From February 20-22, the S.H.S. Key Club attended the Illinois-Eastern Iowa Key Club District Convention and Leadership Conference (DCLC) with roughly 500 other Key Club students in the state. This was Key Club’s second time attending the convention, as they started last year when science teacher Marissa Record became the club’s advisor.
The convention began with an opening session. At the opening session, attendees heard from candidates for Key Club district office and learned more about the charities they could fundraise for next year. The opening session concluded with Joe Fingerhut, a motivational speaker and an entertainer, as the convention’s keynote speaker. After the opening session, Key Club members participated in two workshop sessions centered around planning service projects and fundraisers for the upcoming year.
On the second day of the convention, the Key Clubs focused on electing the state’s district officers. They were able to ask the candidates questions on why they were best fit for the position. Sophomores Sofia Georgieva and Emma Pham cast S.H.S.’s votes for the elections.
Pham stated, “Electing the executive board was a big honor because they’re the people that our club will be able to go to with questions or guidance in the future.”
The second day of the convention concluded with an awards and talent dinner.
The final day of the convention was marked by a celebratory breakfast banquet. The district officers of the previous year were retired and those elected were installed into office. For S.H.S., this included senior Gavin Fischer passing the role of lieutenant governor to Georgieva. At the breakfast, those who won individual awards were also celebrated. S.H.S. won a total of eight individual awards and five club awards, a huge increase after receiving none from the previous year.
Overall, the convention was an education and successful event. Senior Hazel Pham shared, “DCLC has helped me open my eyes to the real life impact that Key Club is making to both local communities and charitable causes worldwide. It has also educated me on how to better the world around me, and showed me how empowering our youthful generation is.”
Attending this event will only allow the S.H.S. Key Club to grow for the future ahead.
Awards
- Roster in On Time Award
- 100% Monthly Reporting Award
- Early Bird Dues Award
- Outstanding Monthly Report Forms Award
- Largest Donation to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
- Robert F. Lucas Outstanding Lieutenant Governor Award (senior Gavin Fischer)
- Arthur L. Himmel, Howard G. Smith, and Gerald F. McConnell Outstanding Lieutenant Governor Award (senior Gavin Fischer)
- Distinguished President Award (sophomore Emma Pham)
- Distinguished Vice President Award (sophomore Sofia Georgieva)
- Distinguished Secretary Award (senior Hazel Pham)
- Distinguished Treasurer Award (senior Charles Johnson)
- Distinguished Statistical Secretary Award (junior Owen Ports)
- Distinguished Editor Award (sophomore Brenner Thompson)
