May 10 2015 | VOLUME I | ISSUE II “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen” - Stephen Gandley
The Gonzalez Times The Official News Letter of the NJ District of Key Club
Division 14
Glossary Page 1…….. Edition Cover Page 2…….. Glossary Page 3…….. New Officers Welcome Page 4…….. Club Feature ( Arthur L. Johnson High School ) Page 5…….. Outstanding General Member ( Sam Barrall ) Page 6…….. May 9th Spring Regional Training Conference Recap Page 7…….. Regional Training Conference Flyer Page 8…….. Divisional Council Meetings & Officer Training Conferences Page 9…….. The Governor’s Blog & Divisional Project Page 10 ….. Eliminate Update Page 11 ….. Service Partners Page 12 ….. District Project - New Jersey Federation of Food Banks Page 13 ….. International Convention Page 14 ….. Go The Distance Biking For Autism Page 15 ….. Go The Distance Biking For Autism cont. Page 16 ….. Keeping In Touch ( Social Media ) Page 17 ….. Want to be featured at the district level? Page 18 ..... Board Contact Information Page 19 ..... Edition Summary
Welcome! new officers of Division 14 Arthur L. Johnson High School Elizabeth High School Edison High School John P. Stevens High School Westfield High School Rahway High School John F. Kennedy Memorial High School Elizabeth Key Club
Arthur L. Johnson Key Club
President Kristina Geiger Vice President Brianna Lukasiewicz Secretary Georgia Starvakis Treasurer Kristen Adamowitz Editor Matt Gallo Editor Simone Sequeira Webmaster Zachary Chieco
JP Stevens Key Club
Westfield Key Club
President Sarah Morton Vice President Ben Cook Secretary Francesca Colucci Secretary Emily Mordkovick Treasurer Megan Why Editor Felicia Mermer
President Aileen Salazar Vice President Tyler Nichols Secretary Martha Julemis Treasurer Luz Padilla Editor Jason Florez Webmaster Amy Sorto
President Shreya Keshive Vice President Swathi Srinivasan Recording Secretary Matthew Seto Corresponding Secretary Soham Patel Treasurer Himanshu Patel Editor Zeel Patel Editor Courtney Zeng Webmaster Shukan Shah
Officers yet to be elected will be recognized in Volume 3
Club Feature “ALJ Key Club Helps The Earth� This past Saturday, April 25th, ALJ key club members woke up early to a chilly morning in order to help clean up the Rahway River & Park. A range of members prepared for a hands on and muddy experience with nature as they suited up with water proof gloves and giant garbage bags. As the morning went on, students teamed up with the local Boys and Girl Scout Troops, environmental groups and other school clubs to fill bags with trash from all over the park.
One specific part of the park was a disaster where runoff carried logs and branches down the river creating a huge blockage of trash. At this spot, it was rare to see water that was not covered by plastic and glass bottles, Styrofoam scraps, plastic bags and an assortment of sports balls. Key Clubbers worked from the shore as Troop leaders with proper equipment actually submerged themselves into the water. Like an assembly line, the adults in the water handed litter to the key clubbers who then passed it over with nets to the Scouts who bagged the trash. At the end of the day, there were multiple hills of garbage bags and a much cleaner river. The best part of this service event was watching the younger children realize where litter actually goes and the consequences that follow. Overall, cleaning up the Rahway River and Park was a fun and unique way to make a helpful impact on the community.
- ALJ Club Editor Simonne Sequeira
Outstanding General Member!
Sam Barrall
Sam Barrall is an outstanding general member from Edison High School that consistently displays the qualities of a dedicated Key club member. She has been a member of the club since her freshman year, and, for only the 2014-2015 service year, has received over 150 hours so far. Her attendance at Key Club meetings is phenomenal. She volunteers at Children’s Specialized Hospital every other Sunday, donates for
bake sales and events, and participates in any Key Club event, such as Doggy Derby and a movie night held at the school. She is very reliable, willing to dedicate her time and offer new ideas to gain awareness and raise money. She constantly motivates people to come to meetings, volunteer at events, and do as much as she can for the club and the people in it. She is one of the things that are great about Key Club. - Edison Club President Melisa Ray
Pumping Up The Volume of Service Regional Training Conferences “The RTC was extremely beneficial for all board members to attend so they can make this service year as active and profitable as possible through with the knowledge that they gained“ - ALJ Treasurer Kristen Adamowitz “ I loved how all the presenters were energetic and could answer all the questions we had. I also enjoyed meeting people from other divisions and getting new ideas to use for my own school’s key club” - JP Stevens Editor Courtney Zeng
Upcoming RTC Dates and Locations
Spring RTC North: May 16, 2015…………Southern Regional High School
Fall RTC South: September 12, 2015 …………….West Deptford High School
Fall RTC Central : September 13, 2015 ……….….…Phillipsburg High School
Fall RTC North: September 19, 2015…………….……...Millburn High School
Regional Training Conferences are a great way for officers, general members, and club advisors to learn more about Key Club and the immense role that each and every member plays in it. RTC’s contain workshops that teach officers all across the state all the information that they need to effectively lead their club into a successful service year. It is necessary for all officers to attend at
least one RTC in order to be recognized at DCON! “RTC’s was a great opportunity to learn more about my role in Key Club and a great way to meet a ton of new people. I found the Workshops very informative and they gave me a few ideas for events and club meetings.” - Elizabeth Vice President Tyler Nichols “ It was great meeting new people and knowing that we’d be seeing each other again at fall rally is great!” - Westfield Club President Sarah Morton
Divisional Council Meetings Divisional Council Meetings are critical in Divisional Communication, this is why Division 14 will be holding monthly Divisional Meetings the second to last Saturday of each month (unless other wise noted). All Club Officers must attend these monthly meetings; club committee heads and general members are also welcome. At Divisional Council Meetings one officer from each club will be expected to give a 2-3 minute oral report on how their club is doing, whether or not their club has increased in size, what service and fundraising projects they have had since the least meeting, and anything else that they would like to let the division know. The report should be given by the member in attendance of the highest position (in most cases the Club President). Don’t worry! You do not have to memorize anything! This is not a homework assignment, a few bullet points will be enough. While the weather permits it, meetings will be held at Magic Fountain Ice Cream and Grill at 300 Williamson Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202 at 2:30 pm ( Please be prompt ) I look forward to seeing you all there!
Officer Training Conferences Officer Training Conferences are where all club officers will receive their formal training and have a chance to get all unanswered questions answered. Officer Training Conferences will be held on the same days as Divisional Council Meetings but will be held after the DCM is done. OTC’s will be held in this form until 100% of Division 14 officers are trained. Officers whom have been trained are not required to stay for OTC’s after DCM’s. However you are all welcome to stay, eat ice cream and have fun with your Division for the afternoon.
Divisional Project Attention Division 14! Through the whole 2015-2016 Service year Division 14 will be raising funds for the March of Dimes Foundation for Premature Child Birth Research. A march of Dimes bucket will be placed at the entrance of all monthly Divisional Council Meetings, Officer Training Conferences and Regional Training Conferences. Please Remember to Bring Change To “Spark Change” - District Secretary Sarah Park
“ The Governor’s Blog”
Keep up with our NJ District Governor in her Governor’s Blog located on the NJ District webpage. http://njkeyclub.org/news/blog/governor's-blog/april-update/
Hello Division 14! I hope you are having a great start to the service year and having fun serving your homes, schools, and communities! In order to help bridge the gap between club and district, I will be publishing a monthly blog on the district website where I will talk about district updates, international updates and more. I will publish this no later than the 15th of each month! Please read this and share this info with your clubs!. Another important event going on right now is RTCs! The next RTC is May 16th at Southern Regional High School from 9am-1pm. The workshops and presentations will help you become more prepared for your jobs and more in the know of district happenings. Have a great day and I look forward to seeing you at upcoming district events. - NJ District Governor Josie Suddeth
Eliminate Update!
For Five years, The K Family has partnered with UNICEF in their fight against maternal tetanus. The Eliminate Project centers on eradicating the mortal disease that is MNT from the world. MNT claims the lives of dozens of babies every day, but we have the power to make a change, This extreme pain can come to an end with a vaccine that only costs $1.80. For only $1.80 one can save the life of a mother and all of her future children form a horrid fate. This month, the World Health Organization’s Validation Survey confirmed that another country has
Eliminated MNT! Mauritania.
I would like all of you to know how much of a difference Key Club Makes in the world and the difference that your hard work makes on the lives of so many people. 36 countries have now been completely eliminated of MNT.
We are really changing the world.
Service Partners March Of Dimes The March of Dimes Foundation focuses on gathering funds for premature birth research.
“ We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies”
Children’s Miracle Network Children’s Miracle Network is an international Organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals, medical research, and community awareness of children’s health issues
- March of Dimes Mission Statement
NJ District Fundraising Goal March of Dimes ………………… $ 750.00 UNICEF ……………………………. $ 35,000.00 Children’s Miracle Network…… $ 1,000.00
NJ individual Club Fundraising Goals March of Dimes ………………… $ 150.00 UNICEF ……………………………. $ 1,925.90 Children’s Miracle Network…… $ 190.00 All clubs whom reach the NJ Key Club individual goal will be recognized at this year’s district convention. Clubs who exceed this goal and raise the most money out of the whole division, will be called on stage at DCON.
2015 - 2016 District Project The New Kersey Federation of Food This service year we are bringing our focus back home! This year, the New Jersey District of Key Club International Service Project is the New Jersey Federation of Food Banks. With 1 in 8 people in NJ struggling with hunger and 1.1 million people wondering where their next meal is coming from, it is our job to offer our help. There are a plethora of ways in which we can serve this cause and make a difference in our community. Through fundraising and volunteering, we can make a difference.
International Convention International Convention has a reputation for being the largest Key Club event of the service year. This year is not any kind of exception to the reputation of International Convention, but has an expectation of being even more of a once in a lifetime event than ever. This summer the New Jersey District will be traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana to the Key Club International 72nd International Convention to celebrate the 100th service years of Kiwanis International. For this centennial celebration there will not only be the Key Club International Convention, but a joint International Convention with Key Club, Circle K, and Kiwanis. Indianapolis, Indiana is rated USA Today’s best convention city in the United States and we will be celebrating there with an expected 12,000 attendees. The 2015 International Convention being described as splendiferous would be an understatement. 2015 not only marks the centennial birthday of Kiwanis International, Key Club’s parent organization, but also an end to the ELIMINATE project campaign. At International Convention we will be celebrating the achievements of Key Club International for fundraising for the ELIMINATE project. As of 2015 Kiwanis International has raised $80 million towards ELIMINATE to help with efforts towards eradication maternal and neonatal tetanus and the disease has been eradicated in 16 countries as of April 2015. The accomplishments of the clubs of the New Jersey District over the past years with the ELIMINATE campaign will be recognized and are very much appreciated. International Convention can be a beneficial opportunity for many reasons. The convention can be used as an opportunity to make business connections with service organizations represented at the convention and with other Key Clubbers in attendance. At International Convention the next International Board of Trustees will be elected for the 2015-2016 service year. At the House of Delegates, attendees from each school will be voting on amendment to the bylaws of Key Club International. In this way and many more, International Convention is a way to see the way Key Club’s International level works and help set the stage for the new service year. Not only business connections but friendships and memories to last a lifetime will be in store at the 2015 International Convention. All attendees are sure to have the experience of a lifetime at the 72nd Key Club International Convention!
Go The Distance Biking for autism Go the Distance for Autism is the largest charity cycling event in North Jersey. What exactly is it for? It is to change the future for those who struggle with autism, spread needed awareness, and impact the lives of children and their families living with autism every day. There are four programs involved in helping Go the Distance. They are: Alpine Learning Group, The EPIC School, Garden Academy, and REED Academy. These four programs are located in Northern New Jersey. All of the money that is raised from Go the Distance for Autism Ride is given to these four programs for educational and treatment programs for children and adults with autism. So,if you would like to help spread autism awareness, or help people with autism get treatment, you should attend the Go the Distance for Autism Bike Ride this month! This year, the Go the Autism Bike Ride is being held on May 31st at Bergen Community College. For more information about this event go to www.gtd4autism.org under the “Event Details� tab. - LTG of Division 7 Julia Paco
a
http://gtd4autism.org
NJ KCI District Board Contact Information
Executive District Board District Governor Josie Suddeth……………..governor.suddeth@gmail.com District Secretary Sarah Park…………………...secretary.separk@gmail.com District Treasurer Bobbie Bottinger……..treasurer.boettinger@gmail.com District Editor David Guirgis………………………..editor.guirgis@gmail.com District Webmaster Shannon Peng……………webmaster.speng@gmail.com Your LTG Division 14 LTG Stephania Gonzalez Mena…....ltg14.gonzalez@gmail.com 908 - 977 - 3049
IMPORTANT
The Gonzalez Times Regional Training Conferences All clubs are REQUIRED to send all of their Officers for Official Training to ATLEAST ONE of the following Regional Training Conferences in order to be recognized at the District Convention at the end of their term. From 9am - 1pm Locations are Subject to Change!
Spring RTC South: May 16, 2015 …Southern Regional High School
Fall RTC South: September 12, 2015 ……………...West Deptford High School
Fall RTC Central : September 13, 2015 ………….…….Phillipsburg High School
Fall RTC North: September 19, 2015…………,,,………...Millburn High School
Divisional Council Meeting May 30th Magic Fountain Ice Cream & Grill at 300 Williamson Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202 at 2:30 pm.
IMPORTANT DEADLINES! CMRF: 7th of Every Month
Make sure to stay updated with the NJ District on Social Media with…
Twitter: @njkeyclub Instagram: @njkeyclub
Go to the Distance! Biking for Autism Saturday May 31st Bergen Community College 400 Paramus rd. Paramus , NJ 07652
Upcoming District Events
ICON 2015 (June 23rd—30th)……………………………….Indianapolis, Indiana
Fall Rally: October 11, 2015……………….…….Great Adventures Jackson NJ
Key Leader: December 2015……………………..Camp Lebanon, Lebanon NJ
DCON: April 1-3, 2016…………………………..Ocean Place, Long Branch
Please email me pictures and anything else you would like to post on the Division News Letter to the email listed below. I would love to feature your clubs on any of the Divisional social media cites.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions, or concerns.
Email: Ltg14.gonzalez@gmail.com Website: http://thegonzaleztimes.wix.com/division14 Remind: text ( @njkcdiv14 ) to ( 81010 ) - to receive divisional updates and reminders