The Capital Key Issue 1 Volume 68

The

CAPITAL KEY

A Look Into The Capital District Issue I VOL 68 Issue I VOL 68

A Look Into The Capital District

A New Year

EDITOR'S NOTE

Hailey Reynolds

It is an honor to be able to publish a quarterly Capital Key issue and share the Capital District's amazing feats The District Editor works in conjunction with the executive board, the communications committee, and the adult committee to produce four of these publications, and we have finally released the first! This publication is used to promote international and district level events, awards, and service projects, as well as recognize outstanding club members, officers, and lieutenant governors throughout their term.

To introduce myself, I am Hailey Reynolds and I am a rising senior at Sherando High School in Division 8A. Before becoming the district editor, I served as Division 8A’s lieutenant governor during my junior year. From serving with the Capital District, the international board, and my home club, I have gained a great deal of experience in leadership, kindness, and, most importantly service I am beyond excited to publish these issue our district, and inform all of District has to offer Let's ge

C A P I T A L K E Y T h e

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT WAYNESBORO HIGH SCHOOL

Page 6

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL

Page 7

EXECUTIVE INTRODUCTIONS

Pages 8-9

THE CAPITAL DISTRICT BOARD

Pages 10 -13

THE CAPITAL DISTRICT ADULT BOARD

Pages 14-15

NOTES FROM INTERNATIONAL

Page 16

Volume 68

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

CAPITAL SUPPORTERS

Page 17

MAJOR EMPHASIS

WHAT TO KNOW

Page 18

CAPITAL RECOGNITION

Page 19-21

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Page 22-23

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Page 24

DISTRICT CONVENTION

Page 25

T h e

C A P I T A L K E Y

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

Waynesboro High School

Waynesboro High School Key Club has doubled in size in the last service year and has done outstanding work with community service. With 19 new members at the end of February, Waynesboro grew their club for the upcoming year.

To establish increased passion for service, Waynesboro started off the new service year strong, helping their local preschool. To celebrate the Easter bunny's arrival, the Waynesboro High School Key Club developed a large egg hunt at Waynesboro Preschool The children gathered eggs all around the outside of their school and found sweet surprises inside. This encouraged youth to get out, explore, and have fun with their peers. The Waynesboro High School Key Club took pride in their efforts as they spread the eggs across campus, and even cleaned up the area after the egg hunt to help staff and encourage a clean environment Great job, Waynesboro!

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

Mills E Godwin High School

Mills E. Godwin High School Key Club has done a phenomenal job this past service year, doubling their membership and participation in the district Mills E Godwin High School sold peanuts with their local Kiwanis group to raise money to create a well in Eswatini. With their participation alongside their local Kiwanis organization, Mills. E. Godwin High School Key Club also participated in the Governor's project for 2022-2023!

With their fundraiser for creating wells in Eswatini, the group also created many other service projects during the year, including creating blankets for Project Linus and cards for faculty within their school. Their club has become more and more successful with each project, and has grown to become an outstanding Key Club! Great job, Mills E Godwin!

R O D U C I N G

Governor-Erina Haque

Hello, Capital Crabs!

My name is Erina Haque and I am honored to be serving as your 2023-2024 Capital District Key Club Governor! I am currently a rising junior at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Division 2D I have served as the 9th grade representative of my home club and last year ’ s Division 2D Lieutenant Governor I am also an active member of the International Membership and Retention taskforce and a liaison on the Truly International taskforce From serving within this community, I have gained so many valuable experiences that have helped me to grow as both a leader and individual. I am so excited to work with you all during this term!

As Governor, my primary focus is on fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where all Key Clubbers can thrive While we are still in a recovery period from the pandemic, I believe that this is the best way we can grow as both a district and as individuals I have no doubt that you all will continue to diligently serve as, together, we build our homes, schools, and communities

You can reach out to me anytime over Instagram at @haque erina or through email at erina keyclub@gmail com

Remember that I’m always here to support each and every one of you Let’s make this year one of our best in service!

Yours in Friendship and Service, Erina

Haque Capital District Governor

Webmaster-Pallavi Sundaram

Hello, Capital District!

My name is Pallavi Sundaram and I am so honored to serve as your 2023-2024 Capital District Webmaster! I am currently a rising senior at Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, WV Since the start of my Key Club journey my 8th grade summer, I have served as an LTG at Large and the District Bulletin Editor for the prior West Virginia District Then after the merge, I served on the Capital Board as LTG of Division 18 before being elected District Webmaster As Webmaster, I am in charge of managing the District social media accounts and website. My goals this year are to promote engagement and connection through district platforms and to allow for further accessibility of resources!

TOutside of Key Club, I am involved in debate, tennis, science olympiad, chamber choir, national honor society, theater, and even math field day I have many hobbies and I take an interest in many subjects, but especially anything science and math related I cannot wait to see what the Capital District will accomplish this year

I cannot wait for a year full of service and making connections with you all I am so excited to work with the rest of the Capital District Board in serving you and your clubs this year! We are here to provide any resources that you may need, as well as offer assistance, whether it be for service project ideas, district events, communicating with your Kiwanis club, and more! Feel free to reach out to me anytime at pallavisunkey@gmail com!

Yours in friendship and service,

Pallavi Sundaram

Secretary Treasurer-Jason Yoo

Hi, everyone!

My name is Jason Yoo, and I am absolutely thrilled to be serving as the Secretary-Treasurer for the 2023-24 Capital District Key Club Board

I'm currently a rising senior at Chantilly High School in Northern Virginia, and I have been involved in Key Club for the past three years now, having previously served as a Lieutenant Governor at Large I am extremely passionate about leadership and service, and I'm excited to bring that passion to this new role My aspirations for the upcoming Key Club year revolve around increasing equity and inclusiveness across the district, encouraging more individuals to grow as student leaders for their respective communities

When I'm not working on Key Club projects, you can usually find me listening to music in my free time I love discovering new artists and expanding my horizons in that way I'm also a big believer in the power of community, and I'm really looking forward to getting to know all of you and working together to make a positive impact in our communities

I know that this year is going to be a big one for Key Club and the Capital District, and I am honored to be a part of it Feel free to contact me anytime, either through my email jasonykeyclub@gmail com, or my Instagram @youajason

Yours in friendship and service, Jason

Yoo District Secretary-Treasurer

Editor-Hailey Reynolds

Hey, Capital District!

My name is Hailey Reynolds, and I am honored to serve as your Capital District Editor for the 2023-2024 Key Club Year! I am a rising senior at Sherando High School in Division 8A and served as Division 8A’s lieutenant governor during my junior year In my freshman and sophomore years, I was also a part of my home Key Club and served as my club’s editor! This opportunity to serve as Capital District Editor feels truly “full-circle” and incredible From serving with the Capital District, the international board, and my home club, I have gained much experience in leadership, kindness, and, most importantly, service. I am beyond excited to work with you all this Key Club year!

This term, my primary focus will be to increase recognition and membership throughout the district to connect each Key Club member to Capital It is essential to foster an inclusive, kind environment that empowers students and encourages them to achieve their goals While working to grow membership retention and create a powerful and united Capital District, I want to help recognize the outstanding Key Clubbers that Capital has I will work with every Capital Key magazine to highlight and encourage each club and division

You can contact me anytime over Instagram at @hails.rey or email at hreynolds keyclub@gmail com I am proud to be your Capital District Editor and a crab! Let’s make this service year fantastic!

Yours in Service and Friendship, Hailey Reynolds Capital District Editor

T H E E X E C U T I V E S

DISTRICT BOARD CAPITAL The

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DilaArat-2D

KatherineYaun-2F

OliviaDing-3A

IshanGomber-3B

HazimAhmad-3C

ZoeMartin-3D

IsabellaMaly-4A

JianxiangPeng-4B

RuchikaMaheepathi-5

RohanSivva-6A

AineHeron-6B

SidharthParandapalli-7A

AnthonyBeatty-7B

ConnorDudley-8A

KaylaHolloman-8B

VeronicaWhitford-9A

VeronicaVitko-9B

BlakeRiggs-10

BansiBhimjiani-11A

SophiaLee-11B

LolaGeoffroy-12A

SnehaShah-12B

ArianaLee-13

ArianaThurmond-14A

HannahFlax-14B

HannahQi-15A

CourtneyNgo-15B

EleanorNorton-16/17

LiamGuns-18

MaxwellEllifritz-19

EllaAustin-20A

VicChen-20B

COMMITTEE ADULT The

Ms.Dlugozima

Mr.Wolff

Mr.Nathan

Ms.Haines

Ms.Hiscock

Dr.Hiscock

Ms.McDermott

Ms.Yuth

Ms.Moore

Mr.Richards

Mr.Bykonen

Mr.Platt

Ms.Roberts

Ms.Grant

Mr.Fore

Ms.Ogilvie

NOTES FROM INTERNATIONAL

Think of all the amazing friendships, memories, and SERVICE

Hello, Key Club International!

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe Wow, April has flown by! This past month and in March, I had the opportunity to attend multiple district conventions I had an incredible time at all of the conventions I attended and it was so nice to meet so many Key Club members

This upcoming month will definitely be a busy one as I have all of my IB exams, prom, and graduation! However, I am beyond excited to graduate from high school, and even more excited for summer

Please let me know if you need anything from me and I hope you have an amazing May!

With Love and Service,

Lillian Thai Key Club International President

Hello, OHCAPIA!

Wow What a year it has been With your terms being over, think of all the amazing friendships, memories, and SERVICE that has happened

Having had the opportunity to meet many of you at District Events and now welcome you into a new service year has been incredible! I am so grateful to have been paired with three amazing districts With that, I hope to be seeing many of you at International Convention I can promise you that many exciting things from elections to guest performances will be happening

Keep on going strong & I wish you all the best of luck in your future

With Love and Service,

Leo Shen International Trustee

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

Collegewise believes that applying to college should be an exciting time for students and parents, not a stressful, anxiety-ridden rite of passage Every year, the organization creates customized plans to ensure that every student gets the academic support they need and is fully equipped to complete their applications thoughtfully, effectively and early

Thirst Project is a nonprofit organization that works with the support of young people to END the global water crisis by building freshwater wells in developing communities that need safe, clean drinking water Why Water? Health and Sanitation: Waterborne diseases are responsible for more easily preventable young deaths a year than HIV, Malaria, and all world violence combined

Schoolhouse is a free peer-tutoring platform created by Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy If you ’ re looking for a virtual volunteer opportunity, you can also become a tutor and share your knowledge with the world

Erika’s Lighthouse provides educators, students, and parents with the tools to talk about mental health and encourages students to reach out if they are struggling They offer a range of resources from presentations, conversation starters, and simple worksheets for you to share with your club You can also give mental health presentations to local elementary schools or middle schools to serve younger students while promoting positive mental health practices

MAJOR EMPHASIS

"Since 1925, Key Club International has provided more than 12 million hours of service to homes, schools, and communities each year From building bridges, to collecting over six tons of food, thousands of dollars raised for cancer research, helping eliminate iodine deficiency disorder, Key Club International plays a vital role in serving the children of the world

In 1946, the organization was challenged to build a program to bring together all Key Clubs and members to focus energies on making an international impact. This program is still followed today through the Major Emphasis: Children: Their Future, Our Focus.

To fulfill the Major Emphasis, Key Club International serves children in many ways By working with Key Club International's partner organizations, Key Clubs serve children by aiding other organizations committed to serving children. Key Club International celebrates its three partnerships: UNICEF, March of Dimes, and Children's Miracle Network. The Key Club service initiative is another element of the Major Emphasis and is created on a two-year basis. All of the hands-on service provided to children by Key Club International members is directed to a single area of need, to make a substantial impact."

U T S T A N D I N G

Namitha Tholasi - Capital District Outstanding Club Officer

Namitha is an outstanding president at Independence High School that has done an amazing job as she connects her clubs alongside the organization, Walk4Water She has worked with numerous surrounding Key Clubs to organize this walk and has helped members through registration and other aspects of the walk.

Walk4Water is an organization that partners with Healing Hands International. They recognize that the average distance to walk for water is four miles, assuming there is a resource available. That pattern is not sustainable and hinders the growth and health of families and individuals everywhere.

Namitha took this cause to heart and partnered with the organization to host a walk for her clubs, leading the way to better water access by fundraising in her local community.

OShe has also worked with the Walk4Water youth coordinator to have a Key Club service project with her home club, devoted to painting tote bags in support of their cause. With each step of involvement, Namitha has truly showcased her talent as an officer and her support of Key Club Great job, Namitha!

Emina

Sati - Capital District Outstanding Club Member

Emina Sati, a member of Waynesboro High School's Key Club, has gone above and beyond in service in the past service year and has continued to make an impact each step of the way

Contributing to every service project possible that her Key Club has organized, Emina has contributed a total of twenty three service hours for this semester alone She does not stop there; however, and contributes time outside of Key Club to give back to the community as well Participating in the Waynesboro High School egg hunt as well as many clean up opportunities and each club meeting, Emina has been a truly active and outstanding club member, proving her dedication to service and caring

We truly appreciate all of your hard work this year and appreciate your contributions to the Capital District.

Keep up the amazing work, Emina!

Governor Izza Ahmad - A Term In Review

Izza served for three years on the Capital District board: once as a Lt Governor, next as district Editor, and lastly as Governor Throughout it all, one thing became evident: Izza truly loved serving others Izza Ahmad served as the Capital District Governor from 2022-2023 As Immediate Past Governor, she focused on fostering stronger relations with Kiwanis Family counterparts through her Governor’s Project, called Connecting with the Kiwanis Family She also supported our District Project called Start Strong Zambia, raising thousands for our International partner UNICEF Her passion for service extended not only to her community but impacted her personally as well. Her tears at District Convention as she spoke about the beginning and the ending of her Key Club journey made it evident that, to Izza, Key Club was not just another extracurricular; it became a part of her Her kindness and compassion will never be forgotten Whether she was on the phone late at night to comfort an LTG or getting pied in the face at a board meeting, Izza strived to make everyone smile Izzarecently graduated from Northern High School in Division 3C She will be an incoming freshman at Vanderbilt University in the Fall of 2023 We are proud to say that Izza is a Capital Crab Izza - we love you, and we can’t wait to see what you will accomplish next! Remember, once a Crab, always a Crab.

C A P I T A L C R A B S

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

J U L Y 5 - 9

Now showing: Lights, Camera and Service at the Key Club International Convention in Anaheim, California, July 5-9, 2023. This is your moment! Join Key Club members worldwide for an unforgettable experience. You will benefit from inspiring workshops and speaker sessions, you’ll support your district’s leaders, and you’ll go home with new service projects and ideas that will help you become better leaders Show off your club’s and district’s award-winning projects, and shine internationally in Key Club contests Don’t miss the premiere of the Signature Project contest!

We encourage you to reach out to your sponsoring Kiwanis Club to see if they can provide financial assistance ICON Registration closes June 2nd for Key Club International! Be sure to attend virtually if you cannot make it in person!

Attending an ICON is an experience unlike any other in Key Club between the workshops, speakers, election of International officers, and just being with the most passionate Key Clubbers in the world.

QUESTION & ANSWER

What questions does our Capital District have?

Question: What is the Capital District and how can I become more involved?

Answer: The Capital District is a section of Key Club International which includes the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Key Clubs from across these states join together to make the entire Capital District, a group of outstanding leadership and service-oriented individuals. To become more involved with the Capital District, you can look out for District Service opportunities, events, and serve your own community Every action towards inclusivity, service, and caring can help you become more involved in the Capital District as it makes you a more involved Key Clubber! Our advice- continue to give back and do your best as a Key Clubber in the district!

DISTRICT CONVENTION

The District Convention was held from March 24th26th in Crystal City, Virginia near Washington D.C. The Capital District welcomed nearly 500 Key Club members from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware, an outstanding increase from the previous pandemic year. Between workshops, talent competitions, and candidate elections, the Capital District relayed the value of service and friendship in Key Club.

Embracing the theme of the convention, "I Spy Service," many members dressed in spy costumes and looked for clues to find the thief of the missing gavel. After a successful weekend, many clubs came home with outstanding officer awards, new ideas for service projects, and amazing memories. From inspirational speakers to end-of-the-night dances, the District Convention was truly a success.

The curtain closed on our 2022-2023 service year

CAPITAL KEY The