2022: A Service Year in Review

Training for anything requires patience, determination, and commitment. But I believe one thing more important than any of these factors is a desire to learn. Although I missed the original training retreat due to my late appointment to the board, I was blessed to receive my training through both virtual sessions and the opportunity to attend ICON.

I was privileged to be trained by my district administrator, Heather Brindle, and my governor, Jessica Shin. During virtual sessions, I learned the ins and outs of my job as a lieutenant governor. From newsletters and due collections to divisional council meetings and club visitations, I found out why lieutenant governors were vital members of the Key Club family. I also learned of my role in district committees and how they helped accomplish Key Club's goal.

The second half of my training occurred at ICON. I attended workshops, participated in the house of delegates, and listened to incredible guest speakers such as Sal Khan and Bill Nelson. I met representatives from other districts and made many new friends. I learned about the roots of Key Club, its message, and how it has changed the lives of thousands of people. I discovered what it meant to be a Key Clubber.

As we approach the end of the 2021-2022 school year, I will leave you with the wise words of Confucius. "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." In other words, the best way to learn is not through memorization, but through discovery.

We've completed our finals, and summer is rapidly approaching. First and foremost, I hope you have all had a good school year. Due to all of the viruses and circumstances that have occurred throughout the world, it has been difficult to manage everything, but I am grateful that you have all had the opportunity to complete another school year. Make sure to finish it off for your Key Club before having fun with friends and family!

To successfully complete the year, I recommend concluding with a basic and easy-to-participate service project, such as a small canned food drive or collecting donations for a children's summer camp or the local red cross. Volunteering with a crisis hotline or hosting a relaxing art event in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month are two other suggestions. As a member, you should add up all of your service hours and make sure that all of your effort is credited; if you're not sure what community service receives a specific number of hours, talk to your adviser; it all adds up in the long run.

Finally, a banquet or end-of-year gathering with Kiwanis members, parents, high school staff, and students can be held to congratulate and recognize seniors and underclassmen for their hard work throughout the year and to discuss objectives and ideas for the next school year. Aside from announcing your new Key Club officers and reminiscing on the year's activities, certificates in celebration of persons who have served 30 hours or more or who are the most active overall could be included in your banquet, or consider purchasing small gifts for retiring officials and seniors.

Mahika Patel -

Being in a room filled with hundreds of members who share an evenly matched passion for key club as you. That is how I would describe the 77th Annual Key Club International Convention in Washington, D.C. I would maybe even say that it might have been the best week of my life. From being fortunate enough to connect and bond with members worldwide to creating memories that will last me a lifetime. At the conference, there were several motivational speakers including Dexter Darden, Lex Gillette, Sal Khan, and Bill Nelson. In addition, there were awards, talent shows, and rousing workshops to choose from. Caucusing and electing the international board for 2022-2023 was a riveting experience. From the Georgia district we had Taylor Petrofski running for international trustee. It was fascinating watching Taylor prepare for events leading to the election. One of my favorite memories would probably be when we saw Taylor’s name pop up on the screen and the immediate cheering that came right after. Since I mentioned favorite memories, pin trading is included in that. I didn’t have high expectations going into pin trading, however it was the best way to connect and meet members. Going on tours and having the bitterly cold A.C. water falling on Olivia and I, Armin getting banned from MailChimp, going on late night ice cream treats and screaming and crying on the pirate ship with Julianna were also some of the core memories. I cannot forget Heather dancing to Wobble Baby. ICON thank you for introducing me to so many wonderful people, and I cannot wait to experience it all again at the 78th Annual Key Club International Convention in California. Taylor Hancock - As Key clubbers, we’re used to serving our normal school community and spending time with our home clubs. ICON is such an indescribable experience because you meet people from Key Clubs all over the world. I genuinely met people from Arizona, Bahamas, Jamaica, South Dakota, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, anywhere you can think of. At ICON you spend time with people who share similar passions and interests as you and learn about the different ways Key Club takes place across different places. Besides the social side, ICON really teaches you amazing things to take back to your home clubs. I attended daily workshops with so many different topics, such as College 101, How to Successfully Plan Events, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Social Media and Membership Development, and even How to Get A Date. These workshops were super helpful in giving advice for helping out my home club and provide as a great resource to have help directly from International. There were also some amazing speakers that gave such inspirational speeches like Sal Khan (founder of Khan Academy), Lex Gillette, and Bill Nelson. You should attend ICON next year because it’s such a fun experience and… It’s in California!! But seriously, if you truly have a love and passion for service, ICON is so rewarding to see the real change that your local community is making and to meet the International leaders that are providing your district with so much. And when you attend ICON you get to meet and hang out with the Georgia District and come home with more friends than you left with! Don’t miss out, hope to see you in Disneyland 2023!

2022 ICON Recap Vlog

Key Clubbers, like YOU, from all around the world are challenged to raise money to help young children in Zambia have the best start at life possible. And, to make things EVEN BETTER, Key Cub is partnering with Builders Club to raise money and awareness for this AMAZING project!

Fun fact: The brain grows so fast that it develops about 90% of the way by the age of 5. That’s CrAzY!!! However, in Zambia, only 1 out of 4 first graders are ready for school, whereas the other 3 aren’t ready because of the lack of proper nutrition, health care, and learning opportunities.

As the amazing Key Clubbers you guys are, we need YOUR help to help support UNICEF’s effort in making education more accessible in Zambia! This is how Key Club will be helping make a difference by supporting UNICEF efforts: Building innovative community centers (aka Insakas) with spaces for children to learn and play, a community kitchen, playground, clean water and sanitation facilities, and a vegetable garden. Training community-based volunteers, health care providers, and teachers to work with parents to create nurturing and stimulating environments for young children. Providing age-appropriate toys to encourage development and strengthen bonds between parents and children.

Thanks to each and every one of you, children in Zambia will have the opportunity to live a happier, healthier, and better-educated life. Not only are you helping these children, but you’re also going to be establishing long-term changes in an ENTIRE country. I hope each and every one of you help this amazing project and make a difference!

For more information, visit https://www.keyclub.org/start-strong-zambia/ and watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e024WCf2I8

In order to prepare for the Georgia Leadership Training Conference, the GA District Key Club Board had meetings in Macon, GA and Smyrna, GA. We rehearsed our GLTC Script and gave each other constructive criticism to help each other be the best possible presenters. In addition, we brainstormed ice breakers to do at GLTC and had a little too much fun practicing how the icebreakers would progress. To promote GLTC, we filmed lots of tiktoks, reels, promotional videos, and made posters!

We were invited as a board to attend the GA Kiwanis DCON luncheon where we met all of the wonderful Kiwanians. It was amazing to get to converse and create bonds with the Kiwanians! Seeing all of the bright smiles and the indelible service that the GA Kiwanis does, I hoped that I would attend the GA Kiwanis DCON in the future as well.

The most memorable part of this entire weekend had to be our table etiquette seminar where we learned that there is NO double dipping in key club and that the butter must be passed to the right even if it means that the butter has to be passed around the entire table.

The summer board and pre GLTC board strengthened the board's bond and our bond with Kiwanis!

When I first heard about the Georgia Leadership Training Conference (GLTC), there was only one thing on my mind: Six Flags. The sole fact that our district board will hold an event at the amusement park made me thrilled! But before all the fun, there were things that had to be done. About two weeks before GLTC, the district board gathered for a meeting, where we made promotion materials for GLTC and SLC. We also outlined the plan for the event. Then, a day before GLTC, we met again to finalize and rehearse sessions until it was perfect. We were able to sleep after countless rehearsals that went on and on.

But all these efforts were not wasted as Key Clubbers from all over Georgia started to fill the crystal pistol hall for GLTC. Different students from different schools became part of the event. GLTC surely was a great success as the first in-person event by 2022-23 Georgia District Board. For me, meeting club officers from division 9 was most memorable. While I was not lieutenant governor of their division (I'm LTG for division 15!), it was a stellar experience getting to know people who share similar minds. I also enjoyed hearing about their own stories as club officers; it gave me new insight into what I should do as lieutenant governor to assist Key Clubs in my division. Overall, GLTC was an inspiring event, and I hope more students participate in the event next time to get the same experience I had!

Jackson Thomas -

Over 17 years and 17 Thanksgivings spent with family and friends you sometimes forget what you are truly thankful for. As the oldest of 8 in my family the responsibility of being a good role model and leader is a burden always on my shoulders. But within that, I’ve found other people to help lead with. Key Club has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to not only go on business trips to visit clubs but also given me the opportunity to meet people who I’m 100% sure will go on to make our world a much better place. The opportunity I have as a Lieutenant Governor is one that I would have never expected I would be doing but is a responsibility that I take pride in and enjoy.

This year I’m thankful for Key Club. An organization that not only gives light to people in need but also gives light to the member who participates. I’m thankful for the friends I’ve made through it, through the District Board, and through my home club. I’m thankful for the memories that have been made and the person I’ve become because of this amazing group of people. And lastly, I’m thankful for the view that it has given me that in reality there will always be people in the world willing to make changes and help where and when needed.

Chris Kim -

I am thankful for Key Club because of the unique and special opportunity it gave me to practice my efforts to speak in front of people, make new friends, and of course, gain experience in a professional work setting. My favorite experience from Key Club was the smores get-together with all my other teammates. I learned so much about the other Key Clubbers, and they even helped me fit into my job as a lieutenant governor. I remember one Governor I met during the smores meet-up was that he learned mandarin all by himself. He not only knows how to speak mandarin, but he can also write and even write poems with them. He watches Chinese dramas, and often writes his notes in Mandarin. He inspired me to start learning Chinese, and I have been practicing ever since.

Key Club has taught me a lot about responsibility and time management. I have created an extensive calendar to tell me all the due dates and assignments. This new skill has also helped me plan other projects of my own like my ROBLOX game coding, and other coding projects I like to attend to in my free time. This has greatly helped me efficiently make my games faster and with better quality.

Charlee Reynolds -

Giving Tuesday is used to radiate positivity and generosity across the world. Their mission is to “build a world where generosity is a part of everyday life.”

The movement began in 2012 and was a day that encouraged people to do good. CEO, Asha Curran, experienced the 10 year anniversary of the movement she created this year. Giving Tuesday is something I have just recently been informed of. After researching it, I found it as my duty to participate. It is important to use Giving Tuesday as a way to make someone smile. I have used it as a way to insert generosity into my everyday life.

I am employed at a local Starbucks, and as my Giving Tuesday, I paid for five people’s orders. By doing this, it placed a smile on their face and made my heart happy. A chain began where people would pay for the person behind them. Not only was I generous, but I encouraged others to be generous as well. This affected people very positively and got their mornings off to a fantastic start. Every week, I try to find one person I can help. My coworkers have also begun to participate along with me. I encourage everyone to participate in Giving Tuesday!

Shashvati Patil -

There are several ways to participate in Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to make someone smile, it is a chance to make someone happy no matter who they are. Participating in Giving Tuesday goes towards making the world where generosity is part of life. Giving Tuesday is about giving, not about the quality or quantity of what you’re giving. There are several ways you can contribute no matter who you are or where you’re from.

After this thanksgiving break you may have some extra food items left over, you can give these to your community, by creating a food pantry. You can also donate to nonprofits of, or community organizations of your choice, that resonate with your principles/goals. If you’re in a rush but want to give, no worries, pay for the next person’s order as you go through a drive through, or leave a thank you gift card at your regular gas pump.

There are many ways to give, giving doesn’t need to be costly, there are several ways to give that you may overlook, and they don’t always have to be tangible like donating some of your knowledge, you can use your skills to teach others.

On November 19th, Key Club International held their 3rd Global Engagement Rally. There were members attending from all over the world via zoom. The International Board announced the new Key Club International District, which is Philippine-Luzon!

The guest speaker for the rally, Felice Gorodo, was particularly special due to his engagement with Key Club. Mr. Gorodo was the Past Key Club International Vice President. He shared his story about how he was drawn to service, and how Key Club fundamentals braced him towards success.

There were several rousing workshops to choose from, members had the opportunity to select the workshops they wanted to attend. The workshops I chose to attend were “Service Around the World” and “Key Club in Wonderland”. In the first workshop, “Service Around the World” the hosts described what service meant to them and opened up a chat-wave for the members to interact as well. The host and members combined they described service as “kindness” “appreciation” and “giving back”. There was a Q&A towards the end, where the hosts were able to answer a lot of the members' questions and interact.The second workshop the hosts discussed the difference between traditional and non-traditional Key Clubs around the world. There were several service projects ideas discussed such as homeless sleepout, traveling bake sale, food bank, sports tournament, and community fair. We had an opportunity to learn how to make bookmarks with origami as a service project.

Towards the end of the rally, there was a special announcement at the Annual Key Club International Convention. The theme is “Lights, Camera, Action”, the convention will be held from July 5th-9th in Anaheim! The Global Engagement Rally was interactable and insightful!

Our Winter Board meeting was certainly eventful. As Bulletin Editor, I ran around the entire hotel trying to film promotional videos of the hotel and District Board members to encourage people to come to SLC. In addition, we filmed a movie that will be premiered at the SLC! Through filming, I realized that I had an amazing group of members who were willing to work with me and help me in all of my creative endeavors.

With the events committee, we finalized the t-shirt designs, logos, and continued to brainstorm the swag bags and memorabilia for SLC. As a board, I feel that we made a lot of progress and have prepared for the BEST SLC yet, and I can not wait for March 10th!

We had a special surprise from Mr. Darryl Gumz, the Georgia Kiwanis Governor, who attended all of our meetings at Winter Board and provided a lot of insightful advice and laughs. Also, our international trustee, Leo Shen, also joined in on one of our meetings online, and we were able to get to know more about Key Club International

The most memorable part of winter board had to be the white elephant exchange where I realized that my friends were willing to do anything for squishmallows and scented stuffed animals. We all munched on warm cookies from Insomnia and sipped on hot chocolate while we stole gifts, opened gifts, and overall had an amazing time!

Winter Board made me really excited for SLC, and I hope to see all of you guys there!!