Scheming For service

By Brandon Nop

Note: Parts of this interview have been edited for the purpose of clarity.

As the start of a new school term transitioned into an in-person curriculum, many clubs

would have to adapt to the new circumstances after a whole year of distance learning.

For Caitlin Nguyen, president of Yerba Buena High School’s very own Key Club (hereafter YBKC) and current junior, that meant working closely with her club officers to promote and incentivize members to sign-up during Club Rush in the first semester.

Caitlin: “We wanted to bring back that moment for underclassmen to think ‘Oh, there are still clubs there.’”

Prior to the start of the 2019-2020 term, Key Club was a bit on the down low. Not much was said about Key Club nor was it well known. It didn’t help that they had been struck by the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in the second semester. Caitlin’s board was forced to come to terms with current circumstances.

Caitlin: “We will just have to adapt to it. If Covid does die down, hopefully we will go back to in-person events.”

Key Club is a service club, sponsored by Kiwanis International, that is aimed at high school students. It allows members to participate in both volunteering and various bonding activities, promoting member inclusivity and team bonding across the board.

After experiencing a resurgence in members, Key Club became one of the most active service clubs at YB, along with JRX and Interact.

This growth in membership has allowed YBKC to get more involved in the bigger Division 12 South (hereafter D12S), an organization that consists of high school Key Clubs from across the East Side district. Caitlin has been able to witness all of it from the start.

Caitlin: “Key Club [at YB] has changed a lot. The membership attendance has grown amazingly, I think we had more than a 200% growth rate.”

Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, Caitlin worked with her board to help integrate member feedback and member recognition systems into the club, encouraging communication between general members and the officers.

The new system has further motivated members to become more involved within the club. By having their progress and achievements noticed, people would be consistent with their attendance and dedication.

Caitlin: “[We also ask different members] ‘What events [do] you guys like to personally do?’ And they give us the feedback. And then we try to add that into our service event planning.”

The new term has been full of surprises for YBKC. In October of 2021, they, along with the rest of D12S, went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in attendance for Fall Rally North--an annual spirit competition between Key Club divisions from across California, Nevada, and Hawaii--and helped their division win for the first time in many years! A remarkable achievement for both YBKC and the division.

Caitlin: “We showed a lot of growth, and a lot of improvement. Back then, we weren’t that involved in our division.”

Thanks to opportunities from the division, YBKC gets to be involved in and contribute towards bigger division goals. As of January 1st, the division sits at over 12,500 hours worth of service and over $7,000 funds raised for various programs and charities. The fact that YB got to work towards a major accomplishment like that makes everything all the more worthwhile.

As the second semester slowly comes to pass, Key Club is left prepping for what's to come. Both school and student spirit have seen a significant decrease since returning from distance learning. How will YBKC approach these obstacles? One thing is for sure, Key Club will continue to be scheming for service for the foreseeable future.

Caitlin: “I think our club will still strive, we just gotta push for it.”

You can keep up with the club’s activities on Instagram @ybhskey or Facebook at YB Key Club.

For The Warrior Times, I am Brandon Vireak Nop.

P.S. See if you can spot me in the pictures!