On Sunday, September 28, Key Club took 25 club members to the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District Fall Leadership Rally (FLR) in Geneseo, IL. The four-hour conference was filled with engaging workshops and activities that aim to grow leadership and service skills in Key Club members.
The event was led by student leaders from throughout the state. This gave S.H.S. attendees a chance to see where their future in Key Club may lead them. Since Key Club is a student-led organization, it was refreshing for members to hear from speakers their own age and going through the same experiences.
Key Club Freshman Representative Kamila Molina shares how FLR “taught [her] how big Key Club is and how its impact is not only local, but international too.” To share this message, there were many student presenters from throughout Illinois and eastern Iowa. Some S.H.S.-favorite workshops included service project ideas, member engagement, and college application prep.
FLR was also beneficial for club advisor, Marissa Record. Record shared, “It was so good to have a round table with local club advisors. I was able to learn about how their clubs do their fundraising and help pay for the District Convention and other projects.”
Besides educational workshops, there were minute-to-win-it games following a luncheon. Attendees were encouraged to playfully compete against one another and win bragging rights. Senior Hazel Pham says that these games allowed her to “spend time with fellow club mates that [she] usually [doesn’t] see often.
The event concluded with a pie-in-the-face fundraiser, where sophomore Aron Rivera paid to “pie” senior Gavin Fischer. All proceeds went to the Kiwanis Neuroscience Research Foundation: a charity that aims to better the lives of those with neurological diseases.
Overall, FLR was a success that installed new values in S.H.S. Key Club members. Events like this one help build many connections within the school and area while teaching helpful skills in leadership and service.
