Key Notes | February 2017

Parsippany Hills High School’s

February 2017 | Volume XLII Issue 9

Note from the

In this

Editors

Issue:

Hello PHHS Key Clubbers!

This is it— our final issue of Key Notes! While we are of course sad to leave, we are also extremely excited to hand over the reigns to the new editors of the 2017-2018 Key Club service year, Juliana Urbis and Alison Christian! We are confident that they will bring the news to our members in a competent and reliable manner.

Speaking of news, check out this issue for an introduction of our LTG-Elect, Stephanie Shen, to learn more about her plans for Division 20. We wish her, and all of the new executive members who will be formally inducted at DCON, lots of luck for the coming year!

Yours in Caring and Service, Tara Srinivasan and Shreya Nair

On the

Cover:

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Meet our LTG-Elect, Stephanie Shen

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Valentine’s Season Cheer

76 Peek Outside PHHS

Quote of the Month: “The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn.

The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open.

Do it. Throw yourself.”

C. JoyBell C.

Valentine’s heart cut-outs, handmade

by Key Clubbers, stuck onto lockers

Meet our LTG-Elect Soon after her election, we decided to contact our LTG-Elect of Division 20,

Stephanie Shen of Parsippany High. Stephanie, current President at the High, was eager and full of Key Club spirit to talk about her plan for next year. Read on to learn more about her!

What made you want to become an LTG? I mentioned something called the never-ending snowball effect in my LTG election speech, and that's basically my answer to this question. Throughout my freshman year up until to now, my dedication to this club has just been like one giant snowball effect. As the years I've invested myself into Key Club increased, like a snowball rolling down a hill, the more and more knowledge I was gaining about this club and the more passion and commitment I was giving to it, like the snowball collecting more snow as it's rolling down the hill. I believe this largely had to do with the fact that I went from general member to historian to president. BUT, I didn't want it to stop here--I wanted to keep that snowball effect going. And Key Club offered the exact opportunity I needed to do so by continuing to serve one's division as lieutenant governor. I wanted to use the opportunity of being Division 20's LTG as a way transfer this passion of mine on a greater scale, make the snowball bigger by getting more people involved that I wasn't able to reach out to before. Key Club has actually changed my

Feb 2017

life (yes, even when I was a measly little freshman general member) and no way was about to pass up an opportunity that was right in front of me to make a greater impact on the world. Then, the people I effect within our division as LTG will go onto help the district, which will go on to help our world. And my hope is that this effect will never end, that people will continue to be inspired to make the world a better place, thus makings never ending snowball effect.

Sure, we may certainly not see it happen in front of our eyes, but we certainly know that our actions have led to something great.

What are your plans for Division 20?

I've noticed that last 2 years of being in Key Club there's a huge barrier between the general members and the officers, where there's a lack of connection. We rarely ever know what the members want, what events they want to do, if there's something new they want to try, or something the club can improve on in general. I would like to improve this connection by allowing members to have a say in the decisions we make with membership feedback forms. Get

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some feedback every now and then so the opportunity for service and leadership is officers know how to make their club more endless around you, don't be afraid to use it! enjoyable. I also want to increase the amount No matter your circumstances :) of in-person contact between the LTG and the general members. As far as I know, a lot of the members don't even know a lieutenant governor is a thing, and I want to fix this by making sure each club has at least 1 meeting a month dedicated to district updates given by the LTG at their general meeting. I also want to implement monthly Skype calls with every single club in division 20. This will help the LTG and the individual club discuss on more personal level what they are up to, what could they improve on, and what I can do as a LTG to help them achieve the best that they can.

Do you have any advice for Key Clubbers interested in going into leadership (or just advice in general)?

Shia Labeouf puts it best: JUST DO IT. When you realize you have a passion for something, or you feel as though you are capable of something, especially leadership, harness all your confidence and just put yourself out there. You have to realize everything you're capable of and have to be willing to push yourself by using those capabilities. Yes, we're all scared of failure, whether that's not winning a leadership position in the first place or not fulfilling your job in your leadership position. But guess what? You are not your failures, and you are not your fears. So put those things aside, learn from your experiences, and continue on with your passion. The

Feb 2017

Current LTG Vanessa Ting (left) with LTG-Elect Stephanie Shen (right) What are some of your interests outside of Key Club? The first thing I tell people when I first meet them is I am a big photo lover, and I am sure people who know me well are extremely tired of hearing this. I've been into photography since I was around 11, and it's become a huge part of my life now. As creepy and dangerous and stupid as it may sound, one of my favorite things about my

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hobby is being able to meet new people from this one little app called Instagram (you may have heard of it...idk) who also love photography. I get it. It's the most basic thing you've ever heard. Meeting through Instagram? Yes, it's a hard concept to wrap your head around, but I was able to meet and make over 20 new friends from these, and being with other people who have the same interest as mine where we get to create art together is one of the most artistically liberating things I can ever imagine. Other than that, I'm just your average Joe who loves leisure reading but never has the time to do so anymore (favorite series is Harry Potter BTW) and watching Modern Family, Parks and Rec, and any movie by Christopher Nolan.

Valentine’s Season Cheer Valentine’s Day this year was a success for Key Club as we managed to spread the love throughout our entire school!

The entire club created and decorated printed hearts to put up on all the lockers around the school to spread our Key Club spirit all around this month.

These Locker Hearts were a huge success as the club received great feedback about the project! Additionally, Key Clubbers managed to collect tons of candy to hand out to teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week to show our gratitude to those who educate us.

Overall, February was a great month for Feb 2017

Key Club since we successfully spread love to those around us through our passion for service. Thank you to all members who participated in making Locker Hearts and donated candy for our teachers!

Decorated locker hearts

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Peek Outside PHHS:

What’s the K-Family Up To? February Advocacy Spotlight This month, the NJ District is placing the Wounded Warrior Project in the spotlight. This non-profit organization helps to raise awareness, support, and empowerment for wounded war veterans. They provide programs and services to attend to each veteran's specific need in order to pave the way to recovery. Veterans who have obtained a service-related injury or illness, including psychological illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder, are able to seek out support and community as part of the Wounded Warrior project, whose goal it is to find a program for each American hero and their family. To learn more about this cause and find out what you can do to contribute, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Let’s serve our veterans just as they’ve served us!

Feb 2017

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Questions or comments on all things Key Club?

Contact the PHHS Executive Board President: Asha Patel akpatel17@pthsd.net Vice President: Karoline Xiong kxiong18@pthsd.net Corresponding Secretary: Crystal Tran cvtran18@pthsd.net Recording Secretary: Michael Tran mctran17@pthsd.net Treasurer: Vishal Mansuria vmansuria18@pthsd.net

Editor: Tara Srinivasan nsrinivasan17@pthsd.net Editor: Shreya Nair srnair17@pthsd.net Historian: Thomas Shweh tshweh17@pthsd.net Historian: Juliana Urbis jturbis18@pthsd.net

or our

Division 20 LTG: Vanessa Ting ltg20.ting@gmail.com

Key Reminders

Parsippany Hills High School’s February 2017 Volume XLII Issue 9

Sign up to bring materials for the upcoming March Dinner-Theater (more information will be given at the next general meeting) Next general meeting: Tuesday, February 28th