June Newsletter

KEY FACTS June 2014

The official newsletter of the Cypress Woods High School Key Club

Behind the scenes:

June PCM 3

President’s Letter A few ideas and changes for the 2014-2015 year.

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Upcoming Events Catch up on hours before the new year.

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Perspectives

Recap the June PCM and Field Day.

Volume 3, Issue 2 July 5, 2014

IN THIS ISSUE...

3 PRESIDENT’S LETTER 4 UPCOMING EVENTS 5 SUMMER FUNDRAISING

VACATION VIGOR 6 3N JUNE PCM RECAP 8 CREDITS 10

Contact Information Cy Woods Key Club Officers President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Editor Representative Coordinator Historian Webmaster Junior Secretary K-Family Board

Natasha Solanki Matt Faga Jacque Chan Ashley Kawakubo Shannon Steele Kishan Solanki Gina Zhang Nick Nguyen Sharon Zhou Ashley Butterfield Grace Teoh Naomi Zavala Madelin Cowden Richa Patel Trenton Bird Daniel Campos

natasha.solanki@hotmail.com mattcfaga@me.com jacque.chan1019@gmail.com

(281) 904-7873 (713) 449-3307 (832) 349-4198

shannonjsteele@gmail.com kitchishere@gmail.com gina_zhang2008@hotmail.com nick.erik2010@yahoo.com happysharonzh@yahoo.com ashleybutterfield97@gmail.com gracelvo@gmail.com naomizavala@icloud.com madelin11@live.com richa928@hotmail.com

(409) 767-5316 (281) 904-8652 (832) 773-3228 (281) 849-4885 (281) 346-9218 (281) 312-9706 (832) 298-4772 (281) 974-7152

Division 3N Lieutenant Governor Amy Jiang

Cypress Falls

amyjiang.kc@gmail.com

Texas-Oklahoma District Staff Governor Secretary Treasurer Editor Convention Liaison Tech Producer

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Kaitlyn Wilson Samuel Kinnin Colin Gonzalez Emily Zhao Ashlyn Salvato Bobby Thakkar

governor@tokeyclub.com secretary@tokeyclub.com treasurer@tokeyclub.com todistricteditor@gmail.com conventionliaison@tokeyclub.com

A letter from your

Club President Dear Key Clubbers, Only a third of summer has gone by, and we have already made some wonderful memories. Our June PCM was a huge success! This was the first PCM that Cy Woods has opened to the entire club, and I assure you it will not be the last. Unfortunately, not many people, including myself, were able to make it due to prior engagements made for the summer but from what I have heard, the field day was crazy fun! As Team Drizzy and Team Soulja Boy competed for the winning title, Key Clubbers from all around 3N were brought closer together. One of my main goals this year as President is to encourage members to participate in Key Club on a larger scale, and PCMs are a great start. Amy Jiang, our Lieutenant Governor, is making a great effort this year to make PCMs not only informative, but also fun.

I’d like to point out that although it is the summer, Key Clubbers should always be active. We still have events going on, and I am planning on holding a social towards the end of the summer so that everyone can get to know each other better before the year starts.

Hopefully I can get some input from you guys. Ideas could range from a picnic to a social gathering at one of our favorite restaurants. It’s all up to you guys! I’ll set up a poll so that everyone can decide on how we can celebrate the new school year.

Speaking of new year, I’d like to briefly mention that I will be running a few things differently next year. In my previous letters, I have mentioned that we will be having committees for socials, but another thing that I’d like to change is our hours policy. The requirement will continue to be a total of 25 hours. A maximum of 10 hours can be outside Key Club hours, and a maximum of five hours can be donation hours. The rest must be obtained by participating in events found through Key Club. Anyways, the policy that I am changing is that members who do not meet their semester requirement will not be kicked out. Instead, members who achieve the requirement, will be rewarded. Another thing is that if a member fails to complete his or her hours requirement for the semester, he or she will not receive credit for being an active member in Key Club when it comes around for NHS applications. I know this seems a little harsh, but the truth is that all Key Clubbers should be active enough not to have a problem with this new rule. This is only meant to ensure that members who slacked off do not receive the same credit that hard working members do.

Enjoy your summer while it lasts, Key Clubbers, and I’ll see you soon!

Yours in service,

Natasha Solanki President of Cypress Woods Key Club

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Upcoming Events CFISD Technology Conference July 30 & 31 7:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Wildcat Express August 12 Seniors: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Juniors: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Sophomores: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Beat the Summer Heat.

An idea for a fun summer event.

Gina Zhang Historian

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hat do you think about when you hear the word “summer”?

Is it tanning under the sun or sipping freshly squeezed juice? Swimming in the waves or playing beach ball?

Everyone has a different idea of a perfect summer, but what we all have in common is that our ideal summer involves some type of outdoor activity.

For Key Clubbers, the perfect activity is one that gives back to the community while also allowing people to have fun and socialize.

Continued volunteering throughout the summer shows dedication and commitment to something schoolrelated during a time when most people do not even think about school. One way to have fun and stay cool is to host a summer social. Combining a water balloon fight and the game Capture the Flag, Key Club officers could organize a huge fundraising social.

Find a large open space in your

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community and invite all Key Club members, allowing non-members to join in on the fun (Bonus: these nonmembers might find that they want to join Key Club in the fall!). The hosts would need to pre-fill quite a few colored water balloons for everyone to use. Six or more people could form teams, which each person joins by paying a small donation of five dollars or less. Each team comes up with a team name and picks a different color balloon.

Have two teams play the game at a time while other teams watch the fun or socialize with each other. First, set down a few ground rules to ensure safety: no throwing at the face and no water bombing non-players. Then give both teams five minutes to hide their flags. Once the flags are hidden, the game begins. In order to win the game, you must capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to your own territory.

If an enemy team member hits you with a water balloon while you’re in their territory trying to capture their flag, you have to go back to your side of the line. If you get hit three times, then you are out of the game. The winner plays the next team in line. In the end, the winning team could be rewarded with inexpensive prizes.

Raise extra money at the game by setting up a refreshment stand. Players will get thirsty playing under the hot sun, making it easy to ring in some extra cash. The provided lemonade, orange juice, and water can come from donations from Key Club members, and those working the stand could earn volunteer hours.

A summer social is a fantastic way to keep members active during the summer while also raising money for a local cause. With enough planning, it could even turn into an annual event.

Make a SPLASH with Service.

Making the most out of summer.

Zach Wright

Senior Representative

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chool is out, summer has finally arrived, and as teenagers, what is most likely on our minds is sleeping, eating and hanging out with friends.

However our duty to give back to the community as Key Club members does not get a vacation. Throughout the summer we should try to participate in as many volunteer opportunities as we can; it is better than lying on the couch and watching Netflix all day. But just because it is volunteer work does not mean it has to be boring, especially with all the possibilities there are since it is summer. Though we might complain that temperatures upward of 95째are ridiculous conditions to work in, we know that the best way to combat the scorching heat is with fun water activities. One perfect way to

combine cold water with volunteering is by hosting a car wash.

A car wash is a simple, effective, and fun way to raise money while cooling off. Everyone has a car and everyone wants it to be clean plus the car owner will feel like they contributed to the community when they donate to the club. Whether we set a price or have them donate what they want a car wash is a sure way to receive funds.

Also because members can easily donate the material like buckets and sponges, all the money we make will be profit. If everyone could donate one object and tell his or her parents to come, we could easily raise a lot of money for Key Club.

While making money is obviously the main goal of the car wash, having

fun is definitely an outcome of this service event as well. Blasting some music and getting wet with your friends is a great way to cool down and have fun volunteering. Car washing might usually seem like a chore to most teens but doing it with friends and for a cause can make it more bearable.

When it comes to the Texas heat, there are very few things you can do without being soaked in sweat within a few minutes, so it is essential that the activity be entertaining so we can get our minds off the heat. Car washes are a perfect way for Key Club to make money and attract a lot of members to participate; it is fun, effective, and a perfect way to enjoy summer with Key Club.

Water balloons are a cheap and fun way to get soaked in the summer

Do you have a service idea?

email any information to: cywoodskeyclub@gmail.com 5

What Time is It? Summer time!

The school year may be over, but Key Club does not have to be.

Stephanie Dao

Junior Representative

Key Club at a recent elementary school event

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lthough the school year is over and summer has begun, it doesn’t mean that we cannot still be involved in Key Club. If you have maintained the Key Club vigor all year round it can be difficult to stay excited throughout the summer when there are so many distractions. Although there might be challenges, there are definitely ways to keep the Key Club vigor during the summer, either by yourself or with your very own Key Club.

Although some Key Clubs don’t have events over the summer, there are still other ways to be active in your community. If you’re down to travel and love Key Club, you should head on over to Anaheim, California to take part in International Convention, or ICON, where Key Clubs all over the country come together for an even bigger version of DCON. ICON has allowed Key Clubbers all over the

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nation to come together. At ICON you can meet people from different states, Canada and even the Caribbean! Key Clubbers come together at ICON to share service projects and discover new charities and organizations you can team up with, and of course make memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

Another way you can continue the Key Club fun throughout the summer is organizing a social to meet other members of your own Key Club or organize a social to even meet other Key Clubs in your area. You can even reach out to new members and include them in the club. These socials will help you branch out and meet others and help get every member involved.

Meeting with other Key Clubs in your area will allow you to share great ideas to better your own club while also forming new friendships and

connections.

If you want to maintain the Key Club vigor throughout the summer then I would suggest volunteering in your own community. Some clubs might not offer summer events, but it wouldn’t hurt to volunteer by yourself in the community. You can offer the help out your neighbor or find an organization looking for summer help.

Key Club is always about helping the community and making the world a better place and a great place to start is right in your community with your friends and neighbors.

Just because the school year is over doesn’t mean that Key Club is over!

There are many ways to keep Key Club alive throughout the summer, but the first step to anything is getting active and excited.

Summer is the Prime Time.

Using spare time to make a difference.

Manaswi Marri

Senior Representative

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ummer truly is the best time to maintain enthusiasm. Although it is good to let loose and relax once a stressful school year has finished, summer is also an opportunity to serve your community. Over the summer, students are not hounded with the numerous assignments and tests that come with being in school. It is the prime time to do service and keep the Key Club vigor because you can serve the community without other distractions on your mind. My favorite service activities always include children, so I hope to be able to serve and make children all over our local area happy.

I had the chance to go to India last year, where I was able to help my sister with her Girl Scout Gold Award. Her

project consisted of refurnishing a center called Dakshinya, a center for underprivileged and special education children. It was amazing to be able to see the children get excited over newly built bedframes and new bed sheets donated from around that local area.

Seeing as it was summer, I was able to concentrate fully on the children’s needs and learned many valuable lessons along the way. I think this is also an important part of the Key Club vigor and spirit; it is not just to serve for hours, but to serve to learn something new from the world we are sheltered in. This summer, when I go back to India, I hope to help another center for underprivileged children and make a difference in their lives.

In the local Cypress/Houston area

there are many service opportunities over the summer for students wanting to help out youth. There are places like K2 Academy, where a volunteer is paired up with a child with disabilities and gets to play and spend time with them. There are also local art classes in many stores such as Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart to make summer more fun and creative for little kids. Also, there are many camps such as dance, music, and educational camps for children. To sustain Key Club vigor in my own way over the summer, I think volunteering in activities with little kids is fulfilling and fun. I will also ask fellow Key Club members to join me in these activities to show how slowly but surely, Key Club is making a change in the community.

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More than a PCM.

The June Division 3N PCM was a huge success.

Nick Nguyen Webmaster

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t the recent PCM, officers and representatives from all the Key Club organizations in our division gathered to enjoy a nice picnic at the local Telge Park. Members from 3N met up to go over the agenda and just have a great time. Setting the record for the longest PCM ever held, the recent one lasted three hours and included food, fun and water-filled games.

Though the temperature rose well over 100 degrees and the day was humid, the PCM still went on without a hitch. Key Clubbers arrived at 11 a.m. to set the food table and prepare for the crowd of representatives that would come. Amy Jiang, our Lieutenant Governor, alongside Usman Hyder, the Immediate Past District Secretary, brought water balloons, hula hoops and a celebratory cake to congratulate all the officers for fulfilling their reporting requirement.

After addressing formal topics and assigning monthly duties, the officers split into two teams: Team Drizzy and Team Souja Boy. Our first game was Guess the Newsletter where Amy quiz fired each team and the first team to answer got a point. The game really proved the significance of reading Amy’s Newsletter. Ending with Team Souja Boy victorious, we decided to move on to Capture the Flag. Each team wore their respective flags and would try to take the flags off of members from the opposing team.

The friendly competition of tact and strategy slowly turned into a rough game when things got heated with

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round one going towards Souja Boy. The sun reached its pinnacle station in the sky at noon as the Key Clubbers battled it out on the field.

Sure enough, the game ended with another point going towards Soldier Boy. However the tides turned when Team Drizzy exemplified their amazing spirit in the competition of hula hoops. The title of masters of the rings went towards the Team Drizzy.

Next up was Tug-o-War but the match quickly ended when the rope gave under immense tension and suddenly snapped. Now filled with perspiration and tired from the numerous activities, the members decided to take a hiatus.

We cooled ourselves off with a fun splash. Everyone in organized chaos

took hold of several water balloons and launched them in all directions.

Though most the fire concentrated on the two ring leaders, Amy and Usman, everyone shared a cool bath under the sweltering sun. The ice cold water the rained down on us washed away the sweat and exhaustion.

The PCM was a success despite the mishaps with the weather and the Tug-o-War but the experience was the best one yet. Everyone had a smile on their faces and never ceased to be engaged in the activities. But the best moment was the final act of the show before we departed each other. We surprised the two, Amy and Usman, with a pie in their faces. Now that is ending with a bang.

Division 3N at the June PCM, held at Telge Park

An Unforgettable PCM. Reflecting back on the monthly meeting.

Jacque Chan Secretary

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remember fondly the PCM where I first met our current Lieutenant Governor, Amy Jiang. It was a bright and sunny day in May. As it was the first PCM of Amy’s term, I knew everyone was looking forward to meeting her and getting to know just what type of person she was. Personally, I was insanely curious as what type of leader she was. Certainly, I had heard her name enough times. Now was the best chance for me to get to know her in person. The PCM fulfilled the usual promise of meeting plenty of new people and getting the latest updates from Key Club headquarters.

The most memorable and enjoyable experience that day was having the opportunity to interact with everyone

present. Amy, a competitive person, devised several activities for the day. There was a relay race to answer questions regarding her personal interests and likes in the hopes of connecting us and to learn more about her. A clever icebreaker consisted of splitting all the attendees into groups.

Then the groups would each gather and take either a picture or video relating to the given topic. Not only did this promote teamwork, but it also eliminated all the tension from an awkward introduction of each person.

More outgoing people gravitated to introduce themselves around the crowd while meticulously memorizing every new person that they met.

I watched as we gathered and

LTG Amy Jiang covered in pie

formulated our next plan of action: what would our picture or video would be of, who would be in it, where would we take the picture/video, how should we pose. As we ran back through the trail to the meeting spot, my heart raced and the blazing sun pushed my feet across the land as we presented our final product to the judges. Although my team only won one game that day, I brought home more memories and a greater sense of victory than any trophy could provide.

PCMs are always a great way to enlarge your social circle and find many others interested in service just as you are. Each LTG brings their own charm and touch to PCMs but it will always be a great time to just enjoy the company of others. I highly encourage anyone that has not yet attended a PCM to join in on the fun, especially since it is summertime. What better way to spend a day than with fellow Key Clubbers?

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CONTRIBUTIONS COVER PHOTO

JACQUE CHAN

PHOTOS

ARTICLE AUTHORS 3N FACEBOOK PAGE

ARTICLES

NICK NGUYEN GINA ZHANG JACQUE CHAN ZACH WRIGHT MANASWI MARRI STEPHANIE DAO

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

NATASHA SOLANKI

KEY FACTS CYPRESS WOODS HIGH SCHOOL KEY CLUB JUNE 2014