The Beaver Tree 2017-2018 Holiday Newsletter

NOVEMBER -DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

holly jolly KEY CLUB

season!

THE BEAVERÂ TREE H O L I D A Y

BROOKLYN TECH HIGH SCHOOL 2 0 1 7

E D I T I O N

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Happy Holidays Key Clubbers! I hope you've enjoyed your escape from school thoroughly, you deserved it! I see it all the time, at every event and fundraiser, the amount of passion and love for what all of you guys do as part of this amazing organization. Seeing this has inspired me so much this year, and for that I say you guys truly earned this break.

But let's not allow this vacation to steer us away from our goals entirely! With the new year coming up, it's time we set goals for any necessary changes and modifications we may want to make in our lives going forward. Let's come back strong and ready to conquer any struggles that may come our way, and of course remember that you have community of key clubbers to come to if you ever need anything!

Enjoy the rest of break!

Yours in Caring Service, Ayan Rahman BTHSKC Editor 2017-18

04

The Executive Board!

05

Executive's Remarks

06

Upcoming Events

07

Reminders

08-32 34-35 36-37

Holiday Events Pat & Jo's Divisional Corner What's Up With Key Club International?

38-39

Fun & Games!

40-46

Extras

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2017-18 Executive Board!

CONTACTS Qian Ting Chen

Secretary BTHS Class of 2020 sec.thetechkey@gmail.com

Kathy Song

Ziyin Zhen

President BTHS Class of 2017 pres.thetechkey@gmail.com

Vice President BTHS Class of 2017 vp.thetechkey@gmail.com

Nana-Osei Adjepong Raymond Cheung

Treasurer BTHS Class of 2019 treas.thetechkey@gmail.com

Ayan Rahman

Bulletin Editor BTHS Class of 2020 editor.thetechkey@gmail.com

Webmaster BTHS Class of 2017 web.thetechkey@gmail.com

s k r a m e R s ' e v i t u c Exe PRESIDENT'S REMARKS Happy holidays everybody! These past few weeks are so enjoyable because of how festive everybody is. It is an important time to give back to those around us, especially people who don't have much. That is why we have been partnering with clubs all throughout tech to donate clothing items to the homeless. Needless to say, we have collected an endless amount, and I am so proud and thankful to everyone who has participated. As we wrap up 2017, and move on to a new year, I hope you all continue to have the same passion you joined Key Club with, while you continue to learn and grow. Cheers to a new year!

Yours in Caring Service, Kathy Song

VICE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS I would have to say this time of year is my favorite because it’s the holidays, such as fun and joyful time to give back. The holidays are one of the busiest times for Key Club because we just have so many events for everyone to give back. One of my personal favorites was Little North Pole. This is my second year volunteering there and it’s just such as blast celebrating Christmas in November! Crazy right? But it was so fun and meaningful because it helped raise awareness for juvenile diabetes. It just amazes me how much our members can accomplish these past two months.

Great job everyone and happy holidays!!!

Yours in Caring Service, Ziyin Zhen

s t n e v E g n i m o c Up

1/06 1/06.

1/06.

1/07 1/13.

1/13.

1/13.

1/13.

1/13.

1/15.

1/26.

1/27.

Fort Greene mulchfest Village temple soup kitchen FEed the cats feed the cats gcc mulchfest gowanus village temple soup kitchen beautify red hook parks christmas decorations at st. j's Mlk day of service! mlk day of service! ny common pantry beautify red hook parks

remember to check your emails daily for notifications from us january general meeting coming up annual fundraiser coming up check out opportunities from key club international on page 36 look out for exec board appications/elections coming soon annual leadership training conference coming up

s r e d n i m e R

HOLIDA

EVE

Y

2017

NTS

DIVISION 8-13

FALL

2K

RALLY

17

NOVEMBER 11, 2017 STUYVESANT HS

FALL RALLY! WHAT WAS FALL RALLY? Fall Rally was essentially what the Divisional Training Conference was from back in June of last year - except much bigger. Key Clubs from Divisions 8-13, which comprises of the entire city and some of upstate, came together for a largescale "training conference" at Stuyvesant High School. There were many workshops and fun activities ready, as well as meaningful fundraising opportunities, networking opportunities, and a fantastic keynote speaker to end the day. Overall, Fall Rally was an amazing experience for everyone, and a chance for members to understand just how big the Key Club world is.

WORKSHOPS Throughout the day, there were three sessions for three different types of workshops. The first session was more fun and stress alleviating workshops, such as friendship bracelet making and origami, hosted by various members of Key Club.

Session 2 Workshops had various officer specific training conferences and informational sessions that taught about Key Club and what it's all about. Lastly, Session 3 Workshops offered to serve as life skills workshops, where members spoke about skills such as public speaking, the power of networking, time management, and more.

LUNCH & K-FAIR While the workshops may have been the highlight of the day to some, others may have found more fun and amusement during the lunch period where we got toÂ

sit and watch as 90+ boxes of pizza were rolled in on wheels, all for us to eat. After lunch we participated in the good old KFair where we had massive group activities such as a mass soul mate, ultimate rockpaper-scissors, and K-Fair. While the activities may have been the most corny things ever, people laughed and made new friends.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND ENDING

At the end of the day, everyone made their way to the auditorium to take a seat and listen to the wonderful representative from UNICEF who came to talk about maternal tetanus, as well as UNICEF as a whole and their mission statement. By the end we got to donate happy dollars and raised more than $2000 for UNICEF! Overall, the day was full of fun and was very informative. We got to make new friends and connections with key clubbers from all over the city, making for a truly unforgettable experience!

VILLAGE TEMPLE SOUP KITCHEN GREENWICH VILLAGE MARIAE JULIA ROBIS BTHS CLASS OF 2019 Starting from the very beginning of November, almost every weekend going forward, our members have been volunteering at the Village Temple Soup Kitchen. Here's what MJ had to say about their experience: This event was such a fun experience for me as it’s my first time working in a soup kitchen and cooking for others. The people who managed the event were very nice and approachable; they guided us while working alongside us. I worked surprisingly well with my fellow Key Club members while we washed, cut, cooked, and prepared food for the elderly and other people in need of food.

This was my first event of the year and it’s where I met some of the people that I continued to see until my most recent event. The job seemed hard to accomplish at first since we had to prepare so many things; however, as more volunteers came in, the workload became increasingly easy. Overall, it was a busy but heartwarming event as we were satisfied that our work would benefit the people in need.

11/12/17 ROCKAWAY, QUEENS

Little North Pole

BY YAFA ELMASRI '20

Little North Pole is a charming Rockaway event for the holidays. There is plentiful and varied selection of food, paid for by donation, and both live and DJed music to enjoy as well as a lovely Christmas display on the houses. It’s a few hours of pure love and fun! The friendly Rockaway locals as well as visitors from all parts of the city brought the event to life and really spread holiday cheer. Not to mention how rewarding it feels to know that all proceeds go to JDRF in an effort to fight juvenile diabetes. You learn what giving this holiday season is all about. Whether it’s your first time attending the event or you’re a yearly attendee, Little North Pole is a magnificent way to enjoy the holidays, celebrate with others and support children in need.

BROOKLYN'S WALK TO END ALZHEIMERS MANHATTAN BEACH, BROOKLYN 11/04/17 As part of the Alzheimer's Association's initiative to raise funds to eliminate Alzheimers, Key Club walked alongside many who felt this same desire. The event took place on November 4 at Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn and members walk 2 miles to raise awareness.

In total, the Alzheimer's Association has raised more than $66,000 dollars from the numerous participants of this event all across America, and the BTHS Key Club is happy to have been a part of such a feat.

SPRUCE UP FORT GREENE PARK!

Fort Greene, Brooklyn 12/09/17

By Pop-Joslaine Manos '21 On December 9, nine helpful BTHS key club members were among the many volunteers from different high schools and college campuses to successfully help in gardening and cleaning our nearby park, FortGreene! As volunteers, the students took 2 hours of their day assisting with general park maintenance. This maintenance process includes park beautification, pathway cleaning, raking and composting fallen leaves.

As gardeners, they learned new skills and connected with neighboringÂ

schools/our community. The best thing about it was the fact that it was the first snowy day! Though the snow made the work challenging, it was a complete success and enjoyment.

Fort Greene Park Volunteer Corps. has said to look forward to more upcoming partnerships with the BTHS Key Club and is hoping to see many of its member

BEAUTIFY RED HOOK PARKS! 12/02/17 RED HOOK, BROOKLYN Members gathered in Red Hook, Brooklyn to participate in gardening stewardship activities such as raking leaves, picking up branches, and other activities to get their hands dirty.

By the end, the members' hard work paid off with the sight of a freshly raked park and smiles to go with it.

Its my park

IT'S

MY

PARK DAY

@ LEIF ERICSON PARK 12/30/17 On a snowy morning members got together at Leif Ericson Park to engage in gardening stewardship as they raked leaves, put them in bags, picked up branches, and more. Many people had to leave due to extreme temperatures but for those who stayed, they were able to receive hot ginger tea and chips from the park management.

Although it snowed throughout the duration of the entire event, and everyone's gloves and clothes were getting dirty from the soil, everyone had smiles on their faces as they laughed and made new friends.

TRIBECA, MANHATTAN 12/02 12/03 12/09 12/10 12/16 12/17

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING WORKSHOP

At the various sessions of the GingerBread House Decorating Workshop, hosted at the Church Street School in Tribeca, members helped visiting kids make their very own gingerbread houses using the materials provided by the school. Members were responsible for gathering materials, laying them out, helping the kids make their own houses, and overall just making sure the event ran smoothly, By the end of each session, the kids left with smiles on their faces and everyone was left in a festive holiday mood.

CHRISTMAS DECOR AT ST. JOSEPHATS SUNEHRA SUBAH '20 I remember trudging through the snow, ice water seeping into my sneakers, towards a small Church. Though the weather outside was frightful, the staff, decorating inside, were delightful. Members of Key Club helped carry statues of holy figures and other decorations to the top floor of the Church. The previously somewhat empty room became lit with Christmas lights and was soon filled with wreaths and other greenery. Key Club additionally helped to position the wreaths on the slope of the wall and it took quite some time to perfectly center each one! It felt really secure inside the Church. The wind was howling outside and the snow did not stop falling, but inside it was warm and protective. I met some really kind and amazing people and it was a great experience complaining about the weather and helping each other carry Jesus up the steps. The Church was simply breathtaking after we decorated it.

Somehow, even though I had nearly died in the cold, it was worth it to help prepare something like that.

star wars

DECEMBER 16, 2017 TIMES SQUARE, NYC

BY APRIL SU BTHS CLASS OF 2019 SCHOOL SERVICES COMMITTEE HEAD At the Star Wars event, the volunteers and I were in charge helping out children who came up to our table to do arts and crafts. We made Yoda and BB-8 dolls out of paper, and it was incredible to see the children getting excited about the characters. The people who were in charge of the Star Wars event were very nice to the volunteers. They were very patient when explaining our tasks, and even gave all the volunteers a gift after the event! I received a Star Wars blanket and the others received various toys, such as stuffed animals and toy cars. It was totally one of the best events I have attended!

cats

FEED THE CATS!

BY NOUSHIN SHRISTI BTHS CLASS OF 2020

The key club event to feed the stray cats was definitely an experience.

My best friend and I on the whim decided to do an event and we were excited to see cats. However, they were some obstacles at first when we arrived to the location. We were scared we were a bit late but then we see other members waiting and it was because the lady who hosted the event wasn’t there. The other key club members and I waited in the cold because nobody opened the

door but it ended up being really funny. I made new friends with the other members standing there in the cold and that’s when we met an old lady. We were at the right location but the real person we were supposed to meet was out buying cat food. Helping out an old lady wasn’t i expected but she was kind enough to let us in and warm up.

The entire event was a friendly get together in the harsh weather. I learned how to make cat feeding bags from plastic bags and use my cat skills to befriend their 17 stray cats. While i didn’t enjoy freezing even wearing five layers, i loved helping out cats in need.

ASTORIA CAT RESCUE!

BY APRIL SU BTHS CLASS OF 2019 SCHOOL SERVICES COMMITTEE HEAD

At the Astoria Cat Rescue event, the various grades who I wouldn't have volunteers and I handed out flyers met otherwise, and we ended promoting the organization. As a cat handing out all of the flyers! lover, I really enjoyed going to this event. I not only helped a cause I care deeply about but also met other cat lovers as well. There were around 15 volunteers at the event, and we all had a good time talking about our pet preferences. I got to meet people fromÂ

BTHS KEY CLUB

Holiday Party

HOLIDAY FUN IN THE LIBRARY!

DECEMBER 21, 2017

The Holiday Party was a blast!

The Executives and I worked so hard in the weeks leading up to it to ensure that we would have the best musicians and dancers at tech perform for you, bring in lots of delicious food (with all of your help), plan fun games, give away prizes, and more. We were overjoyed to see so many smiling faces throughout the evening.

To begin, we had so many wonderful visitors show up for the party. Our Immediate Past Vice President Winnie Chen took time out of her busy college schedule to join in on the festivities, as well as our LTG Patricia Ahmed, EA Josephine Wu, and two special Kiwanis Members Mr. Gioia and Mr. Corace.

Shoutout to the Scrapbook Committee for making so many creative props and decorations for the party, and School Services Committee for helping set up!Â

After they did their magic, we began our night with music and food distribution. Everyone got their plates and got seated. The Photo booth was open as well, our fantastic photographer Kyle Han was there to take pics of everyone as well as document the whole night.

We then went into performances with Zoe Macuto, Carina Tan, Alex Hwang, Mira Curti, MJ Robis, and Breakdance Club. Their incredible talent blew us all away and I can't imagine any other people that would've lived up to what they put on for us. Thanks so much everyone!

We then went into the Fun and Games portion of the night with Ziyin's game of limbo, with a twist. Ziyin, being as extra as she is (WHICH I LOVE), had to make it into "Santa Belly Limbo" where participants had to stuff their bellies with pillows. It was quite entertaining to watch, really. We ended the night with Key Club Trivia and the winners of both games received their well deserved prizes.

Thanks so much to everyone who made the night possible! Until next year, happy holidays!

PAT & D I V I S COR

Happy Holidays Brooklyn Tech Key Club!

It’s ya girls Pat and Jo here with another divisional update! In November, we had our annual Divisions 8-13 Fall Rally, where we had over 300 Key Clubbers from across the city gather for a day filled with good food, informative workshops, fun activities, and an inspiring speaker. In the end, we raised over $2,070 for UNICEF! It was incredible to see such a large group of equally passionate Key Clubbers come together to learn and experience what this organization is truly about together. Since Thanksgiving was around the corner, clubs across Brooklyn gave thanks by organizing volunteer opportunities for Key Clubbers to give back to their community and to serve as a reminder that we should remain 9rateful for everything that we have. December was a continuation of festivities and the holiday spirit. In the beginning of the month, we attended the Ft. Hamilton Children’s Party, a free annual celebration for military families where they were served hot food and cold drinks, and children received Christmas presents. It was definitely an unforgettable experience being able to give back to those who have sacrificed their lives to protect our country. As the month progressed, more clubs began to host holiday parties—including yours! We had the pleasure of attending your annual holiday party in the library. It was a fun-filled evening filled with

& JO'S I O N A L

NER

amazing performances and great snacks. It was also a wonderful surprise to see your IP Distinguished Vice President Winnie! She is a prime example of someone who continues to hold a special place for service and Key Club in her heart. All in all, November and December have reminded us of how much we have to be 9rateful for—from every member in our division to our faculty advisors to teachers to family and friends—it’s been a successful year. However, the service year is not done yet. Hold onto the holiday spirit of giving and selflessness and continue this passion until the end of our terms in March and beyond. We hope that 2018 is a year for personal growth and opportunities for all of us, and we can’t wait to see where the rest of our journey takes us. We’ll see you next year!

Yours in Care and Service, LTG Patricia Ahmed and EA Josephine Wu Social Media “NYDKC Division 9” Facebook Group “NYDKC D9 Google Group” NYDKC D9 Website (nydkc9.wordpress.com) NYDKC D9 Instagram (@nydkcdivision9)

WHAT'S UP WITH KEY CLUB

INTERNATIONAL? GO ABROAD

K-Corps is the branch of Kiwanis International which handles the youth exchange programs for members of the Kiwanis Family. Going abroad during your time in high school is truly surreal, and I speak from experience! It gives you the chance to learn and experience a different culture far away from home, as well as discover new meaning behind service.

Summer 2018. 2 Weeks. Japan. You'll be able to experience Japanese culture and live in a homestay, with other key clubbers like yourself!

If this is something that interests you, email editor.thetechkey@gmail.com and find more info at www.kiwanis.org/kcorps

BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Do you want to voice your opinion and represent your club on the international level? The International Board is looking for passionate members to fill roles on the Committee on Service, the Committee on Membership Experience and the Committee on International Development and Expansion through this unique opportunity.

Becoming a Committee Representative will require you to be available for the rest of the service year, your job will be to represent the members of Key Club International from a non-international board member’s perspective.

If you are interested in this unique opportunity, email editor.thetechkey@gmail.com and look for more info at www.keyclub.org/news .

The application opens on January 1, 2018, and will close on January 31, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. EST. No exceptions or extensions will be made.

Appointed members will be contacted by committee chairs on February 9, 2018, around 5 p.m. EST.

FUN &

GAMES!

Our

CLUB VIP'S 2017-2018

ms. multari Mr.morgan ms.mckinnon mr.weiss

mr.gioia, our, kiwanis committee representative, with our club vip's

BTHS KEY CLUB

@THETECHKEY

ON

FOLLOW US

SOCIAL MEDIA!

THANK YOU!

AND A SPECIAL

SPECIAL

KATHY SONG AND ZIYIN ZHEN FOR THEIR REMARKS

AND A

MJ ROBIS FOR THEIR ARTICLE AND PICS

YAFA ELMASRI FOR HER ARTICLE CATHY LIEW FOR HER PICS

POP JOSLAINE MANOS FOR HER ARTICLE AND PICS KYAW NAING FOR HIS PICS BRITNEY LEE AND KAREN CHAN FOR THEIR PICS MILES PALMINTERI AND SUNEHRA SUBAH FOR THEIR PICS AND ARTICLE APRIL SU FOR HER ARTICLES AND PHOTOS NOUSHIN SHRISTI FOR HER ARTICLE KYLE HAN FOR HIS PHOTOS AND STICKING BY DURING THE HOLIDAY PARTY

CHECK OUT OUR

WEBSITE! https://bthskey.club

II PLEDGE, PLEDGE, ON ON MY MY HONOR, HONOR, TO TO UPHOLD UPHOLD THE THE OBJECTS OBJECTS OF OF KEY KEY CLUB CLUB INTERNATIONAL; INTERNATIONAL; TO TO

BUILD BUILD MY MY HOME, HOME, SCHOOL SCHOOL AND AND COMMUNITY; COMMUNITY; TO TO SERVE SERVE MY MY NATION NATION AND AND GOD; GOD; AND AND COMBAT COMBAT ALL ALL FORCES FORCES WHICH WHICH TEND TEND TO TO UNDERMINE UNDERMINE THESE THESE INSTITUTIONS. INSTITUTIONS.

The Key Club Pledge