2023 May/June Tex-O-Key

TEX-O-KEY TEX-O-KEY

IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

I am Vivian Lee, Editor! To share Oklahoma! In my like to play a var will be my third for Division 18N T-O's District Ed As District Edito creating the Tex editors, and in g comprehensive

My goals for this resources for fir are making news effectively bein all of you guys in to make a positi District Editor a term brings for o Yours in

and I am greatly privileged to be serving as your 2023-2024 District a little bit about me, I am a rising Senior at MacArthur High School in y free time, you can catch me on the tennis courts or at the gym, and I riety of instruments as well as hang out with my friends and family! This year involved in Key Club, as I got to serve as the Lieutenant Governor N last term. I am so excited to be able to serve with a greater impact as ditor!

or, there are a lot of responsibilities involved! Some of which include x-O-Key (the newsletter you are currently reading), working with club general making sure that news is flowing in an effective and manner within our district!

s term involve creating more rst time editors and those who sletters for the first time and g able to deliver feedback to n the district! I hope to be able ve impact during my time as nd I can't wait to see what this our district! ship & Service,

Goals

enhance our membership base and charter over 15 new clubs by implementing training initiatives throughout the year and providing informative resources initiate district-wide service projects aimed to support both the Governor and District Project

Uplift our district through the empowerment and importance of positivity, support, and education as a team Allow member feedback and proposals by communicating directly with clubs and providing updates, weekly tips, and podcast episodes!

Nidhi Rao Nidhi Rao

Hello, Texas-Oklahoma Key Club!

My name is Nidhi Rao, and I serve as the 2023-2024 Texas-Oklahoma Key Club District Governor. I am a rising Junior at Bridgeland High School part of Division 3W. I served as Secretary of my home club and as Division 10 Lieutenant Governor prior to being elected as District Governor! I have also championed different initiatives within Key Club, such as interview series called "A Dive into Key Club" and providing weekly tips for club members. In my free time, I love to play the flute and piano, we well as travel. I am so excited to begin this year and to serve alongside each of you!

Yours in Friendship & Service,

Meet the District Meet the District Governor! Governor! NidhiRao

Meet the District Meet the District Secretary! Secretary!

Emily Seo Emily Seo

Hello, Texas-Oklahoma Key Club!

My name is Emily Seo and I am serving as your District Secretary for the 2023-24 term! I am a rising junior at Jenks High School from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was my home club's secretary freshman year and served as a Lieutenant Governor my sophomore year. In my free time, I enjoy playing the violin, listening to Seventeen, and spending time with my friends. I am beyond excited for this year of service and if you ever need anything, please reach out!

Yours in Friendship & Service,

Goals

Implement the Secretary Point System to get more club secretaries involved and motivated to try to achieve Top 5 Club Secretaries and Top 25 Clubs

Grade and send out

Monthly Report feedback by the 25th of each month

Provide and create new resources like Youtube video tutorials and a Secretary Guidebook, as well as, update current resources to be more easily understood

Goals

Increase membership within T-O by boosting overall participation

Publish quality resources to help guide treasurers about their fiscal duties, applying for the YOF, and navigating the MUC

Increase the number of YOF recipients to 15 Bridge communication between the club and district level

Meet the District Meet the District TTreasurer!

reasurer!

Ria Rana Ria Rana

Hey, T-O!

My name is Ria Rana, and I'm very excited to be serving as your District Treasurer for the 2023-2024 term!

I'm a rising junior and have been in Key Club since my freshman year. I served as the Lieutenant Governor of 2S during my sophomore year. When I'm Key-Clubbing, you can always find me playing tennis, bingewatching Netflix, and listening to music (give me reccs!). I'm eager to see what this year of service has in store for us all, and I cannot wait to be serving alongside you all to find out!

Yours in Friendship & Service,

Meet the Meet the Convention Liaison! Convention Liaison!

Tran Caysey Tran

Caysey

Hey, T-O!

My name is Caysey Tran, and I am honored to be able to serve as your 2023-2024 Convention Liaison! I am an upcoming Junior at Westmoore High School. This will be my third year on the district board, previously serving as a Lieutenant Governor my freshman and sophomore year. I enjoy lion dancing, playing and listening to music, hanging out with friends, and playing video games. I am so excited for this year, and I can't wait to see what this year brings!

Goals

Increased promotion early and overall for LEDCON

Raise more sponsorships earlier for a smoother convention and year, allowing us to raise more

Increased participation in both LEDCON and CNA to celebrate achievements and promote learning experiences

Goals

Showcase different Key Clubs and their activities by featuring them on Instagram and Youtube, promoting their achievements, service projects, and events to foster a sense of community within the district

Create Club promotional material that can help clubs navigate through difficult topics Offer Social Media Training for all webmasters in T-O

Meet the Tech Meet the Tech Producer! Producer!

Sanjana Kavula Sanjana Kavula

Hey, T-O!

My name is Sanjana Kavula, and I am so excited to serve as your 20232024 Tech Producer! I am a rising senior at Emerson High School. This will be my 2nd year on the district board, previously serving as a Lieutenant Governor for Division 2N. In my freetime, I love spending time with family and friends, driving around late, and taking photos! I cannot wait to get to know all of you and see all the amazing things we do this year :)

Yours in Friendship & Service,

SanjanaKavula

UPDATE UPDATE

As many of you may already know, Key Club extends internationally! Just like the districts, there are elected International Presidents, Vice Presidents, and International Trustees (liaisons between the districts and international), who are similar to the Lieutenant Governors that we have!

During the International Convention (ICON), the new International positions will be elected! ICON will be from July 5th - 9th at Anaheim, California! At ICON, there are many informative workshops, main sessions, and inspiring keynote speakers! After ICON, we will find out who our International Trustee will be and who our International President and Vice President will be!

Summer SERVICE IDEAS

Host a car wash

Volunteer at a local animal shelter

Offer to cut grass for neighborhood seniors

Assist teachers cleaning up their classrooms

Write letters to nursing homes

Pick up trash at local parks

Volunteer at the local food pantry

Volunteer at your local library

Donate to a children's hospital

ServiceUnd ServiceUnd Texas-OklahomaDist

dertheSun! dertheSun! trictConvention2023

CLUB O CLUB O Roles and Res

President Vice president secretary

The President presides over club meetings and is chiefly responsible for planning, organizing, and executing club activities and service projects.

The Vice President is responsible for assisting the President and should be prepared to take over in the Presiden'ts absence. The Vice President also provides assistance towards any of the club's needs.

The Secretary is responsible for keeping up-todate records for all club activities. Secretaries must complete and submit their monthly reports to the District Secretary.

OFFICER OFFICER sponsibilities

The Treasurer is responsible for managing the club's finances, raising funds, and maintaining accurate financial records.

The Editor is responsible for gathering important information and presenting it in a digestible manner. Editors must complete and submit a newsletter, photos, articles, and other assignments to the District Editor each month.

The Webmaster is responsible for creating and maintaining the club's website as well as managing the club's social media accounts.

treasurer editor webmaster

Key Club: A Catalyst for Personal Key Club: A Catalyst for Personal Growth and Life Lessons Growth and Life Lessons

Nikita Basappa | Bridgeland High School | Division 3W

We have a variety of events throughout our life that mold who we are and the principles we uphold. My engagement in Key Club was one such life-changing event for me. As a part of this prestigious organization, I gained a wealth of knowledge and insights that have had a lasting impact on my life. One lesson, though, sticks out above the rest: the tremendous power of service. During my time in Key Club, I realized that by putting others before myself, I could not only have a significant impact on their lives but also enjoy personal growth and fulfillment.

Being involved in Key Club necessitated efficient time management and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively. Balancing schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and service commitments required careful planning and organization. Through this juggling act, I honed my time management skills, learning to allocate my time and energy efficiently. Key Club taught me the importance of prioritizing service and instilled in me the discipline to fulfill my responsibilities while still excelling in other areas of my life. This valuable skill set has not only served me well in Key Club but continues to be a fundamental aspect of my personal and professional growth.

In addition, one of the most transformative outcomes of my Key Club experience was the cultivation of gratitude and personal fulfillment. Engaging in selfless acts of service allowed me to witness firsthand the impact I could have on the lives of others. Whether it was attending community events, helping at food drives for the less fortunate, or volunteering at local shelters, every act of service filled me with a profound sense of purpose and joy. Key Club taught me that true fulfillment comes not from personal achievements or material possessions but from the profound satisfaction that stems from positively impacting the lives of others.

In conclusion, Key Club has been an invaluable chapter in my life, teaching me numerous lessons that have left an enduring impact. However, the most significant lesson I learned from my involvement in Key Club is the transformative power of service. Key Club instilled in me a lifelong commitment to service, inspiring me to make a positive difference in the world. As I move forward in life, I carry with me the invaluable lessons I have learned.

Onward Key Club! Onward Key Club!

Glory Adeyemi | Cypress Lakes High School | Division 3W

With the school year wrapping up and summer break approaching, I must say I have had a wonderful year being a Key Club member from the socials to the inschool opportunities like tutoring and the outside opportunities like the trash bash. I didn’t want that thrill to end which is why I ran for the position to be an officer for Key Club. At the end of the year banquet, I got the position of editor, and I am excited for the upcoming school year!

Being a first-time editor is a work in progress due to every task being new to me, however, I have taken this position as an opportunity to showcase my creativity and skills. I have now taken the role of an editor as my second job, treating every task as a deadline/homework and it’s been interesting so far. My favorite part so far of being an editor is working on the newsletters as I get to add my themes and ideas to them. For this upcoming school year, I plan to make the newsletters broader and involve members of Key Club in them, for example, letting them vote on the theme of the month and letting them input their ideas on what they think I should add or change.

I envision this next school year to be one of the best ones as I and my fellow officers are working toward planning different activities and opportunities for incoming Key Club members and allowing people to learn the purpose of serving the community. I plan to be more involved this upcoming year and dedicate a huge amount of my time to servitude and also getting more people involved as well. With this upcoming school year being my last year in high school and in Key Club, I want to make the best of it and create so many memories. I believe I can do this while still helping out in my community through Key Club.

“Check YAP! “Check YAP!”

Violeta Navarrete-Snow | Cypre

My first visit to LEDCON was an experie school's Key Club, but I had no idea abo a change in me.

Stepping into LEDCON for the first time participants from all over Texas and Okl My LEDCON Experience r what was abo a part of something larger could give m Key Club beyond just my own school.

One of the most rewarding things about my LEDCON experience was the opportunity it provided members from various districts opened my eyes to the fact that, despite playing dress-up as adult experiences, inside jokes, and create lasting memories together. Thanks to LEDCON, I now have lo

Above all, LEDCON had a powerful influence on my mindset and aspirations. Being able to witnes a meaningful impact on this organization. It sparked a desire within me to not just be a member o like that. I needed to start at my own school.

In conclusion, my first visit to LEDCON was a life-changing experience. It exposed me to the true n The motivation I gained from LEDCON continues to guide me as I aim to make a positive impact w LEDCON next year.

Key C Key Cl Audr

As summer break begins, the season is ripe with opportunities to improve our Key Club and bond as a board of office joining, summer is an opportunity to “get our lives together” as a club Some activities we are most excited a me

Throughout the summer, central to our organization are events at which our members can provide services to the Litter Cleanup, where members can help protect the environment by cleaning the creek and forest. This is an an year, and the recent rain that caused it to be postponed has allowed Key Club members to volunteer early in the s Fish Camp, or freshman orientation, in late summ

In addition to volunteerism, teamwork is a key value for our branch of the club. This is why we will have a board socia other We plan on having a pool party and potluck to both strengthen friendships and discuss future Key Club even Meet in order to make sure everyone is up to date with planning for the next schoo

Despite our club’s many summer plans, a challenge we face is the absence of many board members througho present. Though this may hinder our productivity, the circumstances also open up opportunities for leadership role ahead, a variety of summer plans are imperative to the success and atmosphere of Key Club. As a board, we hope to years, and we hope past experie

My LEDCON Experience ”: My LEDCON Experience

ess Creek High School | Division 3N

ence that I will cherish forever. Prior to attending LEDCON, I was an active member of my out the complexity of the organization. Little did I know that this 4-day convention would spark

e, I was immediately filled with a sense of joy and anticipation. The bustling atmosphere, with lahoma, gave me a rush of excitement fo“Check YAP!”: My LEDCON Experience “Check YAP!”: out to come. It was a unique feeling that only volunteering and knowing that I was going to be me. All the events and forums offered at LEDCON provided me with a better understanding of

d me to create new relationships and deepen existing ones. Interacting with fellow Key Club ts, we were all just teenagers at heart. The convention allowed us to bond over shared ots of valuable memories and special connections with the amazing people I met there.

ss the powerful speeches and campaigns during LEDCON made me realize that I wanted to make of Key Club, but something more. I recognized that I couldn't become international president just

nature of Key Club, allowed me to form meaningful connections and inspired me to dream big within my club and the larger Key Club community. I can't wait

lub Summer Plans lub Summer Plans

rey Kolega | Garland High School | Division 2S

ers With a completely new board taking over and many new members about this summer include an officer social, attending the Kiwanis Club eetings, board meetings, district meetings, and volunteer opportunities.

e community. In June, we plan on participating in the local Duck Creek nnual event for our Key Club, as I participated in it during my freshman summer. Furthermore, it has been a tradition for Key Club to help with mer, where we will assist new students with getting to know the school.

al, where officers will meet up in July to have fun and get to know each nts The board also plans on having biweekly meetings through Google ol year as well as meet with our district’s Lieutenant Governor monthly

out the summer, meaning many meetings will occur without all officers es and growth for the officers. With the blank slate of a new school year o use this time to help Key Club run even more smoothly in the coming ences and new opportunities encourage continued community service.

My Key Club Experience My Key Club Experience

Mari Wilcock | Greenville High School | Division 32

When I was a freshman, my dad suggested that I join a service organization: Key Club, to be exact. However, the Key Club that I joined 4 years ago was very different from the one that now exists at Greenville High School. At that time, we had about twenty members and did only small projects around the school, like canned food drives. We didn’t really understand that Key Club was more student-led, so our faculty advisor performed many of our duties.

When COVID hit Texas, we were all lost. Trying to keep the club afloat through virtual methods was extremely difficult, especially after our faculty advisor moved; we had no idea how to run a Key Club. Luckily, our lieutenant governor at the time got in touch with me and helped us out. Our officer team worked diligently and even though none of our meetings were in-person, our club actually grew.

As I entered my junior year, I was elected as president and endeavored to make our club as large and as involved as it could be. I, along with the new officer team, initiated more and more service projects and membership growth methods. Along with advertising Key Club to our friends and joining our local Golden Kiwanis Club’s service project, we began to contact other local organizations to find more ways to serve our community.

This past year, I served as the Lieutenant Governor of Division 32, which meant that I had the chance to see how much our club had grown and improved from an “outsider’s” perspective. It was truly amazing. Is it really our club that has become so popular, with over 60 members and new service projects every week? Is it our club that is contributing to the district by submitting reports and attending LEDCON? Is it our club that has made such a stir that we have connections all across town? I’ve seen new members join Key Club simply to earn service hours, but instead find themselves with a family they love and a new passion to serve their home, school, and community. Our club has certainly come a long way from only a couple of years ago, and I am so proud to have helped our club reach new heights. Now as a graduated senior, I’m sad to be leaving Key Club, but I’m excited for all they will accomplish in the future.

Time Control Time Control

Michelle Dotson | Southmoore High School | Division

30

As I start my third and final year as a returning officer with Key Club, I can recall many wonderful moments, accomplishments, and disappointments throughout the years. I opted to reflect and focus on my shortcomings because they are what form and mold us. Many of these errors range from a lack of courage to ask questions to severely bad time management. Wonderful moments emerged from these failures.

In prior years, our officers actually struggled to complete tasks on time, whether it was notifying our sponsors and advisers of approaching events or communicating with one another. We promised our members a fun social with no actual plan and very little money during a meeting. We put off planning for weeks until we had no idea where to begin three days before the promised social.

The board came through at the last minute, demonstrating our leadership, flexibility, teamwork, and quick thinking skills by hosting a thriving karaoke social with games, food, and beverages for all. I was skeptical at first because everything had been thrown together at the last minute, but to my surprise, about 60 people had squeezed inside the little library, creating memories of a lifetime.

That karaoke social held such a special moment in my heart as I made some of my dearest friends and future officers there. Now returning as president for the 20232024 school year, something that I strongly discourage is lack of time management. One successful event doesn’t determine the outcome for every last minute event. Even I am guilty of not spending my time wisely--which is something I want to take control of and improve this upcoming year.

My favorite volunteering experience from this past year is volunteering at Mansfield’s Mega Mobile Market. The organization that hosted it this year is Mega Mobile, and they came to Mansfield several times this year. The organization serves to help foodinsecure families of Mansfield and other local communities by providing them with food items such as water, pre-portioned meals, fruits, vegetables, and grains. People line up with their cars while volunteers pass out food by loading the food into the trunks and back of cars. Volunteers are separated into groups and load specific amounts of food based on factors like how many families per car and what type they are handing out. Aside from the impact it has on others in the community, volunteering here has also positively affected me. The service that the volunteers provide have physical, social, and mental aspects that have influenced the reason why I like my volunteering experiences there so much.

The physical aspect comes from having to carry heavy bags and boxes of food to the cars. It provides a chance to be active and is a nice way to enjoy the weather. The social aspect comes from having to interact with families and fellow volunteers as you work together to make decisions and maintain order. For example, I have made close friends while volunteering, and these friends make the volunteering experience even more enjoyable. In addition to making friends, my social skills have improved as well. Talking to strangers, whether it’s the families and volunteers in a positive environment has made me more confident in approaching others for help or to offer help. Meeting people and having interesting and eye-opening conversations and interactions has made me realize how much I can learn by talking to others. The mental aspect is the amazing feeling that comes naturally from volunteering. Knowing I served my community and have made good memories along the way makes me feel very lucky and grateful for the chances I’ve been given! My favorite volunteer experiences from this year have come from serving at the Mega Mobile Market because of the way these different aspects come together to make a fulfilling experience. When looking back on all of the volunteer experiences I’ve had this year, it makes sense that serving my community at Mansfield’s Mega Mobile Market is the one that stood out the most, making it my favorite. I plan on continuing to volunteer there when they come back to Mansfield.

Bryan Canales Division 3N Jersey Village High School

Key Club has always been something that has been talked about since the beginning of my time in high school and while, at the time, I did not understand what exactly it was or what its purpose was. Now after being in, it for 2 years now I can confidently say that Key Club has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life and has only motivated me to reach the limits of my potential and development the qualities of compassion and selflessness in me.

My experience in Key Club can only be described as nothing less than spectacular. Since the beginning of Freshman year, Key Club has had such a warm and inviting environment, and I have met so many different individuals through Key Club that I would have otherwise never gotten the chance to talk to. Before the club I was a very shy and reserved person who didn’t like talking to more than 3 people, and while I still don’t consider myself a social person, Key Club has greatly aided in the development of my social skills. That aspect of Key Club encouraging my social skills was only built upon when I was elected as an officer for the 22-23 school year. That moment, in my eyes, was the singular most important moment of my Key Club experience and has impacted my life in a way I could have never imagined.

The longer I spent in Key Club the more devoted and passionate I became to it. That devotion and passion reached a new height during LEDcon. LEDcon was one of the most anticipated events of the year for my Club and, after attending it, I understood exactly why it was. LEDcon was filled with so many successful and driven youth, that just attending it inspires you to achieve more with yourself and reach your full potential. Describing Ledcon with such limited words is difficult, but I will try my best. LEDcon: is the manifestation of everything that Key Clubs strives so hard to uphold; inspiring the great leaders of tomorrow to be their best selves, and like a haloed angel sent from heaven it impartially helps all those who are determined to improve the world. For all these reasons and more Key Club has made only the best impact on me and changed my person forever.

SNAPSH Serv

HOTSOF vice

Letter to the Editor

Hi, Danika!

Dear Vivian,

I am proud of all the hard work you are puttingin and am so glad to see you thrive. I am wondering, how do I bring more club members in during the less busy months like this? So proud of you!

Sincerely,

Danika Bridges MacArthur High School D18N

To answer your question, it is hard to get more people to be active during the summer months as many are not in town or have other plans preventing them from being active. The best thing I can tellyou is to have your club keep pushing events and especially fun events or socials! The first thing to focus on is appeal, as the more fun and appealing it is, the more people are going to be involved! But do not worry about it too much as it is normal! Just keep pushing for more! I hope you are also having a great summer so far! You are doing great and I'm looking forward to working withyou this term!

s Nook

Editor Resources

Riddle of the month:

You can see throughme andIcan make a moment lastforever, butIam disposable. Whatam I?

Make sure you submit your answer with the correct email header!

All District Contacts

Editor GroupMe

Editors Resources

MeetOurK MeetOurK

Key Club is a student -led, high school organization. Our members make the world a better place through service. In doing so, we grow as individuals and as leaders by answering the call to lead, summoning the courage to engage and developing the heart to serve.

Builders Club, designed for middle school students, encourages members to focus their passion and energy on serving others. They learn self-confidence and become tomorrow's leaders through teamwork, goal-setting and action.

K-Kids is where elementary school students begin developing their hearts for service. This student-led service leadership program builds leadership skills and strong moral character while giving students an opportunity to participate in service projects.

K-Family! K-Family!

Since 1915, these adult volunteers have been serving the children of the world through fundraising and hands-on service projects. Kiwanis created its family of sponsored leadership clubs to help people of all ages develop the heart to serve, answer the call to lead, and accept the courage to engage.

Aktion Club is the only service club for adults with disabilities. Members develop confidence and self-esteem by adopting leadership roles within their clubs. They also discover their own talents as they use them to help others.

Circle K International is the world's largest student-led service organization for college students. Now in 19 nations, this group is among the most passionate of Kiwanis-family members when it comes to service.

Pr o smarg Pr o smarg

SERVICE PARTNERS SERVICE PARTNERS

Erika's Lighthouse is a nonprofit organization that advocates for good mental health, especially for teenagers. The organization also provides resources to kickstart conversations around mental health.

PREFERRED PREFERRED

AndPart n e sr AndPart n e sr

SERVICE PARTNERS SERVICE PARTNERS

Schoolhouse was established by Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy. It is an organization that provides free online tutoring to students across the world.

The Thirst P organization providing f water to peo across th

OURPRO OURPRO

PREFERREDCHARITIES PREFERREDCHARITIES

UNICEF and Key Club have been partners for years. To support UNICEF's mission this year, we have a new projectStart Strong: Zambia. This project raises funds to build schools and purchase educational materials for children in Zambia.

The Global Certificate is help Key Clu gain the skills improve the w 39 self-pac ranging from strategic v leadershi awareness, m learn how to makers and w as college a

DCHARITIES DCHARITIES

Project is an dedicated to resh, clean ople in need he world.

Leadership a program to ub members s they need to world. Through ced courses m topics like vs. tactical p to selfmembers will o be change will stand out applicants.

MEMBER BENEFIT MEMBER BENEFIT OURPROGRAMS OURPROGRAMS

Key Club International has a member benefit partnership with Collegewise. This means that Collegewise supports Key Club International and offers members resources for navigating the college application process, all to your benefit. Collegewise also offers Key Club members exclusive webinars and resources, so take advantage of this partnership!

The Youth Opportunities Fund is a Kiwanis grant Key Clubs can apply for to help kickstart their service project. The grant ranges from $250 to $2000, and there are two application cycles: one due October 15th and one due March 1st. There are many resources to help clubs fill out the grant, such as budget templates and community needs assessments.

THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR READING! FOR READING!

"Caring, our way of life. " "Caring, our way of life. "