Hi everyone! I hope everyone has had a good month. I am so excited for this months winter social! I have awards planned out to give to acknowledge those who had outstanding hours. Also, I have fun activities planned that I am excited for everyone to participate in. Last month we did not have a general meeting but some Key Club members attended the Light the Night event! Additionally, our menstrual drive was a HUGE success and I am so greatful for everyone who donated. Lastly, a couple of days ago we had many volunteers show up to help out at the Wonder Women Walk as a volunteer! We collaborated with NHS and Beta club for this. It’s been a wonderful couple of months and our winter social is my way of thanking everyone for their contributions.
2023-2024 Vice President Esosa Eguakun
Joining Key Club was a decision I made somewhat impulsively during my freshman year of high school. At first, it seemed like just another extracurricular activity to fill my time, but little did I know that it would profoundly change my perspective and teach me valuable life lessons. In the beginning, I saw Key Club as just a community service organization – a group of students volunteering their time for various causes. However, it wasn't until we took on a project to support a local food bank that my perspective began to shift. The club organized a weekend where we volunteered at the shelter, serving meals and spending time with the residents. As I interacted with individuals facing financial issues, I started to see them not as statistics or faceless figures but as real people with unique stories and struggles. It was a humbling experience that challenged my preconceived notions about homelessness. One elderly gentleman, in particular, left a lasting impression on me. His name was Mr. Johnson, and he shared stories of his life, the challenges he faced, and the dreams he once had.
As I listened, I realized that anyone, regardless of their background, could find themselves in a difficult situation. It was a powerful lesson in empathy and understanding. Key Club also taught me the importance of teamwork and collaboration. During our projects, we worked together towards a common goal – whether it was organizing a charity event or participating in a community cleanup. These experiences taught me that positive change is often a collective effort, and every contribution, no matter how small, can make a significant impact. Moreover, the leadership opportunities within Key Club helped me develop essential skills such as communication, organization, and problem-solving. I learned to plan and execute projects effectively, skills that have proven invaluable in various aspects of my life. In the end, my time in Key Club went beyond fulfilling service hours for college applications. It became a journey of personal growth, broadening my perspective on social issues, and instilling in me a sense of responsibility towards my community. Thanks to Key Club, I not only became a more compassionate and open-minded individual, but I also gained practical skills and a deeper understanding of the world around me.
2023-2024 Co-Editor Maryam Barket
like the holiday themed events that we do annually. The holiday season is a great season for everyone to have fun and a great time for giving. One event that Key Club is planning on doing this year is the Christmas Toy Drive event. The Christmas Toy Drive event is an event where everyone in our school can participate and donate toys and those toys will later be donated to the Cooks Children Hospital.
I think that is a great event for everyone in our community to help out and donate to those in need. This is a simple yet impactful event that gives the holiday seasons its meaning. Another event that we will be having is the Winter Social. The Winter Social is an event that usually happens every mid December where key club members play games and make gingerbread houses and enter competitions. This is a great club bonding event that happens and we also get to create activities that are fun. These are both special events that we can enjoy as we begin to finish up all our exams.
2023-2024 President Isabella Lininger
Community engagement has always been one of the most important things for me to have as Key Club President. This is because of the fact that I have always enjoyed attending socials that Key Club has hosted in our school during previous years. During these socials, we would have fun activities and time to talk to those around us. The specific social that comes to my mind whenever thinking about this, is Key Club’s winter social. Every year we always hold a winter social where we give out awards, eat pizza, play games, and more! This year, I am so very excited for our winter social and what we have planned.
It is so important for people to be able to have events where they can be acknowledged for their hard work and rewarded with good snacks. I also enjoy socials because I am someone who enjoys talking to people and getting to know new people around me. I believe that it is important as a president to talk to the people in my club so they feel more comfortable with me asking questions. Beyond that, it just makes communication easier in general. Besides the fact that socials make community engagement stronger and it makes communication easier, it’s also very fun for people in general! I am so excited for our next Key Club Winter Social at Uplift Summit on December 14th.
2023-2024 Historian Julian Chaparro
I would have to say that the Christmas socials that Key Club has done are always my absolute favorite event that we do because of how many fun little games and other cooperative things we do. These events really give the members an opportunity to see each other in a more relaxed environment since we mostly see each other during school hours or when working in service events and it also gives members who have worked very hard during the first half of the school year some recognition as well when we give awards for those who had the most participation.
I personally also love the holidays so I think it’s a great idea to have an event with holiday themed games and movies because it lets us celebrate the holidays together as a club before we leave for break. It is also a really great way to encourage members in the club to participate in the activities we have and to work together so those skills and abilities can then translate into the volunteering events we have. I am very excited for our winter social and to have an opportunity to meet the new members and to give them a good time away from all the school stress and be with their friends as well.
2023-2024 Secretary Aisha Nureini
With all honesty I think nothing in my club should be updated or changed. I like the way we do things now and how organized we are. Our president really turned everything around and decided we should start fresh. Key Club was in need of a fresh start after what happened last school year. The club is doing great so far and all of our recent events have been a success. I like how all of the officers get along and communicate with each other. If it wasn’t for our president I highly doubt key club would still be a club at summit. Everything has been going well so far and I’m looking forward to our annual winter social. It’s something I’m always excited about because the club comes together and does a bunch of fun things! I’m hoping it goes well and everyone enjoys it.
So overall I believe nothing needs to be changed. Everything is great the way it is now. The projects we’ve so far done have also been a big success. I’m loving how things are now and I hope everything continues going well. I’m excited for all of the future things we do as club!
2023-2024 Treasurer/Webmaster Alexis Nguyen
Key Club is a community. It is a conversation starter, a common interest that I have used to connect with new friends and students. It has helped me succeed in all aspects of my life, and I am endlessly grateful for the experiences I’ve undergone with my Key Club and the people there. From my first day in Key Club, I have been delightfully overwhelmed by the sense of community that the officers and students all cooperate to build. Club meetings are a collaborative effort and discussion between club leaders and members, so everyone’s voices are uplifted and considered. It allows the members to feel much closer to the organization, and genuinely understand the cause and meaning behind Key Club.
Now, as an officer, I am able to help the other members through Key Club and foster a passion within them for community service and connection to club service. Key Club exists as a way for me to connect with my community and club members, and collaborate alongside our club and other Key Clubs in service. As a conversation starter, I have been able to meet and befriend so many other Key Club members through our common interest and participation in Key. I have met Key Clubbers through volunteer events, service projects, and even online through social media! It is always a joy seeing other people enjoy participating in Key Club as much as I do, and being able to connect over a common interest. Next year, when I am not a member of Uplift Summit’s Key Club, I still believe I’ll be connected to the community that is Summit Key because of the deep connections and impact I have made through Key Club.
DC Wonder Woman Run
Winter Social
Hanukkah Begins
Christmas Day
New Years Eve
Kwanzaa
INSTAGRAM: @usipkeyclub
WEBSITE: www.upliftsummitkeyclub.weebl y.com
DISTRICT SITE: https://tokeyclub.com/