works.

You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out what those are!

On behalf of Key Club International, thank you for all that you have done for your district, community, and school. You inspire me every single day, and I am privileged to have the chance to serve with you.

Together, we are changing the world for the better.

Thank you, and I can’t wait to see you in Indy.

Yours in service,

from your

INTERNATIONAL T RUSTEE Greetings Texas-Oklahoma Key Clubbers, I am proud to say that after a productive year of caring for our homes, schools, and communities, we are finally here. We have finally reached the end of our successful service year. District Convention is quickly approaching, and I hope to see you all there!

At DCON, take it as an opportunity to celebrate this year’s accomplishments, prepare for the upcoming year, and meet friends who share the same love of Key Club as you. For veteran attendees, enjoy this weekend because it will be over before you know it. For novices, get ready for one of the most novel, yet best experiences of your lifetime. For all of you, take this time to step outside of your comfort zone, and meet new Key Clubbers.

Finally, I would like to thank you all for the effort you have dedicated to this organization throughout this past year. Without your hard work and commitment, the Texas-Oklahoma District would not be where it is today. For all of those contributions, thank you. You have made a meaningful impact on not only this district, but also all of Key Club International. It has been such an honor to work with such a passionate, enthusiastic, and devoted group of individuals.

After an incredible term as Trustee to one of the best districts in Key Club International, I cannot wait to meet you all at DCON. Moreover, I hope to see you all again in Indianapolis, Indiana for Kiwanis’ 100th anniversary at the 2015 Key Club International Convention. Here’s to many more successful years of the Texas-Oklahoma District and Key Club International!

Yours in service,

Barry M. Seng

A Giving Equilibrium According to CNN there are an estimated 224 million roses grown for Valentine’s Day. 1.6 billion dollars will be spent on candy, 1.9 billion will be spent on flowers, and 4.4 will be spent on diamonds, gold, and silver. This is only in America, land of consumerist holidays. But I digress, for Valentine’s Day is now a holiday celebrated globally. One of which is Japan.

In Japan, Valentine’s day is a big deal. Like a BIG BIG deal. There are practically rules. Like, how on the day of, only women are supposed to hand out chocolates. Not men. And they generally give them to their male lovers, friends, coworkers, or family members.

They fall into the category of obligation chocolate or lovers chocolate, but hey, either way, it’s chocolate right?

On what is known as White day, men give return gifts to the women.

It’s this weird sort of circular process that never seems to end. Gifts seem to be endlessly passed back and forth in a peculiar gift giving equilibrium. It’s endless. You’re stuck in present limbo until the next year comes around.

But most importantly is that this holiday is celebrated literally every year.

Regardless of how bad situations are in Japan.

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And just like the different types of chocolate in Japan, Key Club is filled with a wide range of motivations. From an almost obligatory “my sister was in this club” to a manic “ILOVETOVOLUNTEERIT’SMYLIF E” sort of attitude, the flavors of members in this organization are almost infinite.

But there hasn’t been a year since 1925 that Key Club hasn’t helped to quite literally change the world. Key Club lasted through the Great Depression and both World Wars and I have to say that’s pretty amazing. It’s an organization where the desire and passion to give to a loved one on a holiday has been bottled up and saved for those who need it the most. And, it was founded one year before Godiva Chocolate. THAT’S how old Key Club is.

THAT’S how utterly constant it is.

And its members give time and effort and smiles and cheers back to their community, who in turn, gives them a more conducive environment with which to grow in.

Key Club is a medium through which our own sort of equilibrium can be reached because regardless of your motivation to volunteer and to give, you’ll always get something back.

By Ashley Tsao, Garland

Key Club Love Valentine’s Day is great. Candy, flowers, and cheesy cards, what more could a girl want? Well, apart from materialistic items, it is important that we discover and cherish what we love.

This Valentine’s Day, I want to recognize Key Club because I continue to fall in love with this organization every day. Key Club is awesome because of it’s people, impact, and experiences.

First, have you met cooler people than Key Clubbers? Some of the most welcoming, outgoing, and loving people I have ever met were those that I got to know throughout my Key Club journey. In fact, some of my best friends were made on the district board even though we see each other a couple times a year. More importantly, the Kiwanis sponsoring clubs are so helpful and generous with their time and work. It inspires me to grow up to be as selfless and kind as them.

Next, the impact of Key Club is enormous as the world’s largest high school service organization is monumental. What other organization can say that they earned $3 million dollars to combat neo-natal maternal tetanus?

Or that, every year, kids go out to trick or treat for UNICEF, instead of can-

dy? The numbers clearly indicate the effects of many people working toward a common goal; that is the beauty of Key Club International. I am blessed and grateful to have found an organization that shares my love for service.

Finally, the experiences I have gained throughout my years in Key Club have made a positive impact in my life. Freshman year, I came into high school shy and unclear of my future. However, I soon gained an officer position which allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and reach bigger things. I did a good job and was promoted to presidency the next year. As president, I was often under a lot of stress and had to handle difficult situations. However, I believe that year made me stronger and a better leader. Now, as LTG, I have learned to interact with others and represent their views on the district board.

This Valentine’s Day, I will think of the greatest love of my life: Key Club. Because Key Club has given me so much, I plan to repay this organization with my service and love to the community.

By Amy Jiang, Division 3N LTG

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16 Eunice Iyalho 17 Theodora Winter 18 Crystal Tran Photo Credit: Google Images 20 Ketty Lam 21 Tiffany Yang 22 Sarika Sabnis 23 Tiffany Yang

AN ADVENTURE

DISTRICT CO

ONVENTION

5 WITH DCON

THINGS WRONG

DCON is great; this we all know. In fact it's probably one of the highlights of my year. But there are a couple of negatives about it that I feel like I just have to bellyache about.

DCON is only a weekend long. Just that sentence makes me want to weep. Therefore, DCON should be a whole year long. Enough said.

Because DCON is only a weekend long, there is never enough time to do everything you want! I want to go to all of the forums and meet more people and explore more of what the Sheraton and Dallas have to offer and be more inspired and get to know about service a little more and so much more! But it's only three days and nights! That being said, I believe it would be best for us to remove all activities but caucusing and voting. That way I don't have to meticulously plan out my day to include as many fun activities as possible.

ALL of the forums are superb! I have such a huge problem with this. It irks me to the bone! First of all, why does it seem like every year they choose all of the best forums?

Would it be too much to ask for the coordinators to sprinkle in mediocre forums every once in a while? This would make choosing which forum to go to much easier! Right now, I want to attend every single forum but it's impossible as there is only one of me.

I'm reduced to eenie-meenie-minee-mo'ing which forum I go to. Although I always choose a forum that ends up being outstanding, I know I definitely missed another one that was just as superb. In order to remedy this, I suggest that we just spend a whole twenty four hours on forums. Literally twenty four hours. Each forum will be the usual fifty minutes but there will be twenty four of them and no two forums will be at the same time. If you're that worried about sleeping and eating and showering and other menial things, you DO have ten minutes to take care of businesses.

The Key Clubbers you meet are too nice. Unfortunately, this isn't the superficial nice. This is the real-deal, honest nice. These people are too amiable and friendly and welcoming. Obviously we need more riff-raff and hoodlums to attend. All good people should be kicked out because I won't have the chance to meet all of you.

DCON is entirely too fun. This is supposed to be a learning experience for us right? So why is it so much fun? Why do I never want to leave? Why do I dread my last DCON? Why? Why? Why? It's because somehow, they've taken everything and found a way to infuse the element of "fun" into it. This is unacceptable. It should be taken into consideration that we would all benefit from a little boring. A little dullness perhaps. Something that will prevent tears on the last day and leave us eager to return home. Something that won't inspire me to go out and build our homes our schools and our communities. Something like what normal conventions I like. DCON is the highlight of my year and I don't like how sad I am when I have to leave. If we could eliminate every emotion but boredom from DCON, it would be perfect.

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So there we go. All that's wrong with DCON. Oh you might gush about how perfect it is; however, if we could change these five things, you'd realize how much better it could be.

By Eunice Iyalho, Mansfield

reasons to 5 go to DCON I suffer from some serious post-DCON depression! I need my Key Clubbers from the mighty TO District to make me feel better! DCON was honestly the best experience, it really makes you appreciate how much our club accomplished and it inspires to you accomplish more. This is my second time attending and do not regret coming back at all. DCON really is the best experience because you surround yourself with so many awesome people who love the same stuff you do. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever been surrounded by so many positive and inspiring people ever before! So why should you go to DCON? Learn more about how Key Club is run. You’ll become so much more informed about how Key Club runs on the district and international level. Being in the loop is essential to being a better Key Clubber! You might also have the privilege of meeting some of the people who are on the international or district board.

Help pick our district board. This is a really important part of DCON. You witness a series of speeches for you and your club to decide who you would to be the new district board. If you represent your club in the House of Delegates, you are able to vote on the last two people left for your club.

Get inspiration for your club. On Thursday night, there is a wonderful service fair that displays some of the best service projects put on by the T-O district key clubs! People also man the stations so you can ask them about how they executed the project. Some forums also feature ideas for your club if you want to raise spirit or plan more projects. I really liked the project planning forum featured this year and the spirit forum for Mansfield High School because it gave me some awesome ideas for how to amp in spirit for our club!

Meet some AWESOME people. Sunday is always the hardest day because even though you’ve only known these people for a short time, they already feel like family. I was fortunate enough to see some people this year and last year but that only made it harder to say goodbye. Luckily we have social media, emailing, texting, etc. to make saying goodbye a little easier. The great people you meet from all over Texas and Oklahoma really help to make the DCON experience an awesome one.

Become a better Key Clubber. When I first left DCON last year, all I wanted to do was make our club more fun, successful and helpful to our home, school and community. I think everyone has that drive to be greater once they leave.

The keynote speaker featured also inspires you to be a better leader. You can’t help wanting to be a better leader and member because you’re surrounded by people who want exactly what you do. There’s always room for growth and you realize just what areas you can improve upon after DCON. And even if you’re a senior and your days of being a key clubber are almost over, they have some awesome information about Circle K and how to be a member.

I have no regrets attending DCON for a second time and I’m definitely excited for this upcoming year! DCON really is the best experience for a Key Clubber. Maybe I’ll be able to connect with more Key Clubber at ICON. I hope so! Till next time, Dallas!

By Theodora Winter, Garland

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Why You Should As the year begins to wind down, there’s one big event coming up that will definitely bolster everybody’s dreary mood: District Convention, or DCON as the more appropriate abbreviation. It is the biggest event for Key Clubs all year round, excluding the International Convention and a bunch of other important events as well, but let us keep our focus on DCON. Held in April, it is a four-day event in which Key Clubs all over the district can come together and celebrate and learn more and more about Key Club itself.

There are informative forums dictating ways to better your club in terms of membership and involvement, and there are silly but fun forums for bringing Key Clubbers together such as Zumba and Just Dance, where people aren’t afraid to put themselves out there and laugh at each other. There is something kind of surreal about walking into the Sheraton Hotel and being surrounded by like-minded people from all over - for our district, anyways - Texas and Oklahoma. DCON provides a way for us to get to know members from other clubs and forge

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bonds that we would not have made if we hadn’t gone to DCON. A defining part of DCON is definitely its myriad of competitions, club-wise and individual. There are a few that people hear about and grimace, such as the impromptu essay contest in which you are given an unknown prompt and an hour and a half to produce a thoughtful and coherent essay. There are the fan favorites such as the video game competition, which varies from year to year, and so far we have touched upon Mario Kart and Just Dance. Then there are the ones that highlight the friendly rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma - the quiz bowl, where five players from each state are selected through rigorous testing to battle it out in front of DCON attendees to see which state will emerge victorious. Don’t forget to count out the talent show, a staple of the awards banquet that showcases the best of the best, whether alone or together, and including but not limited to: singing, dancing, acting, and acrobatics, all voted on by the attendees themselves. However, the ones that people are the most excited for are the ones

Answer to the Joke of the Month: "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands.”

d Attend DCON for the Key Clubs themselves, specifically the Top 25 - the clubs that have worked above and beyond, producing exemplary monthly reports and newsletters, and overall went the extra mile in order for their club to be recognized for its prowess.

The Texas-Oklahoma DCON is held annually in downtown Dallas, Texas, a city full of its little quirks, local eateries, and a surprisingly quiet city life. There is plenty of time for Key Clubbers to go and venture out into the city (safely and in groups, of course) and find the nooks and crannies of the place. There are even a series of art museums tucked away from the busiest of roads waiting to be found, holding priceless pieces from many years gone. If you are not the outside type (like me), then the hotel boasts the typical hotel services such as the glistening pool, the gyms and its many fancy and complicated machines, and the general vastness of the hotel that begs to be explored. Also, if you are afraid from taking time off from school due to falling behind on your schoolwork, do not worry. The hotel also has a large area of ta-

bles and chairs, comfy sofas, and computers accessible to us studious types, providing the perfect environment to get things done. Make sure you get things done so you can do all of the other things listed above!

Finally, the District Convention is the last time for a Key Club to come together under the leadership of the former officers, who have stepped down to allow a new generation of officers to arise, all of whom will have to attend respective forums for their new and shiny jobs, pockmarked with obstacles lying ahead. It is a time to say goodbye to the past and welcome the future. However, it isn’t a time of sadness or bitter sweetness, but a time of remembrance and celebration of all the hard work we have put in for the past year.

DCON: a place formed to be informative, to meet new people, to do crazy and fun things, to compete with each other, to look out for the finish line, and to say hello to what is to come.

So, what’s stopping you from going?

By Crystal Tran, Cinco Ranch

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An Unforgettable Weekend No matter how many trips and conventions I go to throughout my high school year, nothing will ever compare to DCON 2013- my first DCON served as my eye opener to what Key Club is really all about.

I pursued the officer position of club secretary in the middle of my freshman year, and at that time Key Club did not necessarily serve a large purpose in my life. Volunteering seemed like a nice way for me to spend time with my friends while doing something that is actually beneficial to my community, however, I didn’t quite understand the true meaning of being a Key Clubber. DCON changed everything for me. It was only Jersey Village’s first year attending this convention and nobody knew exactly

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what to expect. After spending four whole days among hundreds of other Key Clubbers, I had the opportunity to get to know Key Club at not a school level, but at a district wide and even at an international level. I finally realized that this club I was involved in was not just a little club; it was something so much bigger than I could have ever imagined. Children’s Miracle Network, ELIMINATE, Governor’s Projects- all of these things that Key Club as a whole is involved in help out so many of those in need. I came back from DCON wanting to do more service projects, more volunteering, and more helping out to not only my community, but also to people all around the world. Now that I knew that I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life, I figured out what my purpose in Key Club was; to help better people’s lives, caring, it’s out way of life.

The amount of love and joy that exists at DCON is unbelievable. Everyone around me was friendly and welcoming. Numerous new friendships sparked up that could last a lifetime.

Some of the people I met have helped me become a better person and a better officer. They answered my questions, gave me instructions and advice on what to do, and most importantly, supported me in what I wanted to do. They understood what it is like to be in my position and showed me how to love others.

A single weekend in Dallas gave me motivation to do something bigger than just go through the motions of life; I wanted my life to have a meaning. By Ketty Lam, Jersey Village

Fundraising Ideas Regardless of what club you're in, you know how hard it is to advertise events in order to obtain the necessary funds for your club to stay afloat. As DCON is approaching, every club should be working on acquiring said funds in order to help their members go to the best convention of the year!

1. Have a movie night (Participants can pay an entrance fee, such as $5 to get in and food can be sold at the event to raise additional funds.)

2. Have a sports tournament (i.e. Frisbee, basketball, volleyball. Make sure you write out things such as waivers and you could possibly need a medical tent) 3. Have a contest (such as a guessing how many jellybeans are in a jar and have guessers pay $1 to guess, or having a hairy leg contest [have participants put money into jars to vote on the hairiest leg! Sounds nasty, but it’s pretty funny!])

4. HAVE A KARAOKE NIGHT! 5. Have a bake sale (Make sure that you’ve talked to the people in the school’s office about this; not every school will allow clubs to sell goodies during school.)

6. Have a video game tournament (Players can play games [like League of Legends or Just Dance] at someone’s house and an entrance fee can be charged) 7. Host an ice cream social (It’s a great way to get to know the members in your club as well! Plus having ice cream at an event is always a plus.)

8. Have a luau 9. Have a Sadie Hawkins Dance 10. Talk to the office people at your school and see if you can have a PJ Day during which people can purchase a PJ coupon for a certain amount that will allow them to go to school in their pajamas!

11. Have a Bingo Game (Don’t forget to offer prizes!)

Pick your favorite fundraising idea and discuss it with the club! Fund for projects and have fun with it!

By Tiffany Yang, Garland

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THE QUINTESSENTIAL W’S it’s been two years since my first DCON, and it is still one of the coolest conventions I’ve ever attended for an organization. Getting to meet people and see other clubs from our TexasOklahoma District has made me realize the intense scale of Key Club. Yet I, like many of you new Key Clubbers, didn’t initially understand a lot of these aspects of the organization. My decision to come was primarily because of my upperclassmen friends who said, with sparkle in their eyes and elation in their voices, “Sarika, are you coming to DCON or not? That’s what I thought!” And so, for those of you still deciding whether or not you should attend a convention for one of the largest student-lead organizations out there, here’s a rundown of what you should know. The four W’s of DCON:

W W W W

ho are we supporting? The Key Club itself, as well as our TexasOklahoma Key Club district. Key Club is an international ordeal; you’ve got the international regions, the state districts, the divisions within the districts, the regions, and finally the local clubs.

hat? DCON stands for the District Convention. It’s almost entirely student-organized and student-run.

Pretty impressive when you realize that everyone is in the same age group!

hen is DCON? DCON will be from April 9th to 12th, 2015, at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Dallas.

hy should I go? You will benefit from a number of things. 1) You will get to see the degrees of Key Club – and it’s a big deal! I remember first realizing just how impressive it is that this organization is run by students all the way up to the international level. We can do anything! 2) You get to skip two days of school, and come now, we’re all in need of that.

So there you have it. If you’re a newbie, hopefully I’ve swayed your decision to attend this year and support out TO District! There are so many contests we can enter, so whether you are creative, artistic, articulate, or quick with a buzzer, there’s a nametag at DCON 2015 with your name all over it.

By Sarika Sabnis, Paschal

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Another Year Another DCON! ,

With the 2015 year ensuing, we know that April is coming around, which means the next DCON will be just around the corner!

For those who don’t already know, DCON is pretty awesome. As Mr. Stolar, our previous sponsor, has said multiple times, “A Key Clubber once said that she will cry more at her last year at DCON than she will at her high school graduation.” I know that a lot of you guys haven’t been to DCON, but don’t let that sway any of you from going to DCON. DCON is a super fun opportunity to learn more about Key Club, meet new and passionate Key Clubbers from other areas of Texas and Oklahoma, and find out what reasons are behind some people’s love for Key Club. I’ve only been to DCON once (as a sophomore) and I deeply regret not attending freshman year. This year, I’m going for sure because I know that DCON provides me with the ability to learn more about potential officer positions and a really neat chance to do more fun things; last year, there were things such as: Quiz Bowl and a Mario Kart playoff (I didn’t play myself but it was sooo hilarious watching all of my other peers brawl each other in an attempt to win 1st place), and even a cool talent show!

However, to make all of these DCON dreams come true, funds are a very important factor. Although I'm sure many Key Clubbers love DCON enough to pay the full price for it, every club in the Texas-Oklahoma area has to be aware that not every Key Clubber is in the financial situation to be able to afford DCON, and that's such a shame, because no one should miss out on such a fun and awesome experience! Therefore, it is the club board's obligation to help each member to collect their funds to go to DCON if they truly want to attend to learn more about the importance of service and Key Club.

Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be forgotten that every fundraising event we have isn’t just to raise money— the real objective is to strengthen the bonds within our club and to have fun. Never forget how important relationships are in developing a great club and making sure that everyone can enjoy themselves while being an integral part in the community!

By Tiffany Yang, Garland

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LOOK

26 Christina Xu 27 Emme Enojado 28 Yeonsoo Koo Photo Credit: Google Images

29 Ashley Tsao 30 Sharon Zhou 31 Brendon Nguyen

KING BACK A NEW YEAR

New Year, New Key Club

By Christina Xu, Cinco Ranch Every first of January, people all around the world hope for the same thing: new year, new you. But what about new year, new Key Club? In light of all my past New Year’s resolutions failures (I know, shame on me), maybe it’s time I switch things around a bit. So here goes nothing: 1. Attend more events. Service being the core of Key Club, this resolution is the most important. And as an officer, it’s even more vital that I am present and active. Hopefully, I’ll be able to volunteer around forty or so hours this semester. (Also, notice I said “more” events instead of all--I’m already aware I won’t be able to attend every event).

2. Be more outgoing. I’m a fairly shy person, but if I want to be open and helpful towards members, then I have to learn to come out of my comfort shell. It’s tough, of course, but I trust that I’ll be able to overcome my lack of confidence if I put in the effort.

3. Stop procrastinating. Not just in general, but specifically with Key Club monthly submissions. My first newsletter submission back in April of last year was days before the May 5th 26

deadline; however, since then, and even with this month’s submissions, I’m submitting newsletters and articles either on the 4th or the 5th of every month. I’ve even sent things in close to midnight on the last day. For the last three submissions of my term, I want to be more on top of things.

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

Are you usually successful in your resolutions?

Whatever they are, I hope every Key Clubber includes service in their resolutions. There are always people in need, always people who need a helping hand. If every Key Clubber commits to their service resolutions, then that help can only grow.

I’ve been talking (writing?) a lot about selfimprovement and changing for the better with the new year, but it’s also important to remember the theme of the traditional New Year’s folk tune “Auld Lang Syne”, which is Scottish for “times long past”. In other words, New Year’s is a time for self-awareness and self-growth, but it’s also a time for reminiscence. Who you were in the past is a part of who you will be in the future. I wish everyone good luck with the resolutions, and a happy New Year!

Resolutions & Contributions

By Emme Enojado, Cypress Fair You have made a goal, formed a plan, and now you are ready to take it on. Congratulations! Pat yourself on the back and release the confetti: you have just committed to a New Year’s resolution. Studies show that you are actually 10 times more likely to successfully alter your behavior than you would if you didn’t make a start-of-the-year vow. Maybe that’s why a near 45 percent of American adults start the New Year with a goal in mind. This year, make a goal to be more involved in your community and Key Club. It can be a difficult task, so here are three tips and ideas for sticking to your goal: 1. Find a way to volunteer at least once or twice a month. Set aside a weekend or two each month to give to those in need of aid. The thought of it may appear to be impossible at first, but it can happen if you set your mind to it. Take out a planner, phone calendar, whatever you choose, and find available dates for you to volunteer. If you are unable to commit to the weekends, there are also events after school.

2. Discover certain events that appeal to your interests. Volunteer at places that suit

your passions. Do you like working with young kids? Then help out at K2 Academy, an elementary school’s family fun night, or tutor middle school students. Do you love sports? If so, lend a hand at a lacrosse tournament, fun run, or run the concession stand at a basketball game.

3. Recruit a friend. Are you giving some service at a local event? Well then, bring your friend, friend’s friend, brother, sister, dog, reindeer (okay, just kidding about the last two, but you get the idea). Volunteering alongside friends and family makes the work more enjoyable and something to look forward to doing.

You could possibly inspire them to serve the community more as well.

Make 2015 a year of giving. Be more active in your school’s Key Club. Find the opportunity to provide service, build character, and develop leadership. Not only will you feel better about yourself by the end of the journey, but you will also positively affect the lives that you assisted along the way. Our community does so much to help you. Now it is time to be the change, to be the good in the world.

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By Yeonsoo Koo, Cinco Ranch

NEW YEAR’S KEY CLUB RESOLUTIONS Happy New Year, everyone! A new year has begun. Every first of January, everyone is busy making wishes, kissing their loved ones, and setting new goals for the year. Whatever your personal goals are, I wish that they will all be fulfilled throughout the year. But now, it is time to set some more goals Key-Club-wise!

Here are some of my goals for Key Club and for volunteering in general: 1. Attend all the general meetings.

2. Go to more events and earn at least thirty more hours this semester.

3. Increase club activity by getting people to go to more events. Before events, ask people if they want to go and offer rides when I can.

4. Write articles earlier for the editor--at least five days before they are due.

5. Finish monthly reports at least a day earlier than they are due.

Now, what are your resolutions? It’s time to get busy. Here are few tips on how to set good goals: 1. First, try to make them specific, because specific goals are easier to work towards. If there are no specific numbers or criteria for measuring the progress towards the goal, you might get tired of the goal faster than you would think. Also, it is a good way to check if you actually manage to fulfill your goal, instead of just trying to estimate the success from feelings or thoughts.

2. Additionally, try to set goals that are realistic. Know your own abilities before you set goals, because if the goal is too hard to achieve, you will get tired after a while. Also, after achieving many realistic goals, you can gain the confidence that if you work hard enough goals will become reality. It will also make setting goals more fun, as you keep getting rewarded.

3. Lastly, try to remember your goals by printing them out and sticking them on the walls or writing them in the front page of your planner. Many times, people write New Year’s resolutions, but simply forget what they wrote. If it is written in a visible place, we tend to remember it longer!

Now, good luck with making and keeping New Year’s resolutions! And try to make some for Key Club and keep them throughout the year! I hope all your personal goals and Key Club goals get accomplished by the end of the year, and you will be able to give yourself a pat on the back.

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Answer to the Joke of the Month: Lazy bones!

Auld Lang Syne Should old acquaintances be forgot, and never brought to mind?

For days of long ago, my dear, for days of long ago, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for days of long ago.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup! and surely I’ll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for days of long ago.

This song has more often than not brought about an intense wave of nostalgia for the year that has just barely slipped by. A flurry of kissing, confetti everywhere, and the pop of a champagne bottle. All American traditions. All grossly cheesy ones yet upheld year to year: my definition of a tradition. However, as with many American traditions, this song was adopted from another country: Scotland to be exact. It is used to celebrate ends and new beginnings. How appropriate.

There is something dreadfully interesting about a tune that has been carried down from the 1800's. It is cherished for both its melody and its lyrics. It has been passed down through generations and adopted by people all around the world. Translated from language to language, "For auld lang syne" means "for old time's sake" in English. It's magical, in a way, and completely and utterly made up by human beings. Magical realism if you please.

In all actuality, I would imagine that Key Club is somewhat like this song, a tradition of some sort. I can't possibly remember a

single year in my high school life that I didn't see navy blue on the backs of students and hear about Turkey Trot or the Eliminate Project. It's become a sort of tradition in my mind, passed down from my aunt to my sister, to my brother, and to me.

I've met countless people whose eyes have lit up at the sheer mention of Key Club just because they were involved in this organization when they were in high school as well.

And I can only begin to imagine the tree of people that might have joined Key Club as a result of their influence. It's become a tradition.

The same Key Club pledge has been spoken in numerous tongues by thousands of different people working towards the same common goal.

So cheers! Welcome in the new year, celebrate, smile, give kisses, but don't forget the Key Club tradition of helping people.

And celebrate Key Club, for Auld Lang Syne.

By Ashley Tsao, Garland

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NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONS 30

Yet again, another year has passed in the blink of an eye. As the fall semester of the 2014-2015 school year comes to a close, Key Clubbers and officers are feverishly working hard to complete their hours, finish updating the hours database and doing what needs to be done before school lets out and everyone can relax. While we are relaxing, however, it is important not to just throw Key Club to the side. In fact, we should be doing the opposite. We should be using the spirit of the holidays and the New Year to promote Key Club and what it’s all about.

One of the most important things about the New Year is the spirit of new beginnings.

This idea can be completely adapted to Key Club; it’s all about evaluation. Take advantage of the New Year to assess the previous year. What went well? What didn’t work? Think of ways to fix what didn’t work well and when it’s time to go back to school, actually make these changes.

If you just talk the talk and don’t walk the walk, then it’s just another version of those infamous “I-promise-to-lose-1-pound-per-month” New Year Resolutions. Get the whole officer team together and fix what needs to be fixed to make the spring semester even better than the fall semester.

Another way to utilize the spirit of the New Year in Key Club is to start the year off with a bang. Every year, on New Year’s Eve, families and friends get together and celebrate the coming of a new year with parties, food, and fireworks! While I’m not saying that it’s necessary to gather the whole club together on Dec. 31 and light sparklers together (although that would be awesome), I am saying that the first meeting of the spring semester should be fun! Too many times, clubs are slow to start in the new year, and Key Club-wise, that could mean little volunteering opportunities, low number of volunteers, and a sluggish start in getting information out to members. Remember that although it might be the start of a year, it’s only the middle of the school year. Take advantage of the fact that many clubs will be slow to start and start your own club off immediately. This will help in preparation for DCON as well, which is only a few months away.

Finally, the New Year is all about family. And that’s essentially what Key Club is: a big family. Make sure the members know that they and their efforts are appreciated. When you have big clubs, it’s easy for members to feel isolated from their officers, and often, many of them feel left out of the loop. Take advantage of the new school year to let everyone know that all the hours that they log in are going towards a great cause, and every second of their time is valued.

By Sharon Zhou, Cypress Woods

NEW RESOLUTIONS, NEW YEAR

After a thrilling seven months of being webmaster, I’m sad to say that my term is a little over halfway over. In just two months, someone will be elected to replace me; in five months, I will be inducting my replacement. With this somewhat limited time left, I plan on making the most out of it by establishing some New Year’s resolutions to start 2015 off well, and make the rest of my term memorable. My New Year’s resolutions in regards to Key Club are to make general meetings more interactive, and to inspire general members and future officers.

General meetings are a very necessary, although sometimes very boring, component of maintaining a Key Club. Most of the time, members will file together into a library, cafeteria, or classroom, the officers will run the meeting, the members sign-up for events, and then promptly leave. Over the course of the year, they become fairly redundant and members tend to just zip in to sign-in and sign-up for events, then leave thereafter. For one of my New Year’s resolutions, I would like to help make the general meetings more engaging. In my club, at the beginning of the year, we brought in a lot of different guest speakers and implemented many icebreakers, but as the year goes on, it becomes harder and harder to find icebreakers and guest speakers. In lieu of this, something that we’ve tried recently are leadership-building activities. Inspired from our Key Leader experience, our sponsor has been very eager in incorporating some lessons and activities about leadership and being a good leader in order to help develop our members to become better people and better leaders, since that’s part of what Key Club is all about. We’ve only done one so far, but I think incorporating these in meetings would be a wonderful way to give more reason for members to come to meetings.

Another one of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to inspire incoming officers and general members. Throughout the course of my term as webmaster, I’ve been dedicating most of my free time towards improving my club in some form or fashion, whether it be showing up to service events, pushing content through social media, or planning out things for the future. However, something I’ve neglected is spending time to get to know more members. Most of the time I get so caught up in my own job that I forget about all the wonderful members we have in our club, and now we’re practically halfway through the school year and I felt like I haven’t gotten the chance to know very many of them. As an officer, I would really like to get to know lots of members and inspire them to show enthusiasm for Key Club since it’s such a great organization. Additionally, when we elect new officers and begin to train them, I’d like to take time to express what Key Club means to me, because I want to make sure that the new officers understand what a wonderful opportunity it is to build up and maintain an awesome club organization that helps out the community in so many ways. Although I’m only a junior and still can run for office, many of our officers are seniors and will be replaced, meaning we’ll have new faces on our board. As I go into the new year of 2015, I will keep these resolutions in mind as I continue to serve as an officer and work hard to accomplish them. By Brendon Nguyen, Mansfield

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letters to the ed Q:

We are so excited for DCON in April! Will there be costume contests pertaining to the theme? Also, what aspect are most looking forward to at DCON and what advice could you give that would help the attendees make the most of their time there? – West Brook High School

A:

I’m glad ya’ll are pumped for DCON! We are not yet sure if there will be costume contests.

Although we would love for members to dress up and contribute to the festive environment, we want to refrain from seeing any Barney’s ambling around DCON. Definitely be on the lookout for the striking ambience of “Service Adventure” integrated within every nook and cranny.

Be sure to take advantage of the many attractions offered at DCON- the Welcoming Activity, the countless forums, Governor’s Ball, and much more. Refrain from straying off too far from our events, it’s best that you remain an active attendee to make the most of your experience.

Q:

I was wondering on how I can improve on my newsletter. I wonder on what type of photos I should use for my newsletter next time. Do you have any recommendations on how we could overall make the articles as interesting as we can? I was not sure on exactly what to put on the article because the club has not done that much over the past two months. For the articles, there are a lot of topics that we can talk about, but I wonder on where to put our focus on and what type of topics could be interesting to do for our articles for Key Club. - Suehyun Lee, 39S Juan Seguin

A:

Whenever your club goes out for a service project or even at general meetings, always make sure someone is taking pictures! Ideally, the editor or historian is in possession of a digital camera or one other than a phone camera and takes pictures at every event. Be sure to take as many as you can, because at least a handful will capture the right moment at the right angle and will turn out spectacular! In general, aim for photos of your Key Club members doing service or their smiling faces. Try to limit high exposure or dark and cluttered backgrounds. And at the end of an event, be sure to take a group photo with everyone! Articles can be over anything and everything Key Club related! This includes all service events, fundraiser ideas, general concepts like Stress Management, Leadership, How to Survive School, etc., and also any personal anecdotes concerning Key Club. There are a vast array of topics outside of things your club has done, and you may always check out the suggested article prompts for inspiration. I cannot say there are any specific topics you should focus on, but I always appreciate out-of-the-box topics, like an article that is a story with a good moral or an article like “How to...” or involves steps.

Q:

We always add the question under the title for an assigned article to show you that it actually is an assigned article and which topic it is, but for non-assigned articles would you like us to do the same thing? - Sarah Griffith, West Brook

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For non-assigned article topics, just include a brief statement or phrase of what the topic of the article is at the top. If it is over a service project, give the name of the specific event, i.e. Car wash Service Project. This also applies to general topics, like "Stress Management," How to Plan a Social," etc.

ditor Q:

What is the difference between the "club newsletter" and the "staff newsletter"? They look really similar and I can't really figure out what the difference is. - Brendon Nguyen, Mansfield

A:

The Staff Newsletter is created by the District Staff (+ Int. Trust. & Tech. Producer) and it's for the District Board members, essentially all the LTG's. The Club Newsletter is created by the District Staff (+ Int. Trust. & Tech. Producer) and it's for the club members. I know on the TO website, the Club Newsletters are under the Staff Newsletters tab, and that's only to distinguish the Club Newsletter created by the District Staff from the Club Newsletters created by clubs. But the newsletters titled "Club Newsletters" are for you and other Key Clubbers!

Q:

Do you have any recommendations on how we could overall make the newsletter as best as we can? I was not sure on exactly what to put on the newsletter because the club has not done that much over the past two months. - Suehyun Lee, 39S Juan Seguin

A:

There are countless ways to add some spazz to your newsletter. Most of it depends on the editor- how he or she includes his or her creative element. However, there are some general ways to enliven your newsletter. Use a certain type of font for titles and headings and then a different type for body text. Also, change up the colors! Use combinations of 2 or 3 colors that go nicely together and alternate using those colors between the text, background, borders, etc. of a slide. In addition to the standard elements, other components you can include are summaries and photos of past events, a calendar of all upcoming dates and events, contact information for the club (website, Facebook, etc.), Member of the Month, and Joke/Fun Fact/Quote of the Month. These small things just all add up to create a fun and informative newsletter!

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He l p T oda y

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Tex-O-Key 2015 February & March