March Tex-O Key

March 2013 Volume 1 Issue 4

Learn about great ways to fundraise for District Convention.

Who needs Luck when you got Key Club?

Don’t miss out on this year’s International Convention!

Read to find out more.

the

Tex-OKey visit our website at www.tokeyclub.com

table of contents

Tex-OKey the official

4 District Governor’s Report 5 District Editor’s Letter 7 Contribution Page 8 Key Leader Information

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International

10 International Presi dent Update 10 International Trustee Update 12 ICON Preview

Clubs 11 Paid Clubs Updat ed List 14 Fundraiser Ideas for DCON 16 Swimming in Ser vice 18 A Ribbon of Help for ELIMINATE

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District

DCON

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE. Experience the thrill. Don’t be afraid to serve. District Convention 2013.

District Governor’s Report

H

ello Texas-Oklahoma!

For the past 11 months your board has been diligently working towards the big event of the year: District Convention. This event is a time to celebrate the successes you’ve earned over the course of your year and to prepare for the new year ahead. From leadership forums to all of the fun you’ll have at DCON by attending the Welcoming Activity, participating in contests and attending the Governor’s Ball, you have a lot to look forward to. Not to mention a stage that will blow your mind and send chills down your spine. With early registration ending on March 15th, today is the day to register for DCON 2013 and prove that you’re Not Afraid to Serve.

Before you get to convention, you still have a few things left to finish in your term to ensure that your year is a success. As frightening as it may be to elect your successors, you need to ensure that whoever follows you is the best possible.

Our terms

are all restricted to one term, but what really carries the momentum of our organization is the transitions we make with our successors.

When they’re seamless, our clubs do well. When they’re rough, our clubs suffer. Make your transition seamless by aiding your successor with whatever they need. Your time in Key Club does not end when your term is over.

Remember to complete your District and Govenor’s Project Completion Forms by the 21st of March to receive a patch for your participation and know you made a difference in the life of a child here and afar. Thank you for everything you’ve done this year, I could not ask for a better year!

Through all of our challenges, all of our successes, I will never forget you guys and I will never stop serving – I hope you won’t either.

See you all at DCON for the final celebration.

If you have questions, just call or email me at

512-705-1707 4

governor@tokeyclub.com Tex-O Key March 2013

A Word from your District Editor

H

iya Texas-Oklahoma!

District Convention is coming closer and closer everyday and I can’t wait to meet you all! I hope this year has been a successful one for all the clubs out there.

If you have any problems with fundraising for DCON, make sure to read about different ideas that clubs have provided in this issue!

I no longer have certain article topics to assign since my term is coming to an end, but I’ll still take articles for points! Therefore,

don’t think articles are now pointless to do.

This is the last newsletter published before District Convention so I just want to thank all of you for contributing articles and pictures to me! There are no words to describe how

editor@tokeyclub.com got any questions? call here!

appreciative I feel for your help.

It was great working with you guys this year! Once again, see you all at DCON! From your District Editor, Grace Liu

send your articles here!

817-962-8945

Tex-O Key March 2013

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one day...

marchforbabies.org/oneday

all babies will be born healthy.

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Tex-O Key March 2013

Do your part to protect the connection.

Do your part to keep families together.

Do your part to change the world.

contribution page Cover Picture April Lim Table of Contents Pictures Mackenzie Golladay Amber Liu Articles Andrew Linguez Amber Liu Andrew Wang Bryan Viet Whitney Nguyen Mackenzie Golladay Shaha Aziz April Lim

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KeyLeader information Date: April 19th-21st Location: Huntsville, Carolina Creek, Texas

Date: April 26th-28th Location: Glen Rose Date: May 17th-19th Location: Kingston, Oklahoma

COST $145 for Key Clubbers $170 for non-Key Clubbers $85 for student facilitators Tex-O Key March 2013

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email: rriley

for more info, go to: Funding Hospitals to Help Children.

y@alabamakeyclub.org

http://goo.gl/vIVuB

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT UPDATE Good afternoon, Texas-Oklahoma Key Clubbers!

Guess what time of year it is? DCON season! I have had an absolutely fantastic time so far in March visiting Georgia’s and Capital’s district conventions, and I can’t wait to attend my other DCONs of Kansas, West Virginia, Alabama, and Eastern Canada as well. District conventions always remind me of just why it is that I love Key Club; the energy, passion, and dedication of Key Clubbers is truly incredible. At DCON, it is easy to see how our organization-wide 12.5 million annual service hour and 267,000 member benchmarks have been achieved--through the persistence, determination, and hard work of members like you. I’d like to use my president’s update this month to encourage you all to attend Texas-Oklahoma’s District Convention this April 4-7, where you will find a weekend of friendship, inspiration, and fun! There’s no better place to be a Key Clubber than at DCON. I hope that you can make it!

Rebecca Riley

As always, thanks for all that you do for Key Club. You are the ones that make our organization truly great. Keep up all the wonderful service!

email: rriley@alabamakeyclub.org

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Paid Clubs Report

CLUBS

Top25

234 paid clubs 15,219 members

A&M Consolidated 26 Cy-Fair 378 AC Jones 39 Cy-Falls 230 Academy High 54 Cypress Creek 88 Alba- Golden 17 Cypress Lakes 158 Allen 160 Cypress Springs 106 Arlington 378 Cy-Ridge 144 Atascocita 37 Cy-Ranch 658 Atlanta 15 Cypress Woods 302 Ball 129 Davis 55 Bandera 16 Del City- 17 Bay City 16 Dekalb 30 Baytown Christian 38 Devalle 22 Bellaire 41 Denton 20 Bishop Kelly 24 Dewey 14 Booker T. Washington Dobie 15 Senior 10 Dunbar 12 Booker T. Washington 137Duncan 71 Boulevard Academy 15 Durant 18 Broken Arrow N. 27 Early 90 Broken Bow 21 Eastland 11 Brownwood 48 Edmound N. 139 Bryan 44 Eisenhower 81 Bullard 54 Eisenhower Sr. 33 Byron P. Steele I I 72 Elgin 113 Canyon 70 Elk City 58 Carl Albert 123 Elkins 16 Cascia Hall 150 Foy H. Moody Health Cedar Park 42 and Science 96 Center Point 20 Empire 27 Charles Akins 27 Garland 108 Chisum 76 Gateway 38 Christian Education Alli- Graham 21 ance 32 Goose Creek 93 Cinco Ranch 152 Granbury 125 Cleburne 41 Guthrie 40 Clements 23 Harding Charter Prep 36 Clyde 26 Harlingen 29 Coleyville Hertiage 68 Harrah 43 Coventant Christian 49 Hebron 243 Community Christian 74 Henderson 66 Comanche 46 Hereford 9 Creekview 81 Holdenville 12 Cross Plains 39 Hunstville 58 Crowley 64 Hudson 45

Idabel 25 Ingram Tom 17 James Bowie 207 James Bowie 256 James E. Taylor 103 Jarrell 33 Jenks 198 John Foster Dulles 52 Jones 32 Jordan 25 Juan Seguin 67 Judson Early College Academy 142 Kempner 39 Kennedale 75 Kingwood 83 Kingwood Prk. 76 Kliens Collins 66 LC Anderderson 155 Lake Ridge 15 Lake Travis 21 Lamar 134 Lampasas 25 Lee 33 Lawton 18 Leander 38 Lindale 75 Legacy Christian 13 Liberty Christian 108 Libery Eylau 38 Little Cypress M. 61 Lonegrove 25 Lockhart 52 Los Fresnos 10 Luling 14 Lumberton 116 MB Lamar 83 MacArthur 82 Manor New Tech. 58 Mansfield Frontier 39 Mansfield High 177 Mansfield Legacy 46 Mansfield Timberview 32 Marble Falls 20

Mayde Creek 158 Sam Rayburn 40 Marine Military 85 Samuel Clemens 32 McCallum 70 San Angelo Central 56 McKinney Boyd 50 San Benito 18 McKinney N. 62 San Augistine 11 Midwest City 27 San Marcos 23 McLoud 18 Second Baptist 101 McNeil 13 Shepton 51 Mineral Wells 18 Sperry 34 Mineola 61 St. Agnes 143 N. Crowley 44 Stillwell 57 N. Garland 93 Strake Jesuit Prep. 186 Nacogdoches 100 Stratford 48 New Braunfels 25 Street 16 North Lamar 12 NYOS Charter 24 Sulphur 29 Our Lady of the Hills16 Summer Creek 108 Palo Duro 20 Sunset 49 Paramus 31 Summit 90 Pathways Middle ColTexas City 39 lege 20 Tatum 30 Pauls Valley 35 Pfluger- Terrell 36 ville 57 Texas Senior 58 Plano West Sr. 99 The Woodlands 45 Polythecnic 26 Tulsa School or Arts and Ponca City 54 Science 24 Prague 18 Union 53 Port Aransas 32 Union Intermediate 23 R.L. Turner 34 Vandergrift 98 R.L. Paschal 37 Venus 40 Randall 102 Vernon 55 Red water Senior 26 Vista Ridge 31 Rice 56 WB Ray 34 Richarte 13 WE Boswell 44 Ridge Point 38 Weatherford 33 Robert E. Lee (Tyler) 25West 37 Robert E. Lee (Baytown) West Brook 89 18 Western Hills 35 Ronald Reagan 77 West Moore 68 Ross S. Sterling 97 Westfield 48 Rouse 12 Wetumpka 17 Sachse 30 Wichita Falls 22 Saginaw 43 Sam Houston 44

Day 1

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Take a sneak peek at this year’s

Day

Day 1

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ICON starts with you flying to the destination of ICON,.

This year, ICON will be held in Washington D.C., so be ready for a pretty lengthy flight. During these flights you will get to talk to many people from your home district, so if you’re scared to go alone don’t worry. You’ll become

best friends with your home district by the time you’re at the hotel! When you get there, you’ll have downtime to meet all kinds of Key Clubbers from anywhere you can think of! The first day of ICON concludes with a huge Meet and Greet that has all kinds of stuffto keep you busy!

Tex-O Key March 2013

The second day of ICON has the first general session, aka the opening session! During the opening session you’ll hear from a great speaker.

This year’s speaker will be Elizabeth Smart, who survived being kidnapped at age 14. The day continues with district caucusing after lunch where you’ll elect the next international board then move on to House of Delegates. After dinner, there’s a charity dance that will benefit the Eliminate Project! The day concludes with Key Club TV, which will be broadcasted throughout the whole ICON!

Day 2

The third day of IC starts off with foru the morning which range from informa just plain fun! This around noon with the Candidates” an Afterwards, the Ser is up and going wh can learn different projects from all ar the world! After th Fair there will be m forums which will e before the next sess begin with the Rec Session. The Recog Session is where Ke bers will receive aw for the great things done! The session w with entertainmen this year, will be a h by the name of Mic Anthony.

International Convention or ICON for short is a weeklong gathering of Key Clubbers from all over the globe! Here you will make new friends from other districts and learn all sorts of new ideas+ from the sessions, forums and people themselves! Here’s a quick look at all the things you can do at ICON!

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CON ums in h will ative to s stops “Meet nd lunch. rvice Fair here you service round he Service more end sion amd cognition gnition ey Clubwards s they’ve will end nt which hypnotist chael

The Fourth day of ICON will start off with forums until lunch, which leads into the House of Delegates. There you will be voting on changing bylaws and more importantly, electing the International Board for next year! The day then moves on to more forums and the Closing Session, where you’ll find out who is on the new International Board! After the Closing Session is the official end of ICON, but during that night there is one more thing to do and that is the theme dance. You’ll be able to dance the night away and say goodbye to all your new friends from other districts!

Day 4

l by Andrew Linguez, LTG 38

Day 5&6

The next two days will just be you and your district touring the local entertainment areas. This will be great bonding time for you to get to know the people in your district a lot better! After the two days of touring, you’ll be leaving early in the morning to the airport to go back home.

At the airport there will be goodbyes as you leave your new friends to go back Tex-O Key March 2013 home.

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Fundraiser Ideas for DCON l by Amber Liu, Bellaire Key Club With the Dance Marathon just around the corner and DCON coming up in a month, fundraising should be a huge focus. Not only will raising money attract more members to go to DCON by paying for transportation and alleviating the cost per member, but raising money also helps ensure that clubs will have money that can be used to make other important events a success. However, the problem always comes to down to, “HOW should we fundraise? “ If by capitalizing and underlining and bolding the word “how” did not bring it to your attention, then surely, talking about it will.

When it comes to ways of fundraising, there are hundreds of ideas on the internet, in magazines, and just on the streets. In fact, by simply googling “fundraising ideas”, I received 5,770,000 results. However, everything comes down to whether or not the idea will attract donors and participants to make the event successful. So when you read through the list of ideas below, keep your “targeting audience” in mind.

In School Sales: 1.Sell lunch (get a discount at a local popular restaurant or fast food restaurant and sell during lunch) 2.Sell accessories including custom-made bracelets, necklaces, earrings, wristbands, cards, etc. (Although, this would require members to be more crafty).

For more attraction, you can also put “packages” together that students can send to each other as gifts, and have members deliver these packages during class as a small and pleasant surprise.

3.Sell candy/chocolate/popcorn (with permission from your school, of course!)

4.Sell clothing with creative designs that support your club or your cause!

The success of these types of fundraisers usually depends on what you are selling. Also, set a requirement for how much each member of the club should sell and encourage members to go above and beyond and sell as much as possible for a better chance to get a higher position in the club!

l by Andrew Wang, Cypress Ranch Key Club

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To kick off the new year, the Cypress Ranch Key Club had a candy sale, which brought in 100% profit for the club. In other words, the Key Club managed to double the money we spent for candy in this fundraiser! Getting the sale ready involved making a trip to Sam’s Club to purchase the most popular candy our student body likes. We purchased Skittles, Sour Punch Kids, Extremes, Starburst, M & M’s, Shockers and others. We returned to school and packaged the candy in zip lock bags putting 15 items per bag.

Members checked out a zip lock bag and sold the candy for $1 each. After selling all their items, members returned the zip lock bag and $15. Many members checked out a second bag to sell, and members earned one donation hour per bag sold. Club members successfully sold all the candy in just FOUR DAYS and raised nearly $1,500. This money will be used to pay for our charter bus in April to deliver club members to this year’s DCON. We will probably have another candy sale before April to help pay for the cost of our hotel rooms. We plan to do whatever it takes to get our group to Dallas!

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l by Bryan Viet, Cypress Woods Key Club As a student driven organization, some of the most vitalized and rewarding fundraising opportunities are the ones that involve your school and club members. Lock-ins are a tremendous way to combine member involvement and money raising endeavors. From a single lock-in a club can take a significant chuck out of the price of DCON and other important events. Meanwhile, the lock-in can harbor various chances of community service and donations. And when your home school offers events that allow for club collaboration and fundraising, you should approach these chances with enthusiasm and haste. A few years ago Cy Woods Key Club did just this. At our school-hosted event dubbed the Wildcat Carnival we set-up a haunted house to raise money and club interest.

This effectively paid for DCON as well as significant ELIMINATE donations while also providing amusement for members and nonmembers alike.

Outside of school activities:

Gatherings/Get-Togethers:

1.Bake sales! (Or lemonade stands…or both!) Have members bring some homemade baked goodies and set up in front of a popular area. There are two popular ways to hold bake sales. One is to actually sell the baked goods.

The other is to give the baked goods to people for free and ask for donations for your cause.

1.Movie night! Rent a fun and awesome movie and invite friends, families, your club, etc to come and watch!

Ask for an entry fee (to raise money) and provide food/ snacks! Another option is to go to a drive-in movie theater, which should spark up the excitement.

2.Car Wash! Remind your members to wear something that they wouldn’t mind getting wet! Also, the two methods for the bake sale (above in #1) can also be used.

3.Recycling. Find a company or place that gives money for old ink cartridges or cell phones and ask people to donate!

4.Free hugs for donations! Situate a stand in a mall that promotes your cause and give hugs to anyone and everyone! Ask for donations while you’re at it.

2.Karaoke! Organize a karaoke competition and have students pay a fee to enter the competition and to come watch.

Fundraising ideas seem to circulate along the cycle of “This idea is boring and unoriginal” and “This idea is a risky because it’s different from the norm of ideas or takes too much work.” However, remember, no matter how great and wonderful or boring and dull the idea is, being passionate and dedicated will bring the most profit and success! Also, don’t be afraid to simply go up to people and ask for a donation to the cause!

5.Garage sales! “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Gather up donations of things that people no longer want, and sell them in your neighborhood, or in a popular area. Remember to put up signs around the area/ neighborhood directing people to the sale.

l by Whitney Nguyen, Mansfield Summit Key Club DCON is one of the best experiences you will have and trust me it will be unforgettable. DCON is not too cheap, but with scratch cards, they will help you raise the rest of the price.

“DCON is an amazing event! But it’s really expensive! With donation dots, I love how easy it is to fundraise. People love it so much and its fun! I wouldn’t fundraise any other way!” Usman Hyder.

The donation dots are a great fundraiser. You can ask your friends and family to participate by rubbing off a spot. People love to scratch and will often scratch off more than two dona-

tion dots. The amount that is revealed is the amount that they pay you. It ranges from 10 cents to 3 dollars. Once all the spots are rubbed off you will have 100 dollars. That’s enough to cover a huge part of DCON! “D-con was an amazing experience where I got to enjoy a fantastic weekend with my Summit Key Club and other devoted Key Clubbers from Texas and Oklahoma. It has defiantly been the been the most fun event that I have been to in my high school career.” Elizabeth Hang.

l by Mac

kenzie G

olladay,

Cypress

Ranch Ke

y Club Ever yone h a s th at one I event whe went to a lo re they lo ve to volc unteer. Th ever y Tuesd al middle school op e event th portunity ay and Thu at I most look for wa not just to rsday for two hours rd to ever th coach to e m, but to y year is coach an a Special O mazing w become fr group of k lympics S ie ids and you ith them. I wimming.

I am a c t always brig nds ng adults with specia ompetitive htened my day wh l needs or h swimmer myself, and en I saw th andicaps.

The first h I was so ex e s mile on their face our, we coa cite first time I when they ched kids signed up fo d the who could s accomplished som wim but co r Special Olympics ething that uld not o swim the Swimming s o f us take fo many who . It gave me a way to r granted. pool. In th le length of the m connect w I t e the best gives at group o ith kids fo and young ur main feeling ins cus was o adults in a k id n e to ow that I n kicking, way that is near an helped the strokes, a taking wo d dear to s e n h rk d breathin a my h I was intro g. The th ing swimmers accom rd duced to th eart. second hour, p e li ir sh we worked is event g goals. Aft by an old er almost e with a pr roup that teacher of a c v m c o e ti ry uld swim th ine who ce, I would had been c length of th e full of a oaching th have a par e e e n p n te athlete com ool with no t years. I w am for ta e up to me as so excit assis- than nce. In tha a e n d t k d g wh m roup we wo was offered rked for m e for all I was doing a to work th en I on stroke techn nd y patience. ique, backs e event s

by Cypres treamline, troke, this s Ranch K I h a v e w o rked and kickin ey event for Other Key g. It was two years Club volun Club. such a bless a n n d o ing to wo teers and rk with S I look for ward to coa w, these kids! c p h e ing cial Olymp I had the gracious ics Swimm the many y in g in ears to com e!

l by Shah

a Aziz, W

est Brook

Key Club

The swim m in the Butch eet was held Stadium Na on Decemb ta er 8th from instructions torium. Ke 9 AM to 2 P y Clubbers to start work M swimmer w met at 9 an ing. When that they co d as competin w it was 9:30, aited for the uld be told g in. If there th ir would take th e e rules they clubbers we the clubber w a longer tim re gathered that there w needed to fo e for the swim so attentively as a chart o llow. The su The names n fo a clipboard r per visors to of each of waiting for ld Once the sw each swimmer and rec the competi chronologic them at eac tors swimm im al order, an mer was on h lane. bar on ing in that d their time his or her la stopwatch a the edge of lane were li s would be nd also a bu th st e e re p d o c orded on th o in the swimm tton used fo the swimm ere. There r recording er touches th l in order fo ers began, th w th e a e s b ti a lack bar, the e th m clubber wo at the time swimmers to e of the swim uld start th w o finish their m u e ld r. b W e h re e stopwatch en swimmer corded. W laps. The n pops up on he and wait fo umber of la the scorebo r the mer had ps depende a d upon the rd fo . Because o race the club bers were giv nly 16 people were n en another job of the s

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Swimming

in Service

was a longer distance nee ded to be sw mmer to co um, me back, bu t th e clubbers w it beverages of differe corded the aited in a nt variety, su time as acc bucket to ev urately as p ch as water ast lap, they a ossible. aro luators and and Gatora would have th de, and bro u n e other club d ever y twen to touch the or their lap ught them b e ty rs recording b lack also h minutes to s to be consi the times. T see if there w ad to go up dered over. ey clubber w hey went as anyone in stairs to the Once pro ould have to vide them w need of a dri people work push a butto en the butto it n h in k. They beverages of g the electr n so the sw n is pushed onic score b their choice im meet so , the time o or ever yone o . There was that the volu f the could to see the ti a break in th ard and nteers could eat, but onc mes each sw needed for e m eat, and als iddle of e the break im the recordin o so that th was over, th g of times, so - timing the swimme same import e e sp c lu e ctators b rs bers got righ me and passing ance. Some t back to wo out drinks clubbers too rk with to the peop k le in need of them.

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A Ribbon of Help for ELIMINATE l by April Lim, Atascocita Key Club

Since the beginning of the new school year, Atascocita Key Club focused solely on one objective: to raise money and help liberate the 30 remaining countries from Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus. The club faced challenges along the way with the new district fundraising rules that stated that clubs “may only host one fundraiser per semester.”

After much consultation between the officers, the members, and the school board, Atascocita Key Club decided to postpone their ELIMINATE fundraiser in order to host a Clothing Drive to benefit a local assistance ministry during the fall semester. With the finishing of finals and the fall semester classes coming to an end, Atascocita Key Club concluded

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Tex-O Key March 2013

their Clothing Drive with numerous donations, and a number of families ready to face winter with their bodies bundled up.

Fast forward through Winter Break, to the month of January and the start of a new semester; the planning of the ELIMINATE fundraiser had begun once more.

The officers bought spools of light and dark blue ribbon, small safety pins, and hot glue guns from Hobby Lobby to help with the preparation of the fundraiser.

Staying afterschool and taking their own time at home, the officers and members of Atascocita Key Club created around 300 ribbons to sell at $0.75 each.

In the start of February, the fundraiser officially began as each member took turns during the

different lunch periods to sell the ribbons, while others focused on selling them during class. Many Atascocita Key Clubbers stayed afterschool to help make and hang up posters to advertise the ELIMINATE project, its mission, and the fundraiser throughout the school. By Valentine’s Day, Atascocita Key Club had raised over $200 to help with combating Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus, which was enough to vaccinate around 125 expecting mothers, and save the lives of her future children.

Atascocita Key Club was extremely proud to help serve a great cause for ELIMINATE, and looks forward to the future service projects and fundraisers to come.

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Thanks For Reading Tell me what you think of this issue!

No more Article Topics but you can send in some for points!

Grace Liu T-O District Editor editor@tokeyclub.com 817-962-8945