April 2021 Newsletter

Timmy Bui

Lynne Ta

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End of Term | 7

Devanshi Kothari |10 | Historian A truly unique but memorable term is coming to an end. When I first joined Key Club, I had never imagined that my second term would be served fully online from the vicinity of my home. Now having been in Key Club for two years, I remember the reason I had joined Key Club in the first place.

Regardless of being in-person or virtual, Key Club has been a second home where I have been able to meet so many amazing, welcoming individuals who have inspired me with their ambition, positivity and so much more. This community has always brought a smile to my face. My first event was a Hope Food Distribution and I remember being so nervous about who I was going to talk to and if I would be left out. But as soon as the event started, the inclusivity and unity that I felt from individuals serving their community, interacting, and talking convinced me to continue serving my community and volunteering, As another year has gone by, I see the importance of Key Club in my life. The level of confidence and passion that our club, division, and district has exuded this past year has motivated me in so many ways to keep going and look forward to what the future will bring. Though I miss in-person events and service projects, I do appreciate all that we have accomplished this past term with connecting members with each other, serving our community virtually, and still developing that Key Club spirit in all members despite being separated in our homes. In all, though we could not have an in-person term like all of us hoped to, my love for Key Club has only increased this past term and I am immensely appreciative of our club for being the light at the end of the tunnel :DD

Lynne Ta | 10 | Bulletin Editor As the term comes to an end, it’s time to say goodbye to the many seniors who have shaped my Key Club years. Each one of them left a lasting impact on the person I am today, and inspired me with their dedication. They were at every Key Club event from the 6 am Hope Foods Distributions to the rainy 5k’s. Seeing them at every DCM and every meeting gave me comfort that I wouldn’t be out of place because at least I had one friend there.

The in person to online shift of this term had made me unsatisfied with Key Club in the beginning. I lost motivation to come to events because everything was through a screen, including school and conferences. The social aspect of it faded away, and I asked myself, “why should I go?.” However, I made a resolution in 2021 to become a more dedicated Key Club member and to spend more of my time volunteering and participating in the social projects. Now it’s March, and I can say that I definitely regret the periods of time when I was inactive because I’ve really missed the people and community.

Next term, I’m looking forward to new things, and I’m excited to continue to serve OAKC as their Bulletin Editor!

Leann Vo | 10 | Historian March has been quite an eventful month these past two years. March 2020 saw the beginning of quarantine and March 2021 marked the last DCM of the term. This DCM was very exciting for the entire division as we were able to hear words from many seniors. I think the best part of the DCM was listening to all of the speeches whether it be during the Open Mic Session or from the club presidents. It was very touching to hear. Lots of freshman from Oxford Academy decided to speak at the DCM and it was great getting to hear from them, especially since this year it was difficult to connect with them since we could not see them at in person events. Despite not being able to interact much with them, through their confidence and well-spoken words, I am excited to see the future of our club. Oxford Academy snatched the awards of President of the Year and Distinguished Service. This DCM was quite sad knowing that for many it would be their last, however this DCM marked a new milestone for our division and I am excited to see what next term has to offer.

Giang Nguyen | 12 | Tech Editor

This Key Club term came and went by fast, and this final DCM brought many Key Clubbers together celebrate the end of a wildly unique yet successful term. This DCM was so big, in fact, that the Zoom meeting maxed out its capacity due to the sheer volume of participants joining the room. I wasn’t able to join the Zoom meeting in time, but fortunately I had a friend that was able to screenshare the DCM for me.

There was no way I was going to miss the last DCM of the term, that’s for sure.

Oxford Academy was able to come through with some major wins, most notably winning the award for Most Service. I was also ecstatic to see the best president, Timmy Bui, win THE Best President award at the DCM. Congratulations, Timmy! You’re so cool! Aside from that, we also got to see many bittersweet and powerful speeches from various Key Clubbers during the open mic session, as well as speeches from the presidents themselves. As I took these words to heart, I couldn’t help but reflect on my time serving in Key Club and all of my wonderful experiences up to this point. Needless to say, this was an emotionally-charged DCM and division banquet.

To me, being able to hear the valuable words of new members bringing forth the future of Key Club and longtime members leaving Key Club behind is what made this DCM excellent. If there was one thing I could’ve hoped for, I wish this last DCM could’ve been in-person, just like the days of Key Club before the pandemic hit. In any case, this was a delightful way to end off the 2020-2021 term for Division 30 South.

March DCM | 9

Tiffany Ong | 11 | Project Chair The March DCM this month was the last DCM of the term, and I'm really glad that we were able to end off the term on a good note! The DCM was also the Division Banquet, so it was a bit emotional and there were definitely quite a few bittersweet moments.

First of all, we looked back at the term and went over our division statistics. I'm really proud that the division as a whole was able to serve 30,000+ service hours, because it's honestly really impressive! We also raised $7,000 through fundraisers, which is truly amazing, considering the many setbacks we've had this past year.

I really hope that all these hours and funds raised have made a positive impact to our community :D There were also Division Banquet Awards, which was really exciting because OAKC won a few. :) We won the Distinguished Service Award and the 100% ORF Submissions on Time Award. Timmy also won President of the Year!! I'm really really proud of what our club has accomplished this past term despite all the challenges we've had to face, and I'm looking forward to continuing this awesome legacy in the upcoming term as well!

Finally, there was an open mic session and a bunch of speeches that were very heartfelt and emotional.

During the open mic session, it was super fun to see so many OAKC freshmen volunteer to speak and share their memories from the short time they've been in the club. I'm glad Key Club has already made an impact on their life, and it was especially really exciting to see so many spirited and dedicated new members!

We ended off the Banquet with a recap video, which was honestly the highlight of the event. It made me really happy, but I do admit that it was a bit sad looking back at all the fun memories we've made this past term despite being virtual. I'm really going to miss the seniors that are leaving soon :( but good luck to them in college! <3

Lydia Lee | 11 | Secretary By writing this article, my folder for the 2020-2021 articles has finished its cycle of having 12 articles with one for each month. Seeing all the numbers line up from 01 to 12 is an interesting experience as it represents how far I’ve come as a person as well as in terms of organization. This term was truly a once in a lifetime experience, and I’m glad to have been able to still create new memories and friends throughout it.

As relived as I am to retire from my secretary duties, it also means I must take up new ones including the responsibilities of being the next OAKC president. However, it does seem to be an exciting path ahead with more people to help guide me through it as I’ll be able to connect with the division and the other clubs on a more personal level as we work closer together.

On another note, the end of the 12 months indicates a necessary farewell to the current seniors. My Key Club journey started by looking up to those in the grade above me, and this term will end in the same way. Whether it’s insane respect for my MIT-bound president or platonic love for Kenny who always manages to impress me in everything he does, these seniors have become the epitome of my journey with Key Club and have affected all my decisions that I’ve made throughout it. During in-person events, my fear of not having friends to hang out with was eliminated by relying on the seniors who would always be at these events to volunteer with. Even if not a single other C/O 2022 signed up, I knew there would be one of these trustworthy seniors to chill with. Without them, I would have definitely not volunteered as often as I did and maybe would not have even become an officer. So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the seniors for shaping me to become who I am at this moment while writing this article at 1am on a Sunday night.

Wrap Up & DCM | 11

Claire Lee | 11 | Project Chair This term really flew by… and by that I mean with the speed of lightning. If there’s one thing I have to pinpoint that really stood out to me this term, I would brag about how hard our board members made an effort to keep this service club a successful one, plentiful of service opportunities and socials for our general members. Naming a few, our publicity commissioners have been making digitials for every event our project chairs provide. Our project chairs have been discussing twice every month in hopes to find a variety of events our members can choose from. Our executive board has been keeping everything in place and organized, allowing the club to function with no drastic troubles. Everyone took a part in this together, which is why the existence of Oxford Academy Key Club is so beautiful. Next year will be another successful year, keeping our legacy strong :)

Ryan Dang | 11 | Historian As the term is slowly coming to an end, what better way to mark an end with a DCM. On March 29th, there was a March DCM which also happened to be the annual division banquet. Unfortunately, the zoom call had a maximum capacity to it so I actually wasn’t there in the meeting, but I was able to watch it through a scuffed method called screen sharing! Although I didn’t get the opportunity of experiencing it first-hand, the banquet seemed to still be quite fun and eventful with the handling of awards and tying up the term with the rest of the division.

Overall, the term was filled with lots of excitement and experiences -- allowing me to create new memories that I’ll forever be grateful for. It’s unfortunate to see the term ending in such a saddening way but at least the essence of Key Club was able to be captured throughout the year.

Successors | 13

Helen Tran | 12 | Publicist I still remember my first OAKC officer training as the to-be Project Chair. Although nervous, I was also incredibly excited to be contributing as an officer, a leader of our club. Flash forward to now; I’ve just finished up training the future publicists and my journey at Oxford Academy Key Club is quickly coming to an end.

This term was filled with experimentation, where we tried out new service projects, new publicity methods, etc. That being said, it was quite challenging to give the “proper” advice and training to the 2021-2022 publicists, but I am confident that they will enter the new term with plenty of strength and spirit! Our training went very smoothly and I’m very excited to be able to see, as an Oxford alumni, what these two individuals accomplish during the upcoming term.

I genuinely hope that the 2021-2022 term will get to face the “Key Club experience”, whether that be showing up to HOPE Food Distribution half asleep or waking up with a sore throat after Fall Rally South. No matter what the term looks like, I hope that all you busy bees make the most of it and carry on the amazing legacy that OAKC represents.

So, to the entire 2021-2022 OAKC board, congratulations! And an even bigger congratulations to the publicists; Kenneth and I are rooting for your growth and success! I wish everyone the best of luck and on behalf of the seniors graduating, we will always be here for you! Peace out!

Lance Sahagun | 12 | Treasurer My Key Club journey has been unconventional, challenging, and honestly, pretty lucky. I could go on and on in excruciating detail on every event I’ve been to; from every social, volunteer outing, club/board meeting, Division event, fundraiser, and anything related to this club, whether it be the actual occurrences of the time, or my general feelings/thoughts as I participated. In a very cliché manner, I originally wrote “Many things have changed since then…” with the intent of alluding to the main theme I want to communicate, but simply put, that doesn’t need to be reiterated. I can say with full confidence that Key Club has been the most transformative experience to my high school career, both academically and personally, and as a result, I haven’t just grown as a person or a leader, but I’ve found direction, I’ve discovered love for my community, and most importantly, I’ve been able to understand my grind. The grind mentality is very toxic, and a large chunk of my Key Club experience has surrounded around this concept. Maximizing my potential, maximizing the potential of our club, and maximizing the impact we have on our community were what kept my drive.

Through the highs and the lows, attempting to define what “grind” meant in a context that would be empowering rather than enforcing was a struggle. For the longest time, I believed that this attainable grind, through stacking up the highest numbers, outperforming our peers, and continuously pushing for a greater outcome was the end goal. This was selfish and hypocritical. Oxford Academy Key Club, in your own mannerisms, quirkiness, and wholehearted, burning passion, you’ve proven to me that this mentality is only one aspect of being involved in civic engagement. Arguably, I’ve learned that it’s most important to recognize that as much as we want to improve our communities and empower others, we must first strive to be our best selves.

Oxford Academy Key Club, you pulled me out of my shell and made me one of your own. We wear our core values on our sleeves, shout with pride our spirit cheers, and keep in mind the impact we extend by our presence. I never knew what true passion was before joining Key Club, and although it may still be hard to define, this general spirit and continuous push for good will extends far beyond looking impressive on a college application or proving to an outside entity that you “care” about your community. It hurts my heart thinking of what could have been, but through an odd sense of comfort, I’m at peace and more than happy with what we were able to accomplish this term, especially facing situations that were out of our control, a testament to our strength, will, and honest intent to serve.

From every time my parents asked “Do you have Key Club this weekend,” to every ridiculous DCM mishap, to every genuine life lesson I’d learn from choosing to not waste my time and invest in our community, thank you for reshaping my life. I’m just another average person, spouting words that have been said and will be said countless times; this club is just enduring like that. I hope that, whether I’ve impacted you personally or not, that you find success in whatever you do. Being part of this club has shown me the power of choosing to make the most out of your time, your opportunities, and the experiences of those around you. It’s super easy to take that all for granted. A Key Club journey is truly a wild rollercoaster ride, but I wouldn’t change anything from mine for the world (except of course the whole pandemic thing but oh well!).

TLDR: I love you Key Club. Thank you for the past 3 years, and here’s to a prosperous new term!

Senior Articles | 15

Timmy Bui | 12 | President 36 articles later, I’ve reached the end of my story. It feels like each article, though distinct and separate, indirectly represented a chapter of my journey through Key Club, even if they weren’t intended to cohere that way. As I wrote my way through the first 35, I always had a tiny thought creeping in the back of my mind: What feelings will run through me when I write number 36? Now that the time has come, I’m here to say that this is not the end.

It's been a long, hard-fought term. When I first was told that I had to lead a service club through a global pandemic, I thought it was the end. There were countless amounts of obstacles standing between us and our mission to serve, but we found just as many solutions. Everyone in OAKC showed me that it was not the end. It’s thanks to everyone – the members for volunteering, officers for planning, and advisors for approving - that we not only survived but prospered. And I won’t forget about Christina and Lynne for allowing us all to express ourselves in these newsletters!

But also, we’ve lost so many senses since last year. The sight of our closest friends suiting up with volunteer shirts and gloves to take on any task. The sounds of children’s laughter as they try their luck on carnival games. The taste of refreshing hot chocolate before distributing food to hundreds of elderly. The smell of sweet pancakes and savory sausages at the local softball game. The feel of callouses developing on our hands as we lift heavy furniture from room to room.

As much as my mind yearns for the next time I can relive these senses, I will never experience one again. It’s something that I have to keep reminding myself about because it’s been so natural to look forward to. I lied when I said that this is not the end. Because for me and the Class of 2021, it is.

But for many others, it’s just the beginning. Or the middle. Or anywhere in between. Having witnessed us persevere through 2020, our younger generations can feel empowered to accomplish just about anything. Just because I’ve reached my end, it doesn’t mean others have reached theirs. And that’s what’s magical about Key Club: we can all be in such different stages of our lives and still find a way to call it a family.

Key Club International | CNH District | Region 3 | Division 30 South | Oxford Academy Key Club

hey joyce! you're always so spirited and positive and just a fun person to always be around. i'll miss u!

hi joyce! thank you for always being so exciting and always taking charge. i cant wait to see what the future holds for you!

Hello Joyce! Your advice for being D30S spirit coordinator will help me this term 🙂

Thank you for your devotion and hard work for our division as a part of DLT! I wish you the best in college!

you’re an amazing person and although i haven’t talked to you much, you’re a super fun person to be with and i look up to your ability to actually talk and make conversations!! :)) i hope you have a fun time at college!

Hello Joyce! Thank you so much for all the fun events you helped plan and run! I definitely had a wonderful time this year! Good luck!

Although I know you from elementary school, it was fun participating in the Chinese Class service projects with you and also seeing you cheer during Fall Rally 2019. Good luck in the future!

Though I unfortunately haven't had the chance to talk to you yet, I've heard so much about how kind and spirited you are!

Congrats on graduating :DD

hi queen! you literally embody key club spirit. i'm so sad i didn't get to see you pop off this year in key club, but i hope you pop off in college! gl!

Hi Joyce! Getting to know you during 7th period last year and seeing you spirit and motivation has definitely inspired me! Best wishes for your awesome future!

Senior Goodbyes | 17

Hi Brandon! We didn't get to talk much but I saw you at banquet at you were pretty funny.

Have fun in college and keep making people laugh :P

hi brandon!! you’re very funny and i thoroughly enjoyed all of your fliers. good luck in college!

You are a pretty chill but also Key Club spirited person. It will be weird seeing Hope Food Distribution without you and your friends, but good luck to you in the future!

hii, i didnt get to talk much to you this year but you’re a super chill and funny guy. i look up to your dedication to key club and all your talent, and i hope you enjoy your college life!!

From furries to cute babies, every conversation of ours is so interesting! You have the best vibes, and I know we all are going to miss you :'))

heyyy king! you're such a talented publicist and i'm so sad you're leaving. i wish we hung out more lol and gl in college!

Hi Brandon! Though I haven't gotten to know you as well, I know that you are hardworking and super kind! You are going to do great and best wishes for the things ahead.

hey brandon! thanks for being such a cool guy and a very reliable friend!

Hi Brandon! Thanks for all the memories you help bring to so many people! The events were all still amazing, despite being in quarantine. Thank you and good luck!

You are a pretty chill but also Key Club spirited person. It will be weird seeing Hope Food Distribution without you and your friends, but good luck to you in the future!

Senior Goodbyes | 19

hey giang! Just an awesome person overall, I know you're pretty quiet but still super funny and fun to be around! Thank you for everything and good luck with your future endeavors :DD

Hello Giang! I know we just met briefly for the training, but you just seem so cool and awesome. You made it so easy to understand and thanks for just maintaining and making everything so easy to access throughout the year! Good luck for the future!

Although we haven't talked to each much, you are a pretty cool and funny dude. I hope for the best for you in the future!

you were always really funny and cool at all the events we had! good luck in college and thank you for making my first term memorable 🙂

it's really regrettable that I didn't get the chance to talk to you this year, but I loved your very amazing rapping skills! you're also super talented :))

hi giang!! you're literally so talented since you can edit, sing, rap, play the violin, and more! good luck in college!

Thank you for your hard work and service to OA Key Club! Good luck in college and I wish you the best for your future!

Hii! You probably don’t know me, but I’m that one person out of 121 people in your orchestra class (I approximated the number)!

I don’t know you as well as I wish I could’ve, but I know you are an awesome Key Club Board Member, an amazing Key Clubber, a seriously talented violinist, and an overall hardworking person! I hope you come back as an alumni!!

Hello Giang! We didn't get to talk much but you are super cool and thank you for all the things you did for OAKC :)

you’re a super quiet guy, but also hilarious, hardworking, and dedicated! i’m glad we were historians together before, and working on the scrapbook for hours and hours with you all will be one of my most memorable key club experiences. (btw i really envy your creativity and artistic ability wow!!) have fun in college, i’ll miss you!!

Hi Giang! I hope you enjoyed your senior year despite the circumstances. Despite not knowing you too well, I admire your dedication and commitment to OAKC. Good luck in college:)

hi u are very cool!

HIHI! Your work ethic, mindset, and just vibes overall are truly inspirational! I'm so happy to have known you these years at OA and going to miss you so much!

thank you for making my first key club year memorable and you always made meetings so fun! good luck in college 🙂

hey lance! thanks for always being very cool and supportive It has been really fun knowing you for the past 2 years, especially since you always make things fun and entertaining. You are always positive and I know that you have a bright future ahead of you!

hi lance!! thank you so much for making Key Club so memorable. I will never forget the first time that i met and spoke to you. thank you for welcoming me with open arms!!

I'll never forgive you for introducing me to the word "poggers" but asides from that you are so amazeballs! I think your passion and enthusiasm is always so inspiring, and it just really makes you someone fun to be around :^)

Hiiiii Lance! We got to interact a few times during the last meetings, like when you commented on my super swag zoom background. Your speech at banquet was so inspiring and I hope you keep inspiring people in the future!

lance, thank you for always being soooo welcoming and kind to me everytime we saw each other! you made my key club memories so much more memorable! i’ll miss you and have fun in college!! -your nikon buddy

Hi Lance! Although we weren’t close, I admired your commitment in key club because we went to the same elementary school:) It was really inspirational seeing someone from my same elementary school make an impact on the Oxford campus. I wish you luck in the future!

Thank you for all the fun times you’ve created in this term as Treasurer! Congrats on your graduation, and good luck in college!

hey king! imma miss you a lot and i'm sad that i didn't get to interact with you more. make sure to visit lol and good luck in college!

You’re friendly, and a very funny person! You’re also an extremely competent Treasurer!! I’ve really enjoyed this year in Key Club, and I hope you always stay smiling! P.S. You can always come back to OA as an alumni sometime :))

Hi Lance! You were the party of the house. Always made everything so amazing, fun, and awesome with your amazing energy and spirit. Go on to bring that with you in your later years!

Senior Goodbyes | 21

Thank you for creating an amazing term as a fun vice president! Congratulations on your graduation, and best wishes for your future!

kenny!! thank you for making my key club journey 1000x better and always helping me whenever i need it, no matter how dumb it is! you’re an amazing person and talking to you always makes me laugh or smile. i hope you enjoy your college life :)) i’ll miss you!!

working together with you has been one of the best experiences ever, even if you roasted me for never having work. you have been someone I look towards for words of wisdom and hope you know that we really appreciate you!

hey kenny! ty for being like the dad of oakc. also, ty for driving me to chic-fil-a that one time after the dog event at petsmart. gl in college!

You might think I’m weird, but I think I first remember you as the one person who Mrs. Miner said to eat more food to. My second impression of you was super fun and easygoing! You smiled a lot in orchestra and you played very seriously in class. Then, Key Club. You are a great speaker, and a funny person. I really wish I could have had more than just this year to really get to know you, but I wish you a happy journey wherever you’re going next!

hey kenny! you’re so old now. thank you for all of the fun and chaotic car rides. you’re such an entertaining person and i’m very grateful for all that you’ve done!

Hi Kenny! I hope you know that you made every meeting feel so amazing and funny, your vibes will definitely be missed!

Kenny, you are so inspiring and smart, and was someone who really put in their all into their work. I remember so many in-person events that we both went to, such as Pooch Match and Holiday Brunch, and it was so fun. Good luck!

whenever you hosted meetings they were really enjoyable and thank you for making my first year in key club memorable! good luck in college :))

Heyo Kenny! I appreciate all of your hard work and effort that went into not only being a vice president but just being there for all of us. I really admire your writing skills and I wish you the best for your future endeavors :DD

Hi Kenny!! Thank you for being such a role model in both key club and gamut for me:) I wish I would’ve have the opportunity to get to know you better because you come off as a very genuine person. Nevertheless, thank you again and good luck in the future!:)

Hi Kenny! Your humor is so funny and you always made me laugh at the meetings. I wish we got to interact more but keep making people smile!

hey bestie! ur very fun to talk to and i'll miss u so visit me every weekend!!

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