esPRESSo-March by Varun Awasthi

The esPRESSo

March 2011

Volume 21 Issue3

The Official Publication of the Pacific Northwest District of Key Club International

The esPRESSo

District Convention 2011 It’s hard to believe how quickly this Key Club year has flown by! In the past few months, Key Clubbers from throughout the Pacific Northwest District have logged countless service hours, raised thousands of dollars for SIGN for Tanzania, and have truly made a difference in the world. As Key Clubbers every day, we have the opportunity to do something good. It really can surprise you what a group of simple teenagers have the ability to accomplish. With the 62nd annual Pacific Northwest District Convention just around the corner, officer terms are also ending. Never forget that one’s commitment to service is lifelong, and doesn’t necessarily have to end with the closing of the Key Club year. Continue to serve your homes, schools and communities and make this world a better place because together, we really can do anything!

Interested in being featured in the esPRESSo? Well, here are two great opportunities!  Cover page contest: Submit a high quality image and write a few words of how you think it relates to service.  Club/Division Spotlight: Write a small explanation of what distinguishes your club/division from the rest, with a few pictures For more information, or to submit entries, email varun.awas@gmail.com

In This Issue n Messages

SIGN for Tanzania

Major Emphasis

YOF

Key Club Fun

Resources

Club Spotlight

Cover Page Credit: Yoo Jung Kim and Yoo Eun Kim

The esPRESSo|March

Stephenie Yuan International Trustee

Messages

These past few months have been quite busy on the International Board, but even more so in working with my three districts. As International Trustee of the Pacific Northwest, Montana, and Minnesota-Dakotas Key Club districts, I make it my priority to maintain consistent communication with each of my District Governors. More importantly, I make it a point to learn about my District Governors not only as Key Club members, but as regular peers. Through learning about their interests and the people behind the position role, I am able to further understand their leadership strengths. Starting in November, I have set up conference calls with Lieutenant Governors, Executive District Officers, and District Administrators/Asst District Administrators to discuss Key Club-related concerns, updates, and opinions that have immensely increased my awareness of divisional activities and statuses. Beyond obtaining new updates, I have enjoyed every single conversation with the people I communicate with. The phone conferences have bridged the gap between the International level and district level, allowing us to understand each others‟ roles and move forward together. On the International Voice Committee, directives have been finalized for the second quarter. Several adjustments have been made at the November International Board Meeting, which have improved individual board member performance, communication among the International Board, and maintenance of strong support for each district. In addition to working on directives and touching base on board performance expectations, the November International Board Meeting also served as a time for Leadership Committee members to review Youth Opportunities Fund applications. The Youth Opportunities Fund grants have been announced, so if your club applied for this award, make sure to check for updates on keyclub.org! The Key Club International Convention 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona is coming up in just a few months, but preparation is key to making the most out of your experience. ICON is the place to be this summer. It is important that you plan ahead by making the dates June 29-July 3 available, so you don‟t miss it! You can visit www.keyclub.org for updates on International Convention. Don‟t forget to sign up for the e-mail updates! These past few months have been incredible. From filling out reports to meeting the three districts in person, I have been able to experience various aspects of Key Club International. The work load has been manageable and the personal experiences that my fellow Key Club friends have shared with me are truly inspiring. Over the next few months, I will be working diligently to update districts of International news, prepare for upcoming district conventions, and make progress on International directives. Most importantly, above the workload, I will be making an effort to continue to hold calls with Lieutenant Governors, Executive district officers, and club officers. Election season is here, so if you have any questions about what office you are thinking of running for, don‟t hesitate to ask me! I am more than happy to help out. I was in the position of being confused and unsure of myself when I ran for my Key Club positions, so I can provide some helpful advice if you‟re feeling the same way. Just send an email to me at stephenie.kci.trustee@gmail.com! Good luck with your Key Club year!

Caitlin Snaring District Governor

Yoo Eun Kim District Secretary

Do you know about the PNW SIGN District Project? Do you own a SIGN t-shirt? If you answered no to both questions, please ask your Lieutenant Governor or email me at pnwcaitlin@gmail.com to learn how you can purchase a $15 SIGN shirt and support our District Project. Even our Key Club International President XinLei Wang purchased a SIGN t-shirt. This year, our District Project is focused on supporting an organization called Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN), which strives to aide people in third world countries who have suffered severe trauma, or bone fractures. As a district, we have created a goal of raising $25,000 to open a surgery center in Tanzania. Some Key Clubs have held car washes, tie-dye t-shirt events, restaurant takeovers, and penny wars in order to raise money. The Key Clubs who raise money will be recognized at District Convention (DCON) 2011. Visit www.pnwsignproject.wordpress.com for more information. Club elections ideally should have been completed. Outgoing club officers are required to attend DCON with their incoming officers and they are encouraged to help incoming officers create a club calendar of events for 20112012. Make use of new project ideas as well as engage in open discussion about creating working committees and member resources. As we come closer to District Convention (March 25-27), consider having a pre-Convention meeting to boost club spirit and encourage members to attend. I would highly recommend that you start promoting DCON in your home club as soon as possible. District Convention is a life-changing experience and we want every Key Clubber to be able to attend.

We are at the end of our terms; therefore, it is important that you and your club members are up-to-date with items regarding Key Club. Club Secretaries, after your replacement has been chosen, make sure that he/she understands the expectations of your duties. It is important that the District receives a monthly club report from each Secretary in the PNW District so the District Board can be aware of the status and progress of each club. Also, make sure to encourage your replacement to attend the 62nd Pacific Northwest District Convention – the most exciting Key Club of the year, where hundreds of Key Clubbers gather under one roof to celebrate the year‟s achievements. If you have any questions regarding Secretary Duties, elections, etc, feel free to message me. I would love to know what went well or what went wrong during your Secretary terms, so the 2011-2012 District Secretary (who will be chosen at this year‟s DCON) will be aware and better prepared to address such problems. Before I close my message, I have to note that this year I have met so many dedicated Club Secretaries. From DCM visitations and District events, I have met many inspiring youth leaders and I am very honored that I worked with an amazing group. My kudos go out to Nguyen from Div. 32, David from Div. 26, Kelli from Div. 21, and Carrie from Div. 13/15/17; they are the some of the many Club Secretaries that performed their jobs excellently and beyond expectations. So far, my term has been great. Despite some obstacles and bumps along the road, I don‟t regret my decision of running for this position. Thank you all, Key Clubbers, for your devotion for service and I look forward in meeting you at DCON!

The esPRESSo|March

Messages Meghan Ruff District Treasurer

Varun Awasthi District Editor

It is now the month of March and we are getting closer and closer to the Pacific Northwest District Convention. I am looking forward to seeing many of you there! However, in order to attend the District Convention your club needs to be in good standing, which means that your club needs to have it's dues submitted. As of now, half of the clubs in our district still have not paid their dues. Letters are being sent out to the schools that have not paid their dues and will continue to be sent out till the schools have submitted their dues. I understand that the dues process may take some clubs some time to process, but in the end it is worth it! If you have any questions about obtaining your password or username please feel free to email me at pnw.treasurer.ruff@gmail.com. Also you may ask me any other questions regarding dues! As I look back on these months I have spent as District Treasurer, I realize how truly lucky I am to have gotten this opportunity to serve the Pacific Northwest District. Although my time in Key Club is coming to an end, I will always be able to look back on these years with fond memories. Value your time in Key Club as it will go by faster than you think. Thanks for giving me this opportunity to serve you and I can‟t wait for DCON!

Can you believe that it‟s almost time for another DCON?!? It seems like it was just a few days ago that we were screaming in service at the “Centuries of Service” themed DCON last year. I have been amazed to see how much effort our district has put in to raising money for SIGN for Tanzania. While we have truly made an impact in the lives of those in Tanzania, service never takes a back seat! Continue to work hard to raise funds for SIGN, because its impact is truly remarkable. Although we are reaching the end of our terms as officers, continue to effectively perform your respective duties until the very last moment. As unforgettable as these years in Key Club may be, they fly by faster than you know it. I have enjoyed making the esPRESSo and hope all of you have enjoyed reading it! It‟s hard to believe how fast this year went by. This experience has truly been life changing. As DCON nears, prepare yourself for what will likely be one of the most amazing district conventions in Key Club history. With the theme of Go Wild for Service! set as the backdrop of our District Project: SIGN, I can guarantee you that you will have one of the most unforgettable weekends of your life! The date is just around the corner and I can wait to meet each and every single one of you!

Ana Fakkema Convention Chair

Christine Kim Program Director

As DCON gets closer, I hope that everyone is ahead on planning and registration! Due to some complications with our new online registration, all registration will be mailed in as it has in past years. The final deadline for registration is March 5th; however, remember that the sooner you get everything in, the better! The last clubs to register will be placed wherever we have space, so please encourage your clubs to have registration postmarked as soon as possible. Also don‟t forget to apply for the club contests and awards! All contest applications should have been submitted. There are multiple awards recognizing outstanding officers, members, advisors, and clubs, as well as club videos, t-shirts, and service projects, so take a look! For more information on each of these contests or awards, check out the PNW Key Club District website at http://pnwkeyclub.org/ or go to http://groups.google.com/group/pnw-dcon-2011/. These websites also have general information on the convention theme, weekend events, and the registration process. Please don‟t hesitate to talk to your lieutenant governor or email me at akfakkema@gmail.com if you have questions! I am looking forward to seeing you in two months at DCON 2011!

Winter break is over and a new year has come! Every year, Key Clubbers from all around the world devote their lives to helping others. This is OUR purpose. We strive to be the change the world needs! Let‟s make this year count. We are the Pacific Northwest and the MIGHTY MOOSES. No one can compare to the spirit and devotion our district emulates. Together we can do anything. So as most of you must know, our district project, SIGN, is going very well. We have raised over $10,000 already and our goal is $25,000. We want to build a medical clinic in Tanzania to help trauma patients. Currently, I am working on the SIGN T-Shirt project. We have ordered a total of 1,030 shirts. Around 550 have been sold so there are plenty of shirts to still be bought. If you want one, please contact your lieutenant governor, me, or Governor Caitlin Snaring. Otherwise, you can wait till DCON and they will be there for you to buy. Each division has a goal to raise $750! So, please support your lieutenant governor in their division fundraisers for SIGN. I recently attended Pre-Con Rally at Portland, OR. It was amazing! Hanging out with Key Clubbers always makes my day. If you didn‟t go to Pre-Con Rally, it‟s O.K.! Just make sure to go to DCON. It‟s about 1,000,000 times better J If you have any other questions please email, call, text, or facebook me. Can‟t wait to see you all at DCON!

The esPRESSo|March

SIGN for Tanzania

By: Anna Le, Division 32 Lt.G

TRAUMA caused by severe fractures as a result of road traffic accidents, violence, and disasters is one of the major killers of the world, ranked with malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS. 

More than 200 hospitals in 48 developing countries. 4,000 SIGN surgeons have treated more than 70,000 patients since 1999. 

The new program receives onsite training, feedback via the online surgical database, and a full supply of SIGN instrumentation and implants. All of this will cost $25,000! 

Our clinic will be opened in Tanzania, Africa if we reach our goal. 

As of October 25th, 2010, we have raised $10,000 towards our ultimate goal of $25,000. However, we need YOUR support! If each Key Club raises $200 for SIGN, we will reach our goal. You can raise this money through selling SIGN t-shirts, fundraisers, and donations.

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Major Emphasis Program All Key Clubs have the right to create their own service projects since there are a variety of necessities a community may lack than there are service groups to assist those needs. Any method of aiding the community to make a difference is acceptable and very much appreciated. Nevertheless, all Key Clubs are strongly encouraged to participate in the Major Emphasis Program through service for the benefit of children. The foundation of this program developed in 1946 when Key Club International challenged Key Clubs around the world to make an international impact through this project in honor of helping children. The goal of MEP is to serve children through various methods and this is done by participating in the current Service Initiative: Live2Learn and fundraising through Key Club International‟s Partnerships: March of Dimes, Children‟s Miracle Network, and UNICEF. Information on each partner organization, the service initiative, and ways to participate in all of the above, along with find resources to get started, is as follows…

March of Dimes: January-April

This 2008-10 service initiative „s core purpose is helping children ages 5-9 conquer learning barriers to become successful and give back to their home, school, and community. The three areas Key Club members focus on in regards to serving children through this initiative are… Improving Grades: Become a mentor at an elementary school or organization like the Boys and Girls club to tutor children and help them improve their reading skills, or aid them in other subjects which results in better grades due to comprehension. Not only will you be helping them academically, but you will be looked up to by them since you will show you care. Giving Back: Help schools create service projects within their school to make possible for youth to get involved and begin their journey as a lifelong leader. A project could consist of spreading environmental awareness to the school by having clean up days on campus along with recycling competitions between classrooms to emphasize on the importance of going green. Growing Together: Through arts and crafts, children can spark creativity and develop personal growth. An art club could be created with weekly meetings or an art session can be added to the school day once a week.

Key Clubbers fundraise thousands of dollars every year to prevent prematurity. March of Dimes goals are to raise awareness of prematurity and reduce the rate of premature births. Key Club is making it happen! In 2009-2010, $100,000 was raised by Key Club. Raise money by:



Participating in the March for Babies. Create a Key Club team and fundraise through car washes, bake sells, etc until day of march. Sign up at www.marchforbabies.org and if you have any questions, find your local M of D chapter by clicking ―find a march‖ in purple bar and enter your zip code in box under map.



-Filling a 16 oz water bottle with dimes makes about $100 Resources for more ideas: www.marchofdimes.com/youth-->ways to get involved-->activities or fundraising

Children’s Miracle Network: May-August Founded in 1983, CMN had to major goals: 1) Raise money for hospitals to helps as many children possible; 2) Funds raised should remain in community to help local children. CMN„s purpose: raise funds to benefit hospitals to continue research, train staff, get modern equipment, contribute to existing programs, and save lives.

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Key Club participates in projects such as toy drives, book drives, etc. that will benefit children of the 170 hospitals affiliated with CMN.

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Buy miracle balloons found in CMN website and locally, volunteer at your local hospital. Find a list of potential fundraiser ideas and other resources in the CMN website under the Get Involved tab: http://www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org/getInvolved.aspx

UNICEF: September-December Not only a KCI partnership, but also United Nations organization, UNICEF is dedicated to children and works with other United Nation groups/organizations to aid children„s necessities through services in healthcare, educa-tion, and water and sanitation in more than 150 developing countries. This organization also contributes its re-sources and leadership to support the Worldwide service project to about eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorder(IDD) from the planet. Key Club contributes by trick-ortreating for UNICEF: Collect Coins, Not Candy since 1994

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-Project has raised almost $5 million benefiting IDD programs all over the world and HIV/AIDS programs in Kenya and Swaziland.

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-Goal: Raise $1.5 million for Operation Uruguay: Protecting the Rights of Children Funds will also benefit youth in Uruguay through the Mandalayos Community Center project which will provide youth with the right to education, health and basic services and family support, and create new centers with the same purpose. Overall, centers share goal of transitioning street children„ into community.

The esPRESSo|March

March of Dimes

has helped the March of Dimes by holding car washes, dances and bake sales to raise funds for medical research into birth defects. By John Pollard, Div. 76 Lt.G Having raised thousands of dollars for the The March of Dimes is a charitable March of Dimes, including $100,000 in 2009 -2010, Key Club has made a major impact on foundation focused on preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Every single day preventing premature birth. Key Clubbers from around the world remember collecting in the United States, 1 in 8 babies that are dimes in hopes that some day babies can be born are premature. Premature birth can born into the world without any birth truly happen to any pregnant woman, with defects. Today, Key Club members continue no known cause easily found. The medical to collect change in order to support the cost for premature babies can be extremely March of Dimes effort. The March for Babies high and can have a brutal impact on their organized by the March of Dimes is the families, financially. Established by Franklin D. Roosevelt largest fundraiser that typically takes place in April. in 1938 as the National Foundation for To help the March of Dimes, visit Infantile Paralysis, the organization‟s mission www.marchforbabies.org to sign up online was to end the polio epidemic. Having and find a date and location for a specific helped control the spread of polio, the event in your local area. On the site, you organization changed its focus in 1958 and then have the option of registering as either a has been dedicated to its current mission new or a returning walker. Be sure to register since. Key Club International is partnered as a Key Club team member! If you find yourself having any questions in regards to with the March of Dimes to prevent premature birth. Since the 1960s, Key Club the March of Dimes, feel free to contact your

local March of Dimes chapter and they will be happy to assist you in whatever you may need. Find your local chapter by clicking on “find a march” in the purple bar and then entering your local ZIP code to properly complete the search. March of Dimes is an outstanding organization so please try to take part in it any way that you can!

Youth Opportunities Fund

schools. The Key Club of Brockton High School received a YOF grant of $2000 and used it to purchase playground equipment for the local elementary school. This particular Key Club also received sponsorships from various corporations along with their own organized fundraising. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and apply for a Youth Opportunities Fund grant! You can then watch your project idea grow into an amazing reality! Applications can found at www.keyclub.org under SERVE —-> Apply

Opportunities Fund committee tends to give grants to those Key Clubs that are only requesting a partial amount of funding as opposed to all of the required funding. The application must contain detailed information that includes the title of the By Varun Awasthi, District Editor project, the problem it addresses, the location of the project, how it will benefit the community, what has been done to establish There are it so far and general budget information. numerous The applying Key Club must have paid their Key Club dues by December 1st in order to be members considered for a grant. There is only one that often funding cycle per year and applications must come up be turned in by October 15th. Key Clubs are with great notified of the International Board‟s decision community service ideas but lack the proper by mail, no later than January 15th. monetary funds to facilitate it. If you have There are countless opportunities for ever found yourself in this situation, then service that one has with the Youth perhaps you should consider applying for a Opportunities Fund. The Key Club of Cygrant from the Youth Opportunities Fund. Fair High School in Cypress, Texas received a The Youth Opportunities Fund is an YOF grant of $550 and used it to purchase entity exclusively for Key Club members. eighteen books, read them onto cassette tapes Clubs have the option of applying for grants for eight elementary schools, then bag and ranging from $100 to $2000. The Youth deliver them to the libraries of the eight

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for a YOF Grant.

Key Club Fun!

The PNW District Tour is as follows: Sunday, June 26th

Leave from Tukwila/Vancouver (WA), Night in Boise Monday, June 27th

Museum of Paleontology, Provo, Utah Tuesday, June 28th

Arrive in Flagstaff, Arizona Wednesday, June 29th

Grand Canyon and Sedona Key Club International Convention Begins in Phoenix

ICON 2011 Are you ready to meet Key Clubbers from around the world? Attend meaningful workshops along with two crazy dances? Spend days on an awesome tour throughout 6 different states? Then join numerous other PNW Key Clubbers for 11 days of fun on our International Convention tour to Phoenix! ICON is a truly unforgettable experience and you will remember these days forever! Contact your lieutenant governor for more details!

Thursday, June 30th Key Club International Convention

Opening Session, Walk for Eliminate, & Dance Friday, July 1st Key Club International Convention

Workshops , Caucusing & Recognition Session Saturday, July 2nd Key Club International Convention

Workshops, House of Delegates, Closing Session & Dance #2 Sunday, July 3rd

Southern California Beach, Spend Night in Anaheim Monday, July 4th

Disneyland & California Adventure Tuesday, July 5th

Sacramento (Old Town), Spend Night in Redding Wednesday, July 6th

Drop Kids off in Tukwila/Vancouver (WA)

price includes: • Bus ride • Ten nights at hotels • International Convention registration • Entry fees • District Dinner • District “Spirit Pack” • Tour costs (Disneyland, Grand Canyon, etc)

A few highlights of the amazing tour! 8

The esPRESSo|March

District ConventionA Preview

which are both fun and informational in terms of leadership skills enrichment. The Opening Session features a powerful keynote, and speeches by District By Thuy Nguyen, Div. 60/62 Lt.G Around the end of March each year, leaders. Some say it is this very session that Key Clubbers‟ cheers and huzzah shake Pacific Northwest District Key Clubbers Seattle City. Later on, booths at the Service come to the Doubletree hotel near SeaTac Fair showcase successful community projects Airport to attend the District Convention that concludes another year of Key Club; yet followed by Elections to the District Executive Board and endorsements for when the convention is adjourned, it‟s the beginning of another Key Club juncture that International office. Layered between these key events are workshops that build leaders, they are leaving behind. This year's DCON educate officers, and show everybody the fun theme is "Go Wild for Service" which is side of service. based on a safari theme. This theme was Everyone knows desserts are the best part of chosen based on its correlation with a meal. Same rule applies here! DCON ends Tanzania, where the PNW District is trying to raise $25,000 to open a surgery center for with the Talent and Awards Session. Key Clubbers get matched up with the awards trauma care (pnwsignproject.tk). that they rightfully deserve after hours of During this congregation of Pacific Northwest District Key Clubbers, laughter is dedication and hard-work. Right then, a moment of silence will serve as a prelude to raised in effort to quiet the awkwardness of the announcement of the top Division, the first meetings while tears of reunion run down one another‟s smile. Be that as it may, owner of the 2011 Spirit Stick. Some are DCON isn‟t just another mass hang out; it is going to taste the inadvertent bitterness of losing. However, the Governor‟s Ball will a resultant of many component sessions, sugar coat their taste palettes with exciting

dance floor actions and memories that are guaranteed to last. Brace yourself, for many have called this the trip that brought unexpected changes into their life, unexpected positive changes.

A Day in the Life of an Lt.G

you how much they miss you, and how they can‟t wait to see you at the next board meeting. With such an amazing group and supportive group of allies, a day of work is nothing close to laborious. At the end of the day, Lieutenant Governors finish their massive pile of work, not because they have to, but because they want to. And those kids at lunch who wanted to run for Lt. Governor? Well, they‟ll love it, no matter how stressed out they may get. A day in the life of a Lieutenant Governor is always amazing. In Caring and Service, Your always-stressed-out-and-yelling-andrunning-around-the-place-who-loves-you-

By Cheryl Li, Div. 13/15/17 Lt.G Dear Key Clubbers, You might think that a Lieutenant Governor is like some mystic unicorn of wonderland- always running around organizing projects, running meetings, making speeches, selling SIGN tshirts, all the while maintaining their grades and having (well, attempting) to have a social life and probably not eating or sleeping in the process. A typical day of mine goes something like this- I wake up in the morning and proceed to smash my hand into the alarm clock. I crawl out of bed an hour later and run to school hoping not to be yelled at by my first period teacher. My mug of caffeine manages to get me through the first class, which I‟m doing the homework from my second class in and organizing next month‟s fundraiser at the same time. By second block I hand in my hastilydone homework, and then proceed to brainstorm ideas for a service project while the

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teacher rambles on about Hamlet‟s third soliloquy or something like that. At the Key Club meeting at lunch I make an announcement about Lieutenant Governor Elections for the end of this month, and at the same time wonder if my club members even know what a Lieutenant Governor is (some of them still think I‟m a club officer). Third period (my free block) consists of trying not to fall asleep, calling community centers for rental facilities, calling volunteer coordinators, sending out emails about next week‟s DCM, and planning my newsletter. By the time fourth period hits, I‟m just about as dead as a log. But Key Clubbers, what you might not know is Lieutenant Governors are actually human beings too. We stress out, we get tired, we laugh with our friends about our math teacher‟s fanny pack, and we procrastinate on things. We‟re not divine beings who operate like machines. However, what does make a difference is that text in the middle of our day from a fellow Lieutenant Governor who lives a thousand miles away from you, asking you how your day is going. Or that facebook post telling

DCON Ticket: $220 Gas cost to Seattle: $40 Pacific Northwest District Convention: PRICELESS Could be your room‟s window view

Could be you having fun

Could be you.

LEADERS

REsources Academic Tip

Health Tip

you lose weight, combined with some exercise and it helps protect your body from diseases. By Christian Menendez, Div.9 Lt.G By McKenzie McCormack, Eating healthy can just make you Div.20i Lt.G feel good in general. Your body functions smoothly and it just feels clean. For us who High School can be tough at times. We all know this from experience. It‟s a time when you not live in the rainy Pacific Northwest it would People are always telling us only have to focus on your academic work and also benefit you to take Vitamin D3. It teenagers to eat healthy and exercise and extracurricular activities, but on your future! For most provides energy and keeps us vitamin D you know, they are right. I‟ve witnessed of us, it‟s worrying about our future that causes us the enriched with the lack of sun we have what eating unhealthy can do to you and most stress academically, and unless you‟ve decided here. Stay healthy Key Clubbers! As Key it‟s not pretty. that mutant beavers will soon take over the world, Clubbers we need to be strong and capable In March of 2010 my mom was you‟re probably worried about your grades instead of your current stock of wood currency to exchange with hospitalized with perforated diverticulitis. to show the world what we have the ability to do! So eat healthy, get out there, and your future beaver overlords. There‟s one thing we all Diverticulitis is the inflammation of a sac should keep in mind while struggling through our that bulges off of one‟s intestinal wall. It is serve the community! calculus, music, or AP classes: just do your best! horribly painful and can kill you. My mom From what I have witnessed in my school, a had to have emergency surgery in October lot of my fellow classmates simply throw in the towel to remove a foot of her intestines. when the work seems daunting. A common response I When it all comes down to it hear in school is, “I don‟t get it” or “I need help.” eating the right foods can save you from a These reactions are acceptable, but not right after the lot of things in the long run. Eating plenty teacher gets done explaining a new subject. Most of of fiber and little fast food can help these students don‟t even give themselves a chance to prevent Diverticulitis. work at the problem facing them before they give up and run for help. In my experience, you can Eating protein such as chicken, accomplish more if you just jump at the new topic and peanut butter and cottage cheese can help try your hardest to figure it out on your own first. I believe that this opens new opportunities to learn, allowing you to explore what works and what doesn‟t work, and discover your strengths and weaknesses in a particular subject. In the words of William Shakespeare, “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” Now, outside of the class room, the concept of giving it your all, and trying your best, is still an excellent area to apply this philosophy. Each of us is different, with different strengths and weaknesses and abilities. This is what makes people so extraordinary. Keeping this in mind, the only thing anyone can ask of you is to try your best when you‟re faced with a problem. The people I admire the most are the people who struggle with a subject, work on it by themselves for a while, and then ask assistance. These amazing people keep working on this subject until they completely understand it, no matter how long it takes, they keep trying. You can‟t just fly through school, or life, depending on people to guide you to the right answers. You will encounter things that will test you during your time in school, and the more experience you have with these types of problems, the easier they will become. In the meantime, you must persevere, most people will notice how much effort you are exerting to succeed and they will respect you for that. Good luck!

Attitude Tip By Gabriel “G” Dumbrique, Div. 34 Lt.G There exists a feeling where someone only wants to see the positive side to a situation regardless of how negative the result of the situation may be. This feeling is known as optimism. Everyday hurdles are often the cause of discouragement. And discouragement usually leads to being counter -productive. Most people become overwhelmed with their issues that they don‟t bother trying to find even short term resolutions. Those people usually look ahead to the negative outcome and lose incentive to continue on with the path to accomplish their obligations. Being optimistic can enable an individual to easily change the outcome of their situation from bad to good as long as they incorporate determination and dedication. An individual who wants something bad enough will get whatever it is that they want as long as they mold optimism

into their desire. Finding the upside to any situation is a skill that takes time to be able to do consistently. If you do not want to fail, you must never see failure as an option. It is essential that you stay optimistic in order to begin or to continue to progress. It is helpful to visualize the achievement throughout the entire task. It does not matter how difficult a task may be, one of the sure methods to reach your goal is to stay optimistic. I consider myself to be an optimist and through displaying this feeling on a daily basis I have been able to deceive people. Many people believe that I live that perfect life with the happy married parents and not having to worry about paying for college when in fact my life is the complete opposite. I have lived in an extremely low income household ever since I was born. But it hasn‟t stopped me. Because of the fact that I have consistently reminded myself of incentives to succeed, the positive side to every situation is all I am able to see. I have experienced enough in my life to be able to be reminiscent of my goals and what I need to do to get where I want to be. You can do anything you want as long as you stay optimistic.

The esPRESSo|March

Environment Tip By John Pollard, Div.76 Lt.G Our planet‟s conditions are getting worse. With raising levels of green house gases in the Earth‟s atmosphere, we humans continue to unbalance our planet‟s environmental equilibrium. Though most of us probably won‟t be putting solar panels upon our roofs, there are simple changes we can make to live more environmentally friendly lives. Three simple changes we can make are: turning off electrical devices, using less water and switching from incandescent to fluorescent bulbs. Turning Off Electrical Devices Ever notice when reading that your ceiling light and lamp are on? Turning off the ceiling light that isn‟t shedding light upon your book is a simple way to cut down on your carbon footprint. Another example would be leaving the light on when you leave a room. Though you may think you are gone for a short period,

Organization Tip

those seconds of wasted energy build up. Using Less Water Choosing a quick a shower over a bath will help limit the amount of water you consume. Also when you scrub, you can turn off the water, and then rinse after you have finished scrubbing. Switching to Fluorescent Light Bulbs Though fluorescent bulbs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, in the long term you will save more money switching to fluorescent. Along with being a better long term investment, fluorescent bulbs use less energy. Save the planet and money!

Start with cleaning you room, backpack, car, etc. If you can get rid of By Eric Redding, Div. 42OR Lt.G the unnecessary items that may take up space and hinder your ability to find If you have a hard time staying things you have more of a chance finding what you are looking for. If focused, getting things done or you do these organization tips you have misplace items you need to get a better chance of staying ORGANIZED! ORGANIZED! Organization is simple it just takes commitment from you. Some simple ways to stay focused is to write a list of what you have to accomplish, whether that is homework, scholarships, or just simple chores around the house. If you are having a hard time finishing what you started, make sure you‟re comfortable at your work place, have all the materials you need before you start to work, and allow yourself to take a short but effective break. Last but not least if you have a problem losing things you have to get organized. The esPRESSo|March

Inside Key Club By Clarisa Mondragon, Div.45 Lt.G There are many opportunities Key Club has to offer, yet even some of the most involved, dedicated clubs are unaware of the various positions available in Key Club International and the tasks that come with them. Any Key Clubber can go up the totem pole of service as I like to express, yet many Key Clubbers need to know what their options are that would adequately fit their leadership skills and ambitions. At the club level, the positions of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and bulletin editor are available by an election process and at the divisional level; there is the Lieutenant Governor position. The Lieutenant Governor is a combination of all those things and more. It‟s taking the combination of all the club officer‟s tasks and doing these while being the communication between the clubs and district board along with the international level. On the district stage, the positions available include governor, secretary, treasurer, and bulletin editor. All positions, but the governor status are similar to the club level, but overall the district board works with the Lieutenant Governors to help them with every Key Club, along with organizing more functions for the district. The governor is in charge of creating a districtwide project and making resources in addition to leading every Lieutenant Governor and over-seeing committees and the overall district. This year, the Governor‟s Project is SIGN, and Governor Caitlin put a lot of time and effort in visiting Kiwanis clubs to present about SIGN, ask for donations, and both create and provide resources to distribute throughout the whole Pacific Northwest district. Once reaching the international level, it is a position where the whole nation is overseen. There is a president, vice president, and eleven international trustees. Trustees are assigned a district in the nation and have the opportunity to travel and serve as the communication between the district board and international board while at the same time meet the Lieutenant Governors. All levels interact because of the connections between each board and set of officers. All positions are based on elections where club officers are decided at a club meeting, Lieutenant Governors at an election rally, district officers at district convention, and international officers at international convention. Any key clubber is able to run for any office without having been in the previous position, position beforehand. Explore your options though, and definitely climb up the totem pole of service because that way, you can make an impact in a variety of levels.

Governor Caitlin Snaring pnwcaitlin@gmail.com Secretary Yoo Eun Kim kcyooeun@gmail.com Treasurer Meghan Ruff pnw.treasurer.ruff@gmail.com Bulletin Editor Varun Awasthi varun.awas@gmail.com Convention Chair Ana Fakkema akfakkema@gmail.com Program Director Christine Kim sujin692@gmail.com PNW International Trustee Stephenie Yuan stephenie.kci.trustee@gmail.com International Trustee Annie Lewandowski keyclubannie@gmail.com International Trustee Lisa Nicholson lnicholson44@gmail.com District Administrator John Jay jmjay@bainbridge.net Assistant District Administrator Suzanne Endroedy suzbeth1@comcast.net

Key Club International Pacific Northwest District PO Box 25006 Federal Way, WA 98006

a kiwanis-family member pnwkeyclub.org

Spotlight on Kentridge The Kentridge High School Key Club located in Division 32 is one of the most fun and exciting Key Clubs you will find. By having active events year round and over 120 members, there is never a dull moment in this clubs regular activity. One of the biggest events that this club runs is the blood drive held in conjunction with the Puget Sound Blood Bank. The blood drive is held three times a year, with almost a hundred donors each time. With each blood donation saving three lives, the Kentridge Key Club blood drive, alone, has saved almost a thousand lives within the past year! Kentridge Key Club stays active in the school and community as well with various other community service projects. These range from assisting the music boosters program in their fundraisers, helping

Kiwanis with their Christmas party for underprivileged children, participating in campus beautification events and collecting gifts for homeless students during the holiday season. Some other notable projects include KRAB (Kentridge Academic Bowl) in which elementary school students are invited to the high school to participate in a knowledge-bowl style spelling bee or math competition. As part of the Major Emphasis Program service initiative: Live2Learn, KRAB was given the Major Emphasis program award at District Convention 2010. Having received countless awards at numerous district conventions in years past, the Kentridge Key Club hopes to continue this streak of excellence!