January Newsletter

KEY FACTS January 2015

The official newsletter of the Cypress Woods High School Key Club

SENIOR PROM

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President’s Letter Preparing for the 2015-2016 officer elections

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Perspectives

What does Key Club mean to you?

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Recap

Check out the best pictures from Senior Prom

Volume 3, Issue 9 February 5, 2015

IN THIS ISSUE...

3 PRESIDENT’S LETTER 4 DCON 2015 PREVIEW 6 FINDING THE MEANING

WINTER SERVICE 7 SENIOR PROM 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 Andrew Loh Bobby Thakkar

governor@tokeyclub.com secretary@tokeyclub.com treasurer@tokeyclub.com editor@tokeyclub.com cl@tokeyclub.com

A letter from your

Club President Dear Key Clubbers,

Along with 2015 settling in, I have also seen senioritis kick in! I just want to remind some of you older members that the school year is not over yet. In fact, we just got to the best part. This new year dictates your upcoming officers, and the future of this club. This past week your officer and rep team elected next year’s president, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Leia George for being elected as the 2015-2016 Cy Woods Key Club President! Currently a sophomore representative, she has completed over one hundred hours in the past 3 semesters. Her dedication to the principals of Key Club outshines any other members’, and I am positive she will bring about significant changes in the upcoming year. She will be followed by a whole new team of officers who will be elected at the next meeting on February 23rd. The officer positions available include the following: - - - - - - - -

Vice President: acts as an assistant to the president.

Secretary: two-year term that involves constructing the monthly report and accounting for attendance Treasurer: responsible for club funds, and one big fundraiser throughout the year.

Editor: in charge of editing monthly articles and creating a newsletter.

Webmaster: updates the club website, and makes the hours databases for both semesters Historian: responsible for making two scrapbook projects at the end of the year for DCON. Builders Club: run meetings and events for builders clubs at Goodson and Spillane.

Representative Coordinator: Responsible for managing all representatives.

A more detailed description of each can be found on the Facebook page under the files tab. For members who would like to participate in this year’s election, please make sure to complete the officer application and turn it in to Mr. Kent’s room before or after school. Applicants will also have to prepare a speech ranging from a minute to two minutes describing why they would fit the job description. After all applicants complete their speeches, the remainder of the club will vote on who they believe will best carry out these duties. Although we want to incorporate each and every dedicated unique and interesting member on our officer team, there are only a few spots open. However, it’s important to keep in mind that if you are not chosen to become an officer for 2016, please do not get discouraged. Opportunities for representative positions will be open later this year in April. I look forward to seeing the future of Cy Woods Key Club unfold in the next month, and I’d like to wish each applicant good luck!

Yours in service,

Natasha Solanki President of Cypress Woods Key Club

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TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

DCON 2015 WHEN? April 9 - 12 WHERE? Sheraton Hotel, Dallas, TX WHO? T-O Key Clubbers WHAT? A weekend of adventure, fun and leadership 4

What’s the THEME? Prepare for an epic adventure through a jurassic land! Like the film Jurassic Park, Key Clubbers will spend four days “training” for the sensational - and possibly dangerous events to come.

What to expect: - Games - Service fair - Forums - District elections - Contests - New friends

Key Club: A Family.

Reflecting on the meaning of Key Club Jacque Chan Secretary

Nick Nguyen and member volunteer at Mr. Cy Woods, Jan. 2015

K

ey Club, to some, may just be another service organization.

To me, however, it means something much more: family. I joined Key Club in my freshman year without realizing the impact it would have on me.

Like most other freshmen, I knew it would serve me well to join a service organization. At the time, Key Club was recommended by upperclassmen and most of my acquaintances had also joined. This first year was instrumental to my passion for service. After attending a few events, I realized that helping others makes one feel accomplished beyond words. I decided then to further my dedication and wished to contribute all that I could to the organization.

This led me to apply for a position offered at the end of the school year: Project Coordinator. Unfortunately, I did not win the position, but was

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offered a sophomore representative opening and I accepted immediately.

As a sophomore representative, I was granted my first peek at the behind the scenes of how Key Club is run. As a representative, I was assigned the tasks of writing a monthly article, inputting hours into the database, officer events and assisting the officers at meetings.

From this perspective, I had a better chance of figuring out which officer position I wanted to run for. I was blessed enough to become the Junior Secretary my junior year which gave me the opportunity to be where I am today.

Along the way, I have met countless people that I am glad to have known, even to this day. Through Dance Marathon, an event organized by former LTG Jennifer Tuggle to raise money for Children’s Miracle

Network, I met a plethora of student leaders and people interested in serving their community just as much as I did. As much as I got the opportunity to meet people outside of the school club, I also got the chance to know some of the best alumni that graduated from our school. And now, as a senior, I look back to those underclassmen that I know will be the future leaders of not only the club but also the school and can’t help but feel proud to have known all these amazing people through an equally fantastic organization. Key Club represents all the good qualities that one can leave high school with and a legacy that has shaped passionate students into mature adults that will one day make the world we live in a better place.

Winter service.

Representative tells story of favorite winter service project Megana Jupudy

Freshman Representative

M

y favorite winter service project was when I went to an elementary school and helped with making cookies, taking pictures with Santa, and making hot cocoa. Not only was I helping our community, but I enjoyed it as well. It brought back the five-year-old inside of me.

I acted like a little kid by getting really into making the cookies and making sure it looked “perfect” enough to eat. I love working with kids so it was really enjoyable watching how the simplest things could make them so happy. I took pictures for the kids with Santa as a Santa’s helper. On the cookies we were decorating, I could get my creativity out and show these little kids ideas and ways not only to make the cookies delicious to eat but allowing these cooking to be pleasing to your eyes. Sometimes, of course, they just decided to poor

the whole sprinkle shaker onto the cookie but making food will always get a bit messy. If you are bringing smile to adorable five or six year olds then you are in for a treat.

This whole experience brought the festivity of Christmas into me and it was just a really lively and entertaining experience. The kids were genuinely happy. Through out this whole experience I learned how to be responsible and happy about the simplest things. The children were watching every move I made and copying the designs I made for cookies and learning how to make hot chocolate. They were happy about the smallest things like a cookie.

Surprisingly, this experience taught me not to be so serious and to just be happy. You would never expect such a simple experience could effect your day and

maybe even your life. This service allowed me to reflect on my self. I learned that even if I was tired of taking pictures or making cookies I had to keep on going because there were an enormous amount of kids hoping that they will have the amazing experience everyone else before them had. I helped the school put on a successful festive event for young children and I couldn’t say I didn’t have fun doting it. These events allow how to be young again and remind you not to worry about the simplest things. I’m hoping to doo even more service projects with kids and I can’t wait. This was my favorite winter service project by far.

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Senior PROM Leia George

Sophomore Representative

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In Dec. 2014, Cy Woods Key Club held its biggest event yet: the Senior Prom. The idea was found at DCON’s annual service fair last year, and sophomore representative Leia George took the opportunity to plan the entire event, from contacting the local retirement home to decorating to running the “prom.” Dozens of Key Clubbers showed up to help with the event, talking to elderly people and playing games.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Leia George listens to a woman, a student puts up balloon decorations, a student poses with a woman at the prom.

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photostory

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Leia George and Megana Jupudy take a picture, the food provided by volunteers for prom, ornament decorating All photos by: Leia George

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CONTRIBUTIONS COVER PHOTO

LEIA GEORGE

PHOTOS

ARTICLES

LEIA GEORGE MEGANA JUPUDY NICK NGUYEN

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

NATASHA SOLANKI

ARTICLE AUTHORS

KEY FACTS CYPRESS WOODS HIGH SCHOOL KEY CLUB JANUARY 2015