2018 May/June Tex-O-Key

Volume 7 | Issue 1 | 2018 May & June | Texas Oklahoma

TEX-O-KEY TEX-O-KEY

"WHATEVER IT TAKES" A look into the new year and what it means to be a member of the T-O District Key Club.

//Cinco Ranch

NEW YEAR NEW BOARD NEW GOALS

Working T-Ogether to make the world a better place.

Table of Contents 2) Editor's Note 3) District Updates- New District Board 9) Governor's Message 11) Featured Articles 19) Partners and Sponsors 21) District Staff Contact Information 22) Social Media

Riddle What has thirteen hearts, but no other organs?

Email me the answer with the email subject line: School Division Month Riddle of the Month Ex: Awesome D55 June Riddle of the Month

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Connect Email: editor@tokeyclub.com or kyratburke@gmail.com Remind:Â @toeditor to 81010 Facebook: T-O District Key Club Editors

Editor's Note Hello, everyone! My name is Kyra Burke, and I am an incoming senior from Jersey Village High School in Houston, Texas. I am so honored and excited to be your editor for the 2018-2019 year! I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact me!

I am always willing to help. Visit tokeyclub.com for the updated club newsletter & article guidelines. This can be found under the Editor Resources tab. Be sure to check to district website, Facebook, and other social media for important District updates and information. Let's work T-Ogether to make this year a great one!

Yours in service, Kyra Burke

Letter to the Editor: May/June Edition From: Jennifer Finley, Jersey Village High School- What would you say is the main importance of an editor?

The main importance of an editor is to keep members updated and informed on Key Club-related events through the creating and sharing of newsletters. Editors serve as the messengers for their clubs and provide members with valuable information and advice in the form of an engaging newsletter.

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DISTRICT UPDATES

MEET YOUR

NEW DISTRICT BOARD

STAR Conference June 2018

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2 0 1 8 / 9

OUR GOALS

We'll do "whatever it takes" to: UNIFY the district by promoting closer relationships between Lieutenant Governors and the district board EDUCATE the district through consistent updates and utilization of social media GROW the district by encouraging more club activity and expanding club membership 4

MEET YOUR

Secretary

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Hey, T-O! My name is Bunsri Patel, and I am super excited to be your next District Secretary! I live in Houston, and I am a senior at Cy-Woods right now. In my spare time, I like taking naps, binge watching The Office, and eating a lot of Taco Bell. This year I hope to help every club secretary understand their duties and increase the communication between the District Board and y'all. Also, I am hoping to assist with the shift to online reporting and give helpful club feedback . If you have questions about ANYTHING, don’t hesitate to reach out; I am basically nocturnal so I'll always be there to help! Thank you guys, and I can't wait to learn more about you, your clubs, and see all the amazing things you are going to do this year!

Yours in Service, Bunsri Patel

MEET YOUR

Treasurer Hey y'all, My name is Addie Flores, and I am your new District Treasurer! I am so excited to be serving the strong Texas- Oklahoma and want to help you succeed in any way possible. I am from Harlingen, Texas, and you can usually find me at the courts playing tennis or in my yard playing with my little pup, Iggy! Something I want to prioritize this year is membership growth through advertisement on social media and a stronger bond between clubs and the District Board along with continuing emphasis on the YOF grant and Halo Movement. Another goal is for me to assist home clubs in any way, shape, or form; you can contact me by email, call, or through social media if that is more accessible to you. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know!

Yours in service, Addie Flores

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MEET YOUR

Tech Producer Hello! My name is Aina Sebastian, I’m going to be a senior James E. Taylor High School in Division 3 West, and I’ll be your technology producer this upcoming year. I am from Houston, Texas, and I’m a whopping height of 4’11” (but honestly I feel like I’m taller than that). I am excited to be documenting our journey together throughout the next year by producing videos and graphics to increase our communication. Communication of information is key to my position, so please feel free to contact me! This upcoming year I want to make sure to document Key Club as the amazing organization that it is. My passion for film drives me to showcase Key Club’s best sides. Aside from my Key Club duties, I am involved in FBLA. I also love music!

I play guitar, piano, ukulele, and the banjo. My favorite artists are: DAY6, The Rose (더 로즈), and Honne. I really suggest you listen to them! I hope for a great year, and see y’all soon!

I won’t let y’all down!~ Yours in service, Aina Sebastian

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MEET YOUR

Convention Liaison Hello everyone! My name is Nadia Rodriguez, and I’m super stoked to serve as your 2018-2019 Convention Liaison. A little bit about myself: I’m from Houston, TX, and I am a rising senior at Cypress Falls High School, where I am also involved in Science Olympiad, Spanish Club, and National Honor Society. When I’m not at school, you can find me at Kim’s Teahouse (or any local boba shop, hanging out with friends, or at my church). This year, I want to make DCON the best possible! I plan to increase member and club attendance through active advertisement throughout the year, and I hope to have a little something for everyone to enjoy at DCON! I’m super excited for this upcoming year, and I can’t wait to meet all of you guys! If you have any questions regarding anything DCON, feel free to reach out to me! See you at DCON! Yours in Service, Nadia Rodriguez

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Governor's Message

MEET YOUR

GOVERNOR

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Hey there, T-O! I’m so excited to be your District Governor for the 2018-2019 term! I know that we’re going to do amazing things within our district, and it will all be from your hard work and leadership! If you didn’t go to District Convention, you probably don’t know who I am, so allow me to introduce myself. I am Addi Duerksen, and I’m 17, a junior at Weatherford High School in the GREAT state of Oklahoma. I love music and the arts, but on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, I also love math and chemistry. My favorite colors are yellow and pink, and my favorite food is grilled cheese. Back on a more serious note, I have high expectations and even higher hopes for you all over this next year. Through my Triple A Plan – activate the board, advise the members, attract new clubs ¬– I know that we can easily achieve these expectations. Get involved, and as this school year comes to a close, don’t lose momentum over the summer! Continue to serve, communicate, and enjoy Key Club!

T-Ogether in Service, Addi Duerksen

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HUMANS OF TEXAS OKLAHOMA Emma Watson, Mansfield High School

Towards the end of my 8th grade year at Worley Middle School, we had a special day in which clubs from Mansfield High School would come to promote their club and to explain what their club did to benefit someone’s high school career. I remember being so excited to listen to different people talk about their experience with the clubs they were a part of and how it made their high school career more meaningful. While eating my lunch, I was waiting for a certain club: Key Club. Lunch ended quickly, so we couldn’t see all the clubs that they offered, but I was still interested in learning about a club that benefits my home, school, and community. A few weeks into my first year of high school, an announcement came on during advisory informing us about the first Key Club meeting of the 2017-2018 school year.

I was excited to be a part of a club thatdoes so much for our community.

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//Mansfield

During the meeting, the elected officers talked about electing freshman representatives. I was automatically interested and decided to take a packet hoping to develop more leadership skills while giving back to my home, school, and community. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would become a freshman representative, and later on, become the 2018-2019 Key Club historian for Mansfield High School. While being freshman representative, I fell in love with Key Club and being able to serve others in need, so I decided to run for another position. After filling out a packet and being interviewed I was chosen to be the historian. I was excited to fulfill a new position for the Mansfield High School Key Club. My Key Club story has just begun, and I have made so many memories with the board officers and the general members of Mansfield High Key Club. I have been able to meet many new friends and create many memories that will stick with me throughout my high school and even college career. Being able to serve with other people that enjoy making a difference in their community is extremely eye opening and allows you to make new friends while having something in common. I am excited to see how my Key Club story continues, and I hope to create even more memories with people who also enjoy building our home, school, and community! Â

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MEMORIES

Victor Xia, Jersey Village High School As summer approaches and the current senior class of 2018 graduates, I have had a lot of time to reminisce about the past year. Although my junior year was filled with oppressive school work, memories from one certain event outshine the malignant shroud of darkness created by the threatening trials of the school year. Specifically, this event was the 2018 DCON. As a shining beacon of hope, this one impactful April weekend changed my life and allowed me to persevere through the rest of the year. Recounting upon my experience at DCON currently, I can still feel the melancholy of leaving all of my friends from other Key Clubs whom I had just met that weekend. That’s how impactful this years’ DCON was for me. My experience at DCON was amazing. Right off the bat, I was developing stronger bonds with my new officer board, as I opted to sit in the car that had officers who I did not know well yet. As we pulled up to the Sheraton Hotel, despite my fatigue from a four hour car ride, I could not contain my excitement. The first day there was an exciting flurry of catching up with old friends, exploring Dallas with my club, and enjoying the inflatable festivities set up by our lovely district staff. The next morning, we all enjoyed the numerous forums and furthered our knowledge regarding Key Club duties. An extremely notable game that I participated in was Birdie on a Perch, played in the Ice Breaker forum. I had such a great time meeting strangers during the ice breaker, and it was through this game that I met and befriended another Key Club, as we both watched and cheered on our friends who were desperately trying to find and cling to each other. Next there was the opening ceremony.

Marc Mero delivered a riveting speech that inspired me immensely. Throughout three occasions, I found myself speechless as tears flowed streamed out of my eyes like a waterfall. I remember that for the next two hours, I was full of emotions as I began to rethink values in life. His speech transformed me and galvanized me to “write my dreams into reality.”

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//Jersey Village

As the weekend progressed, I spent my free time in a different way than I had the previous year. This year, I went out of my comfort zone to constantly talk to and meet new people, and it definitely made my weekend enormously more enjoyable. I indulged in playing Pool with other Key Clubbers whom I had never met before, and I ended up befriending them and making plans with them later on in the weekend. I also enjoyed an intense match of Mafia with another school (Shout-out to West Brook High School)! It was insane: mafia members were opting to eliminate themselves to divert suspicion! I developed such a close bond with some of the people I had just met that weekend, that we even woke up early at 5:00 A.M. on Sunday to spend more time together before departing.

Even now, I am still in-touch with the friends I made that weekend. Overall, DCON this year was a wonderful experience that was filled with memories that I will cherish forever. It allowed me to reach outside of my comfort zone to make new friendships, and it also reignited my passion for Key Club. DCON this year was unforgettable, and for all that it has done for me, I wish to never forget these memories.

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KEY CLUB'S TRUE IMPACT

Taher Hassanali, Cypress Ranch High School Key club has made a huge impact in my life and has allowed me to grow tremendously as a person. As a Key Club Officer, I have learned many skills that have allowed me to become the person I am now and I am sure that it will continue to teach me many new things in the future. One of the biggest things that being an officer and attending Key Club events has taught me is to be responsible.

Although that might sound clichĂŠ, responsibility is a key aspect of being an officer. In many Key Club events and meetings, I have realized that I have an effect in how Key Club members behave and act. Through this realization, my responsibility has grown tremendously as I am a role model to many Key Club members and create an impression on them by doing acts that create a positive impact. For example, one way that I can create that positive impression is by being on time to events and meetings. By doing this one simple act, many Key Club members will be able to mimic my actions and better themselves by organizing their time wisely and create a better habit for their future. Also, by being focused on tasks and completing them in a timely manner, I can set that positive impact on Key Club Members, just as the previous officers did on me.Â

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Lastly, by being aware of the thought that I am always being watched and that my actions can influence others, I am able to better myself because of the fact that each action that I make is something that I would be okay with influencing our future Key Club members. Overall, Key Club has the reach and the means to impact the lives of many of its members in the way that it can create new traits in people and better old ones. One main example of this occurring, is through the way that my traits have changed.

From being a young child and being irresponsible, I have evolved to become a mature, responsible, and organized person. This evolution could not have been done without Key Club and the endless lessons that it continues to teach me and the members involved.

//Cypress Ranch

//Cypress Ranch

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A CRAFTY HAND

Khushi Malani, West Brook High School

//West Brook

Since I was a child, experimenting with arts and crafts has been a very favorite hobby of mine. From paper castles to scrapbooks, I was able to express so much of myself through my art. This passion for art has grown throughout the years and I've come to a point where I want to be able to pass on my love for art to others. Volunteering at Family Arts Day at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas has helped me come closer to achieving my goal.

This type of experience gives me a chance to collaborate with other artists and most importantly, children!

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Children have a unique way of creating their crafts and art and while I assist them in any way needed. I also inspire them on what they can add to their creation as well. There are many ways to help out the staff of AMSET such as working in craft stations such as face painting or cookie decorating. In the most recent Family Arts Day, I helped the kids create critter masks by cutting paper plates in half and punching out holes for the eyes. From here the kids would tell me their ideas of what creature they wanted to color their masks or any animal they would want to be. I would help on the side by assisting on how would color their mask or even just watch and advise as they put their little hands to work themselves.

The fun didn't even stop there! There were many other stations for the kids that other Key Club members worked at; varying from making alligators from green clothespins and decorating cookies for the kids to eat. The kids also seem to immensely enjoy having their faces painted. While face painting, I was able to help the children do something they would otherwise not be able to do themselves. There were many requests by the children to paint a variety of things ranging from triceratops to flying dragons to spaceships. Afterwards, the children are always satisfied and enjoy the experience that I was able to perform. To be able to volunteer at AMSET was such an overall wonderful experience. I have been able to enjoy the experience of expressing my hobby with other people, while inspiring many children to be creative. I believe that children will grow in their artistic abilities and imagination by partaking in these events and activities. Knowing that I was part of their experience truly warms my heart. Â

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SUPPORTED CHARITIES

Co-Sponsors:

SERVICE PARTNER

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G . r i e v t e li a w fe.

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CONTACT US

DISTRICT STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION GOVERNOR: Addi Duerksen governor@tokeyclub.com SECRETARY: Bunsri Patel secretary@tokeyclub.com TREASURER: Addie Flores treasurer@tokeyclub.com EDITOR: Kyra Burke editor@tokeyclub.com TECHNOLOGY PRODUCER: Aina Sebastian techassistant@tokeyclub.com CONVENTION LIAISON: Nadia Rodriguez CL@tokeyclub.com

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ASK US ANYTHING

CONNECT WITH US

SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE: tokeyclub.com

FACEBOOK: Texas-Oklahoma Key Club District

INSTAGRAM: @todistrictkeyclub

TWITTER: @TOKEYCLUB

SNAPCHAT: tokeyclub

STAY UPDATED

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-Thank you for reading-