The Tex-O-Key
TEXAS OKLAHOMA DISTRICT KEY CLUB
VOLUME 3 EDITION 1 tokeyclub.com
2014 June & July
E D I T O R ’ S NOTE Good Day T-O Key Clubbers! I’m Emily Zhao, the 2014-2015 T-O District Editor. This is my very first Tex-O-Key, and I hope that it comes to your preference. I am dedicated to making the Tex-O-Key serve as a great resource to utilize as well as a source of entertainment for you! Suggested article prompts will be posted on the 5th of each month at tokeyclub.com. There is a new 10 articles maximum policy. The Tex-OKey will be published bimonthly on the 1st Saturday of the 2nd month. Please visit the T-O Website for the 2014-2015 Newsletter & Article Guidelines. Always ask me if you ever have any questions or concerns about newsletters, Key Club, or life in general (I’ll try me best to help you with the latter but no promises!). I am absolutely looking forward to a splendid year of diligent work ethic, astounding success, and perpetual memories with you all! Stay Awesome Ya’ll, Emily Zhao
GOVERNOR’S R E P O R T Hello Family! I'm so excited to introduce to you the first Tex-O-Key for the 20142015 year! I can't wait to kick start my senior year with this incredible position serving all of you. This year, I chose the Children's Miracle Network as my Governor's Project. I hope all clubs participate and get involved in this amazing organization! To find more information about our Governor's Project please visit the TO Website at tokeyclub.com. The Staff has been hard at work these past couple weeks setting up the new service year. I'm ecstatic that each and every one of you has joined Key Club. I hope this organization inspires you, just like how it has inspired me to give back to my community. I'm overjoyed to announce our membership as of 6/18/2014 is 17,844! Keep up the amazing work. It is truly an honor to serve each and every one of you! Yours in Service, Kaitlyn Wilson
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CON
TENTS☆; ❝TAKE A LOOK INSIDE.❞ 02
Editor’s Note
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Governor’s Report
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2014 DCON Retrospect
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2014 ICON Anticipation
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Summer Service
EDITOR’S UPDATES & NEWS TOKeyClub.com Editor’s Blog
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!
T-O District Key Club Editors
Text @TOEd to 512-982-9275
Anyone may email me Key Club-related photos for +1 point per photo if it is published in the Tex-OKey! Be sure to follow the criteria in the 2014-2015 Newsletters & Articles Guidelines.
FUNSTUFF☆; ❝FIND THE FUN IN SERVICE.❞
Hannah Varghese Allen
nas use sunscreen? Answer on page 12!
RIDDLE
FUN FACT During the summer, the Eiffel Tower can grow more than 6 inches due to the expansion of iron on hot days.
Alisa Vo Mustang
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Why do bana-
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07 Sophia Woody 08 Crystal Tran 09 Nikki Carter Photo Credit: Edeline Ong
09 Shawna Chen 10 Frankie Scarbrough 11 Cheryl Li
2014 DCON A RETROSPECT
Photo Credit: Edeline Ong
GOING DOWN
Memory Lane
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District Conventio ber! I had been anticipa certainly not disappointe and my enthusiasm for thought possible. I have going to DCON and see members, and service p upcoming year the best y It all began at the bus ride to Dallas, it was activities and take a look the Texas-Oklahoma dis every club’s unique servi I definitely found some n porate into our club nex Friday opened my eyes t next level. The forums a I am willing to take on fo opening session was an the keynote speaker, Ke not to mention hilarious! tion while teaching us va an amazing start to my fi
DCONQUOTES☆; ❝WISE WORDS OF WISDOM.❞
Alexis Heath Cypress Falls
“Time travelling needs to be invented so I can relive that weekend over and over again.”
Bernace Bernardo Harmony
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“My first experience at DCON served as something I will remember forever because it allowed my knowledge and love for Key Club to grow even larger.”
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on 2014 was definitely a weekend to rememating my first DCON for months, and I was ed. My passion for Key Club was reignited r service evolved in a way that I never always loved being a part of Key Club, but eing all of these incredible clubs, officers, projects has really inspired me to make my year of service that it can possibly be. e service fair on Thursday night. After a long s great to have fun at all of the welcoming k at the service projects that other clubs of strict had completed. I loved hearing about ice project and how they made it a success. new ideas that I’m excited to try and incorxt year. Also, attending several forums on to more possibilities to bring our club to the lso informed me of new responsibilities that or the 2014-2015 year. Later that night, the incredible experience as well. Hearing from evin Wanzer, was motivating and uplifting, He did an amazing job capturing our attenaluable life lessons at the same time. It was irst DCON experience.
Saturday morning was awesome to be a part of caucuses. I loved hearing from the people running for district offices, because it yet again gave me inspiration to be a better leader. It also made me happy to see the passion that the new district officers have, which I know will transfer into the new Key Club year. The leadership luncheon was another splendid moment of the weekend. I especially loved the Mario Kart finals and the Quiz Bowl Contest; they were so intense! Saturday night was the highlight of the entire weekend for me. It was very exciting to see all of the hard work of all the T-O clubs being celebrated and recognized at the awards banquet. It’s such a rewarding feeling to know that the work that you and your club put in is making an impact on the community, and being recognized for it makes it even more special. The governor’s dance was probably the most fun event the entire weekend. Dancing and singing with people from all around Texas and Oklahoma who share the same passions and interests as you is such a great feeling. The farewell breakfast was a heartwarming and special moment to be a part of. It solidified my excitement to take on my responsibility as vice president, and it made me realize all of the true friendships that Key Club creates. The whole experience was unforgettable, and I’m already counting down the days until DCON 2015! By Sophia Woody, Cypress Fair
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TaLe
oF an ImPromPTu EssaY
By Crystal Tran, Cinco Ranch It was all my sister’s idea to do it. She thought that our club had some untapped talents that would be beneficial at the District Convention and pounced on me. I have an unhealthy obsession with writing and reading many, many books, so she quite strongly suggested that I do the Impromptu Essay Contest. To be honest, I’m very protective of my writing; it’s one thing to show to my friends, but it’s a completely different thing to be publically judged for my work. Nonetheless, I had nothing to lose, and I was signed up for the contest as soon as our club arrived at the Sheraton Hotel, exhausted and ready to just climb into bed. The contest ended up being at 9:00 AM and when I arrived, I was taken aback by the sheer number of competitors that had entered. However, the people around me turned out to be very nice. Soon, a Key Club advisor announced we would begin shortly, informing us of the hour-and -a-half time limit and strongly advising us to be short and sweet, no longer than a page and a half, before handing us the prompt. It focused on the core values of Key Club International -leadership, character-building, and inclusiveness-and asked us what fictional character embodies these traits and why. My mind went blank. I plunged straight into writing. The character I originally was going to write about was Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, but at the very last second, I switched over to the most recent book series I finished: the Delirium trilogy, a dystopian saga about a teenage girl named Lena Haloway who falls in love in a society in which love is seen as a disease. You get a procedure when you become of age to get rid of it, essentially eradicating all of your emotions. The protagonist falls in love with a boy who isn’t supposed to exist, according to the government, and she gets sucked into the world of resistance and survival. She’s not leadership material; Lena spends most of the storyline struggling to find her footing in the Wilds and breaks out of her model-citizen mentality. She builds up a character of caustic measures to be able to survive, but still retains her true nature of kindness and vulnerability, traits that keeps her relatable to a reader who isn’t living in a nightmarish society. However, she only steps up to being the head of an operation if it falls in her expertise, such as invading her old home in Portland. The fact that she’s a conditional leader goes to show that she’s not afraid to disclose what she knows and what she doesn’t know. The value of inclusiveness plays a role here because, due to her lack of knowledge, she’s not afraid to ask for help,
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though it would take a few hits to her pride. The whole essay turned out to be four pages long. Oops. Though I did manage to have fun and enjoy myself at District Convention, the thought of writing way over the advised amount clung to my mind, and I worried that it might have cost me. When the awards banquet had rolled around, I was nervously moving around in my seat and after a forever or two, they finally announced the winners of the Impromptu Essay contest. Third place belonged to someone else and my hopes dropped so fast it created a crater where I was sitting. It didn’t completely register in my mind that they had called my name for second place instead. When I returned to my seat after an exhilarating experience of going up on stage, accepting the award, not tripping over my too-big high heels, and taking a picture with the District Governor, Luke Broussard, one of the adults sitting at the table leaned over and shook my hand, congratulating me. He went on to explain that he was one of the judges who had to read over one hundred and fifty essays, and he told me that since I won second place, it should mean something. That comment made my entire night. District Convention overall was a wonderful experience that I would love to repeat all over again; meeting new people and making fun memories.
THe
enD oF a cHaPTer
By Nikki Carter, Cypress Woods When I got on the bus with my club on April 24 , I was in no way prepared for the emotional rollercoaster of a weekend I had signed up for. I was conscious of the fact that by Sunday morning, my term as Editor would officially be over. I was also aware that with that end would come the end of my entire career as a Key Clubber. I did not doubt that a few tears would be shed over the course of the four-day trip, but I never imagined how intense my emotions would be when I saw the District Governor, Secretary, Treasurer and Editor—some of my close friends—stand up and be retired from their positions as the newly elected District Board took their places. It was really over. Over the past four years, I have been a member of Key Club. However, it was not until I attended DCON for the first time as a junior that I truly began to grasp the meaning and purpose behind it. It was not just another organization to stick onto your college applications because it gave you community service hours; it was so much more than that. From the first day of DCON 2013, when I met the soon-to-be-elected District Governor in a hot dog suit, to the breakfast that Sunday morning, during which I witnessed my best friend crying over the end of her term as President, I took in the true significance of DCON and Key Club in general: loving and helping people. I have never been anywhere like DCON. Never have I experienced such a welcoming, friendly group of people who just wants everyone they see to feel at home and comfortable in Key Club. Last year, they succeeded in winning me over. Because of my experiences last April, I made sure to put everything I had th
into my work as Editor. I stayed up late and into the next morning countless times editing articles, collecting pictures and designing and laying out our newsletter; all because I wanted the best for my club, division and district. I had not forgotten the people I met at DCON; they gave me a reason to work harder. I wanted Key Club to be known for great things, and I knew I had to do everything in my position to the best of my ability if I even wanted to make a small difference. My diligent work ethic paid off. I was awarded the Best Newsletter award this year, and I could not believe it. This shocking result and the underlying emotions of the weekend accumulated into tears two different times; tears of joy and shock during Saturday night’s Awards Ceremony and tears of realization and sorrow after Sunday morning’s Farewell Breakfast. It finally hit the senior officers; we were done. Even though I am still in a slightly emotional state when it comes to Key Club, I am no longer in sorrow. This chapter of my life has closed, but that only means the next one has been propped open for me. I cannot wait to bust it wide open in the fall when I join Circle K, and I hope to rejoin my Key Club family at DCON next year.
KEYnoTe sPeaKer Excerpt By Shawna Chen, James Taylor My favorite part of DCON though, hands down, would be the Keynote Speaker, Kevin Wanzer. His talk was phenomenal and possibly the best I’ve heard in my years of high school thus far. Connecting hilarious life stories with important messages, Wanzer captivated the audience and left a lasting impression on all of us. He has inspired me to remember to find the “funny” in every situation I face, no matter how dire the circumstances.
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❶❷❸ ↷ J U M P ! Keys, Trust, and Pixie Dust
At first glance, Mansfield Key Club’s forum could’ve been mistaken as a rowdy group of teenagers excited for a Justin Timberlake concert. However, if you looked again, you would notice that these crazy teenagers were excited for something MUCH better than Justin Timberlake. They were excited to have the opportunity to show other Key Clubbers how important club spirit is and how they can utilize a theme in order to centralize their year of service. “Keys, Trust, and Pixie Dust” was a hit among our officers at Mansfield and we hope that those who attended the forum had as much fun as we did. Singing “Let it Go” with other Key Clubbers is probably a once in a lifetime situation, well maybe not. Nevertheless, trying to choose who won the theme creating contest was a challenge. We split everyone in groups of eight, with people they didn’t know, and asked them to create a
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theme that a club could use for the year. All of the products were truly great and creative, with the “Bob the Builder” theme chosen as first and “Candyland” as second place. I was inspired by the creativity everyone inputted in their groups. This hour of positivity really introduced a few clubs to how service can be fun. Little did we know that so many people would be excited to make a simple theme! We were able to introduce ourselves and really get to know a lot of people during this forum. We hope that everyone at least met one new person during this time! It really wouldn’t have been as successful without the willingness and positivity that every person in attendance showed. We hope that we will be able to maintain these friendships throughout the year and see all of you guys again at DCON 2015! By Frankie Scarbrough, Mansfield
Harry Potter & THE
quiz bowl
At check-in, my sponsor asked me if I wanted to try out for the Texas Quiz Bowl team. Since I had done it at school the previous year, she thought I would be great at it, although I had barely answered any questions before. Without listening to my argument, she signed me up for it. Friday morning, I woke up at 6 A.M. trying to study for the Quiz Bowl pre-lim test (not that it did me any good). When I arrived at the fourth floor, I didn’t even have the chance to get lost and wander around: I simply followed the noise to the Quizbowlers. While waiting for the test to begin, Jeff came to the front and said, “This test is hard. Answering 10 out of the 30 questions is doing really well,” which freaked me out. How hard exactly was this test? However, no one was leaving, and I didn’t want to do the walk of shame, so I decided to stay and try my luck. When taking the test, every time I knew a question I danced a little in my seat. Peace of Augsburg? Thank you WHAP! Chemistry? We had just covered Gibb’s Free Energy! After turning in my test, I was happy with myself, even if I wouldn’t
make the team. That night, on our way to the Opening Session, Shawna stopped by the Convention Center and screamed, “CHERYL! YOU MADE THE TEAM!” It was absolutely shocking. Luckily, at the Leadership Luncheon I didn’t embarrass myself (that badly). When I got up there to compete, my legs were shaking and my body was twitching; I was so nervous. Then, I somehow managed to answer a question! My leg spasms stopped a bit, and I began to relax. However, once the moderator started mentioning Harry Potter, I geeked out a little (I am a major, major, MAJOR Potterhead). Unfortunately, since we were on stage, the entire T-O District got to view my internal happiness dance. Afterward, everyone who came up to me mentioned at least one thing about Harry Potter. It was such an embarrassing moment for me. But hey, I answered both of the Harry Potter questions correctly, and there are worse things to be remembered by than being a Potterhead and Key Clubber, right? By Cheryl Li, James Taylor
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Photo Credit: Alisa Prachan, Andrew Loh, Annie Ledezma, Brendon Nguyen, Edeline Ong, Jennifer Roca, Kelsey Endari, Mohammad Syed, & Natalie Heineman
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Riddle’s Answer: Because they peel!
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2014 DCON ★ MEMORY MONTAGE
AN ANTICIPATION
2014 ICON
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16 Tien Huynh 17 Aysha Moneer
18 Kelsey Endari 19 Alisa Prachan 19 Regan Smith
NOTHING MORE
ICONic Than ICON It’s no surprise that Key Club International is going to host another amazing International Convention. We may be hungover on DCON blues but hey, ICON gives us something to look forward to! Key Club already gets me all worked up and excited, but the thing I’m most ecstatic about? That is definitely meeting other Key Clubbers from other Districts and of course the true kid in me must say, Disneyland! Over the past few months, I’ve become really good friends with Key Clubbers from other Districts. I recently became friends with a Key Clubber from Pacific Northwest, and surprise surprise, we have so much in common! We are both violinists, love food (hey who can go wrong with food am I right?), and both are Lt. Governors. We’ve even talked about meeting each other at convention and trading souvenirs from our states! I can’t wait to meet all of these lovely Key Club members and I know, even if we don’t have much in common, I’ll love them anyways! International is a great opportunity to make friends and become more social. The quotes don’t lie folks. Key Club may not make keys but it opens doors.
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The cherry to top off this amazing convention? Like I said. Disneyland! Growing up, I’ve fallen in love with pixar animations and Disney movies, and what a perfect location to reminisce on my childhood other than Disneyland? Key Club just knew! This was the place where we belong. The sun shines each day in Anaheim making it a new beginning and new chances to serve. Now we get to shout like a kid in a candy store too and ride thrilling rides and by those cute sweet candy apples with chocolate mickey ears. How adorable? School might be over, but Summer is only beginning and this doesn’t mean Key Club is over. This is just a new journey and experience to look forward to! Let’s get ready… for ICON! By Tien Huynh, LTG D2C&2S
STUDIOS
ExcI(CON)ment The sun beating, palm trees swaying, and the rush of mingling Key Clubbers- the anticipation and excitement continues to build as ICON 2014 nears. This year will be my first year attending International Convention. As I pack my bags and count down the days, there are a number of things that I am excited for. This year, International Convention will be held in Anaheim, California. I am looking forward to a week of lush scenery, filled with all California has to offer. The last two days of the trip, we will be going to Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Hollywood tours. Getting to tour hallmark places within Anaheim will be fun and zestful, but being able to do it with both new and old friends is what will make this experience exceed any others. I’m thrilled to not only be able to bond with my old friends, but to meet new people, forming new friendships. People from New Zealand, Hawaii, Nevada, Ohio, Georgia, and all over will be at convention, offering insight on different backgrounds and cultures. From “pop” to “y’all” there will be an intriguing blend of exchanges and interactions throughout convention. The touring, sightseeing, and mingling will definitely be eventful, but the main and bulk of the excitement stems from the convention itself. Every year, International Convention is held at a different place, but no matter where it is, the underlying experience and content remains the same. ICON allows for people to experience Key Club beyond the club or district level; Allowing those who are attending to discover heights that had previously only been peeked at. For the first time, I will be able to directly experience the election process on the International lev-
el. From hearing various candidates’ platforms to attending district caucusing instead of regional caucusing, the experience at International Convention will be on a whole new level. As a newly inducted Lieutenant Governor, International Convention will allow me to expand my knowledge regarding not only Key Club, but everything in which it consists of. I am incredibly excited to visit California, tour it once again, meet new people, bond with old friends, but what I am most excited for is everything I will learn at convention that will strengthen me as a Key Clubber. Through the election process, the workshops and the convention as a whole, there will be a package of knowledge and passion acquired. Is it nerdy or Key Club obsessed to say that’s what I’m most excited about? By Aysha Moneer, LTG D39N
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Kelsey Endari, West Brook As I search the T-O website for the latest news and updates, the first thing I spot at the top of the page is an ad for ICON 2014. Going to DCON for the second time this year, I was immediately impressed with the upbeat milieu and the wonderful people that surrounded me. Now, when I asked around to find out what ICON would be like, I heard that it was a bigger DCON in a new city with fun exploration nights. I decided to learn more about it, and I found out that ICON is where they elect the new International Board, tour the city, and learn about more service opportunities for the upcoming year. During the first year of joining Key Club, I did not have the slightest idea that there was a District Board, much less an International Board. I found out that they had to make speeches, and we could attend caucusing rooms where we (the attendees) could ask the candidates questions. I found this a good and interactive way to ensure that club members from all over the country have an opportunity to have a say in our future president. The Vice President and Trustees were also going to be elected during this time as well. While viewing the schedule online, I was
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amazed that ICON was going to be in Anaheim, California. There could not be a better place with all of the interesting places, fun beaches, and most importantly, Disneyland! The Key Clubbers will have the opportunity to visit this adventure park and experience the thrill and adrenaline rushes that encompass the fun rides and awesome new friends! This club embodies a huge range of people from 32 different countries and, by going to the International Convention, we can meet new people and integrate their ideas to our home club. In fact, Key Club has become more than just an extracurricular activity. It is a way of life. Going to this convention would be the perfect getaway and nurturing experience aside from volunteering and fundraising locally during the summer. Key Club, being the extensive club that it is, truly makes each member have a definite purpose and goal for the future. Its nature of being a continuous process, not like other clubs, allows for the opportunities to work whenever you please, whether during the year, in the summer, or in my case, both. When thinking of summer, I aspire for an enjoyable and worthwhile time, two traits Key Club offers year around. I cannot wait for ICON 2014!
Al
T you tel Am I sands o over? Studios start p okay i month forward I tion is T year fo and ho about t tunity t others w we can the op Interna ing the kinda co W surroun from all Canada will ge
lisa Prachan, LTG D1N
T-minus 27 days! Can ll I’m a tad bit excited? ecstatic to meet thouof Key Clubbers from all Disneyland? Universal s? Is it socially okay if I packing for ICON? Is it if we skip the entire of June and just fast d to July 2nd? International ConvenTHE biggest event of the or Key Club International ow could I not be eager that? Getting the opporto meet and learn from will be so much fun, and n’t forget that we’ll get pportunity to meet the ational Board. And electe International Board is ool, to be honest. Within a month, I will be nded by Key Clubbers l over the United States, a, and the Caribbean. I et to spend an entire
week with those who share the same love for Key Club as I do. Those that understand that in Key Club we don’t make keys, but unlock potential. I’m so excited about creating fun memories and friendships. Plus, July 4th in California? I am so looking forward to wearing super patriotic outfits throughout the week with my American flag crocs. I am 99% sure you will see me wearing red, white, and blue the entire week. ‘Murica. And then there’s Disneyland. Being able to experience the magic that Disneyland gives off with some of my closet friends will be so amazing and unforgettable. Even though I have already been to Disneyland, I’ll be surrounded with my Key Club ohana this time. ICON is sure to be the trip of a lifetime. July 2nd, where you at?
Regan Smith, LTG D3S International Convention, occurring July 2nd to the 8th is an experience of a lifetime. This year, thousands of eager and dedicated Key Club members will be gathering in the sunny city of Anaheim to celebrate a year of meaningful service. There is nothing better than meeting up with Key Clubbers who share the same passion and love for service as I do. Whether we are trading pins, attending workshops, or dancin' on the dance floor, ICON is excellent to communicate with other members and share ideas to rejuvenate the new Key Club year. At International Convention, attendees are introduced to new cultures, perspectives, and ways of life. Awards will be given to recognize the stars of Key Club International. It will be inspiring to see the success other have achieved, as I gain perspective for my year. The thing I am most looking forward to is attending the service fair. There, I will learn about different ways to give back to my home, school, and community. Although I am excited about the Key Club side of things, Disneyland is sure going to be a treat. I can't wait to take thousands of selfies while having the time of my life.
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FUN IN THE SUN
Summer Serv Summer is Here Again By Samantha Pol
I’m Not Bored by
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Eunice Iyalho
Summer Service Projects by Natalie Heineman
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vice Summer Service Projects by John Tran
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by Mason Woods
Alex’s Lemonade Stand by Brendon Nguyen
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Summer Success
SUMMER
Photo Credit: Bobby Thakkar
Is Here Again By Samantha Pol, Cinco Ranch
Summer has finally settled in. With the school year almost coming to an end, our Key Club is more than determined to squeeze in events for the summer break. Like some members may say, there can never be too much service. I look back at that idea and agree. It’s somewhat like the well-known feeling of putting so much work and time into cleaning only to find out that the mess you cause afterwards takes much less effort and time to ruin everything again. And then you need to clean some more and the process starts over... again. But luckily, the “cleaning up” parts of service are much more exciting. Events for the summer that are great for club members should involve a variety of jobs for each Key Clubber to explore. The more members explore, the more experience they will have for a variety of situations that could possibly pop up in the near or far future. In a way that is super
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corny and cheesy, Key Club is a training course for the up and coming future leaders of the world. In events, it is the volunteers who take the initiative to make the first move in serving others. From pouring a glass of lemonade for tired souls to being the first to helping a child create a beautiful and nifty craft, volunteers initiate the actions necessary to radiate the perfect leadership-building qualities that a member of Key Club can reveal to the entire world. With the summer heat, expectations for the amount of events Key Club offers are sky-high. Though most members go on vacation, there are a few individuals, like myself, who stick close to home, bored out of their minds. Members such as I need a little productiveness to keep us going. The more events to preoccupy those few from boredom, the better we feel about how our summer is spent.
NOT
❝I’m bored❞ By Eunice Iyalho, Mansfield "I'm bored." The two words every parent dreads hearing the most during his or her child's summer vacation. Sure every kid, big or small, ends up griping about school and homework and teachers at some point during the school year and anticipates the day school will finally end. Then summer vacation starts and excitement can be heard and felt and even almost seen in the air. But sooner or later, the serene laziness morphs into lackluster boredom that follows you like a cloud of despair. Doing nothing no longer appeals to you as you long for even the monotonous regime of school to breathe some life into you. But there is a solution. There is a way to enjoy your summer and have it be fulfilling at the same time. Dare I even say, there is a way to never, *gasp,* be bored!? Yes. And the answer is through volunteering throughout the summer. I mean, why not? We each dedicate 50+ hours each school year in order to better serve our homes, schools, and communities. So why does service have to end as soon as school is finished? Why can we not continue to help build the home we are a part of, the school we attend, the community we live in for three additional months? Why can we not go beyond this and aid the world around us from June to August? The answer is that there is no answer. That is, no good answer at least. Because we can take up the torch we have al-
ready lit during the school year and keep it illuminated even throughout the break. We are Key Clubbers. We give up our weekends to go volunteer at elementary school carnivals or park clean ups. We give up our weeknights to volunteer at the local nursing home or library. So giving up a portion of our summer should really be no big deal to us. In fact, it is less "giving up time" and more "volunteering time." After all, we are a service organization dedicated to bettering the globe and we do that through volunteering. I encourage each and every one of you to "volunteer" your valuable time and effort this summer. I encourage us all to continue being active Key Club members through service. So whenever you're browsing through Netflix on a beautiful summer day, dying of boredom, stop and think of the change you can make happen if you were to go out and just volunteer. Most importantly, act on that change and go out there, round up a couple of friends, and volunteer your time.
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SPLASHiNG & P summer
service
Natalie Heineman, LTG D12/22 For most people, summer is a time to relax- a time when drinks get colder, music gets louder, and nights get longer. Summer is all about freedom. No waking up at six in the morning, no shuffling from class to class in a daze, no listening to lectures for hours on end, and you can forget about homework. Your only assignment is to enjoy youth. Yet, summer is when the greatest accomplishments happen. With all the free time, we are able to explore, discover, and let our curiosity roam free. We are not confined to criterions; rather we set our own objectives. Summer gives us the option of choice. What we decide to do with the choice is up to us. I would strongly recommend giving your time away to others: volunteer. In these warmer months, our Key Club will be involved in many long-running projects. We start out the summer by helping at a series of Western activities for children. The kids are dropped off at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark and given craft supplies. An expert on life in West Texas begins to educate the kids on pioneer life, native plants and minerals, culinary cowboys, and the history behind Fort Con-
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cho. A favorite event of our club is the Fiddle Fire. Our members help prepare a cowboy’s feast over a fire while a fiddle band plays in the background. Children excitedly participate in roping, crafts, and cookie decorating while the food is cooked. Towards the end of June, several members will participate in West Texas Rehabilitation Camp. Each member will be paired with a child with disabilities, whether mentally or physically. Our members will help their child join in normal camping activities, such as swimming, baseball, arts and crafts, fishing, and cupcake decorating. Airmen and Marines from Goodfellow Air Force come out to demonstrate their military equipment and help the children shoot paintball guns and archery. The police and fire department also put on a small show outside, which includes a fire truck the kids can explore. By the end of the week, each camper and partner create a bond of friendship. It is an enriching experience to work with children, especially with special needs. Summer is a time to cultivate your experiences. Make sure your time is well spent helping others and being selfless. It’s the Key Club way.
PLAYiNG projects
John Tran, Harmony One of the best times to be an active club is over the summer when everyone doesn’t have to worry about school. Although the summer is a good time to get practice in for the SATs or upcoming AP classes, it’s nice to take a break every now and then. And how better to spend that break than volunteering in the community? After gauging the club members’ interests, many were interested in working on service projects related to senior homes and children with disabilities. As such, we have a senior home in mind that we will be contacting to set up a weekly/biweekly event where our members could go to the senior home to read or interact with the seniors. The biggest interest was with working with children. One of the largest, most prominent children’s organizations in Houston is DePelchin’s Children Center, an organization dedicated to placing children in foster care and caring for children. There’s a variety of activities that people can do to contribute. These activities include volunteering at the head-
quarters’ warehouse to sort donations or volunteering at sponsoring events to help raise money for the organization. However, volunteering isn’t the only way that we can contribute to DePelchin’s. We can also host our own supply drive at our school or other location on one summer day. The drive would accept items such as clothing, toys, and school supplies. Lastly, one of the simplest projects to do over the summer is volunteering at the local food bank. With how easy it is to set up and how much of an impact that the project does, volunteering at the food bank is one of the best projects for the summer. Our plans involve setting up a biweekly schedule so members could volunteer twice a month at the food bank. The event itself is one of the most satisfying and fun because activities vary; the food can be processed for senior citizen programs, sorted by categories, or even made in simple bags for the hungry who the organization feeds. With all these plans in mind, we hope to continue to serve as events rise and opportunities present themselves.
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SUMMER S U C C E S S ! Mason Woods, LTG D28 Summer is here! Relaxing, swimming, tanning, vacationing, and many other leisure activities are taking place. However, there is something else just as important that needs to take place, and that’s the maintenance of your Key Club vigor! “A man says a lot of things in summer he doesn't mean in winter.” ― Patricia Briggs, Dragon Blood This statement could not be more true. I feel that many clubs make plans and talk about many ideas in the summer, yet never pursue these ideas or plans. The three keys to successfully making your club efficient in the summer are: 1. Plan! Plan! Plan! - Plan meetings for the next year and put them on the calendar - Create schedules for the coming year - Train your officers - Create project ideas for next year and put them on the calendar 2. Execute Summer Projects - Having summer projects is one of the best ways to keep your club active and unified - If you have summer projects in place, make sure to execute those projects - If you do not have summer projects, create and organize some 3. Do NOT Let Your Plans Die - Do not let your words and plans become empty - It is important to carry out your plans that you made during the summer
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While many people will be travelling for n in the upcoming months, I know that I e going many places. I’ll be staying in ’ Mansfield to do something every little tried at some point in their childhood or - a lemonade stand. This summer, ld Key Club is going to put an emphasis ing more lemonade stands for the non“Alex’s Lemonade Stand,” whose proo towards efforts to end childhood can-
lex’s Lemonade Stand is an up and comrity foundation that started when AlexAlex” Scott was diagnosed with neuroma, a type of childhood cancer, shortly her first birthday. However, she persend once Alex turned four, after receiving cell transplant, told her mom that she to have a lemonade stand and give the doctors to “help other kids, like they me.” This simple idea soon grew and she an astounding $2,000 with her first Alex and her family continued to host de stands and it started catching on
nfortunately, Alex passed away in Au2004 at the age of 8, but she left a rele legacy. Since 2004, the Alex’s Lemonnd foundation has raised over $8 million the abundance of kids around the world o set up lemonade stands.
osting a lemonade stand is easy, simple, warding. The first step is finding a venue.
Grocery stores are ideal because they’re always busy and have customers flowing, especially adults with loose change exiting the store. Call the store manager to set a date and time, which is typically four hours or so on a Saturday morning (from my experience). Once the location is figured out, setting up shifts and getting supplies are mandatory. For a two table setup, typically only 4-5 people are necessary, so most of the time only 10-20 individuals are needed over the course of the time period. As for supplies, there are only a handful of necessities, which leaves room for creativity. Lemons, water, sugar, pitcher(s), ice, cups, napkins, donation jar, and a table are the bare requirements for an ordinary lemonade stand, but there’s always ways to take things to the next level! Make decorative posters to make your lemonade stand more appealing, and think about serving complementary cookies as well or offering special flavors such as raspberry, pink, or strawberry. Never underestimate the amount of lemonade needed and keep a large supply of ice in a cooler to keep things chilly. The summer is not only the season for going to the beach and having parties, but also a grand opportunity to volunteer and give back to the community. Alex’s Lemonade Stand is but only one of the many projects that key clubs can do over the summer, and it is simple enough that just about anyone can do it! Consider hosting one of these charitable lemonade stands this summer and donate to end childhood cancer. By Brendon Nguyen, Mansfield
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Tex-O-Key 2014 June & July