FIRST GENERAL MEETING

Ryan Dang | 11 | Historian

With school having started about two months ago, everything was still a bit confusing. Students and teachers had to work under a new schedule and in a new environment. It was super bizarre and disorienting, but the one thing that I could look forward to was the week of club rush. I find clubs to be a relaxing way to take my mind off of the stress of school work, it’s almost like I’m in a different world. I was super excited to join clubs like the graphic design club, the national honor society club, and the Vietnamese student association club; however, the club that I was most excited to sign up for was Key Club. As weeks passed, I couldn’t wait to attend Key Club’s first general meeting. But, alas, the day finally came. It was really encouraging to see so many people join the Google Meets, and it reminded me of the loving community that Key Club had created. During the meeting, we went over the background of the club, like its origins as well as its core values. Additionally, there was the introduction of new service events, and the meeting ended with a Kahoot game. Although I didn’t end up winning, I was really happy to see everyone coming together and having fun.

Claire Lee | 11 | Project Chair

With it being the first general club meeting online, I didn’t really know what to expect. Because it clashed with asynchronous days, I assumed that not a lot of people were going to show up. I woke up from my nap five minutes before the meeting, got ready, and clicked on the link to the Google Meets. When I saw the number of people on the call on the top right hand corner, I immediately got on my phone and started updating my friends. Seeing over 100 students in a club meeting call isn’t something that happens for just any club. I realized that the influence we have on our school campus is significant, and a part of me desperately wanted to see that many people in the same room at school. Things have changed drastically over the course of a few months, but the passion Key Clubbers have for serving haven’t changed one bit.

Helen Tran | 12 | Publicist

This first game night fundraiser was certainly a little ambitious, but I could see us doing more in the future. It doesn’t even have to be a Minecraft tournament or something like that. With a little more care and oversight, we could make an even better and more enjoyable experience for everyone to take part in while taking social distancing into account and successfully raising funds for PTP. The end of the first ever virtual Club Rush brought a record-breaking number of sign-ups for OAKC. That being said, the pressure was on to create a welcoming, fun general meeting that would entice the members and show them what Key Club really is all about. I don’t think any of us expected to be interacting with our new club members through a screen, but I can say with confidence that we really did make the most of it. The presence of members was high, reaching approximately 200 total attendees; at least weren’t cramped in Mr. Hogan’s choir room this year. A majority of individuals turned their cameras on to feel more connected with one another. The Kahoot game also brought members together, creating a competitive yet friendly environment. We taught members about the purpose of Key Club, what they can get involved in this year, etc. I remember being completely lost when I first joined, so it’s great that Timmy covered Key Club 101 for all these new members! Reflecting back to the start of my Key Club journey, I’m a bit disappointed that I won’t be able to meet these general members face to face. As an officer, I would love to reach out and get them truly engaged in Key Club, both on the club level and on the district, region, or even international level. However, this lack of inperson interaction definitely gives me more motivation and confidence to take initiative. In the near future, I hope to reach out to general members, helping them figure out what DCM stands for or why we always ask each other, “How do you feel?”. The first general meeting marked the start of another amazing Key Club school year, and I hope that the new members will make the most of their virtual experience. I’m very excited to see how the rest of this year rolls out and to help others kickstart their Key Club journey!

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Kenneth Nguyen | 10 | Publicist

On September 24, Oxford Academy Key Club held the first general meeting of the year, but the second general meeting of the term. This general meeting, there were 100 members on Google Meets, which are so many attendees compared to usual in-person meetings. I think it is because club meetings are at different times now and the setting is online so many people can attend. This meeting, many high school students, and I think I even saw some middle school students who did not know Key Club was based for only high school students. Timmy, our Key Club President, introduced what Key Club was to any new members as well as returning Key Club members that did not know before. One of our board members, Devanshi, says the Key Club Pledge, and Timmy hosts a Kahoot based on a lesson that he taught, on the Kiwanis Family House. This meeting was quite fun and I saw everyone enjoying themselves on their webcams. Meetings are every Thursday, so make sure to attend them every week!! Oxford Academy Key Club has progressed so much despite quarantine. So many new members join, from all different grades. I saw many people in my grade that were not in Key Club previously and new freshmen that have joined. However, OAKC also has had some up and downs with school starting. Less people are participating in the service projects because of the workload from school, but we can change that! Start participating in the service projects we provide and give back to the community Suns!