The Birthday Cards for the Elderly event was a great event to participate in! It was over Zoom which was very convenient, and it allowed me to work with my own materials from home. I would definitely do this event again. I made cards with drawings and notes inside of them. We hope that these cards brighten a senior's day on their special day.

- Daniela Cuadros

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The Rise Against Hunger event on Saturday, January 27th, was an amazing way to help people around the world while simultaneously getting to know members of our own community! This event allowed us to package meal kits for underprivileged families and children, with each kit containing 6 meals. We added the different components of the meal, sealed the kits, and labeled them. We ended up packaging over 15,000 meal kits, and had a great time doing it. This is an event I will definitely be attending again, and would recommend to other Key Clubbers as well!

- Addya Agarwal

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During the bookmarks for Liberation Library key club event, four other peers and I made bookmarks for kids in juvenile centers. The bookmarks included positive quotes/pictures or maybe serious advice that has helped individual attendees in life. I thought the event was well-crafted to suit people looking for a pretty relaxed volunteer opportunity. It was just chatting, making bookmarks, and the eerie silence of the library to keep one company. Overall, a great volunteer opportunity to help struggling kids along with me and my college endeavors.

- Eli Block

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Making birthday cards for the elderly over Zoom on January 21st, 2024, was a great way to contribute to the community without needing to travel anywhere! This event allowed us to use household artwork supplies to create colorful, creative cards for seniors’ birthdays. It gave us the chance to make a meaningful contribution to the community right from our own homes. Overall, I loved how simple and convenient it was to make the birthday of a senior a little bit brighter through this event. I look forward to attending similar events in the future, and I hope other Key Clubbers will as well!

- Addya Agarwal

 

Hello, I am Eli Block and I attended the Freshman Feedback session on Monday organized by Thea Geylani and Nikhil Nunnaour. This event occurred on Zoom and centered on the feedback from fellow Freshman Key Clubbers. The feedback stemmed from some delicately thought-through questions that all fellow freshmen on the Zoom were to answer. I think this event was a great idea that will help Key Club become even more successful and enjoyable for its members by creating a more personalized experience. Great work with the execution of this idea, give a round of applause to my peers Thea and Nikhil!

- Eli Block

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For this feedback zoom session, the goal was for freshmen to communicate how they feel about Key Club so far and add any suggestions to improve for this year. During this event, I answered all the questions and added any comments to help in any way possible. I thought that this was a really good idea for an event because it allows different perspectives from new Key Club members and it was exciting to know that what I was saying could impact the club in a better way. Also having more events like these in the future would be really helpful, and I'm glad I did it!

- Charlene Xu

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The annual Safeway Nourishing Neighbors Food Drive on Saturday, October 18th, was an amazing opportunity to get involved with the community! This event allowed us to promote the Second Harvest Food Drive, and gave us the chance to help out families in our neighborhood have a great Thanksgiving. We passed out flyers in front of Safeway and collected donations for the food drive from shoppers. The Kiwanis advisors were friendly and helpful, ensuring that we had a great time volunteering! Overall, this meaningful event is one that I look forward to attending again next year, and one I will definitely recommend to Key Clubbers in the future.

- Addya Agarwal

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At the Safeway food drive event, I, alongside other key club members, helped pass out flyers for people in the community to donate to help kids in need. It was an extremely fun event and I was able to help the community while getting to know more key club members! I hope to participate in more exciting events like this to come!

- Ami Dong

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On November 2nd during lunch, Keyclubbers as well as other students at Carlmont folded origami hearts for hospitalized children. Before the event, we set up papers of a variety of colors, and we set out the directions for making cute origami hearts. This event was really fun because the quad, where the event took place, was very lively, and so many people came to participate in the event. Additionally, this event was a really good way to display what we do in Key Club to those who are not yet members and do not exactly know what Key Club is. By the end of the event, there was a rainbow of origami hearts that could be shipped to hospitalized children and brighten their days.

- Lindsay Wong

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Charity miles was a great event to participate in this month. Since I run everyday for cross country, I was really excited to count this as service hours and to be able to donate to Unicef. I contributed over 120 miles in this month, and I hope to do even more next month! 

- Daniela Cuadros

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Participating in the November Charity Miles event was a great way to fundraise for UNICEF while simultaneously enjoying some fresh air! I found it incredibly encouraging and motivating to know that for every mile I walked or ran, $0.25 was being donated to the charity. Every time I exercised, I activated the Charity Miles app and earned service hours for the time dedicated to raising funds for UNICEF. Overall, I loved how convenient and straightforward it was to earn service hours while making a meaningful contribution to the charity through this event. I’m committed to participating in the Charity Miles event every month, and I highly recommend other Key Clubbers to do the same!

- Addya Agarwal

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On Friday, October 20th, Cipriani had their annual walk-a-thon, which was followed by a fun carnival. Keyclubbers helped out at game booths, including tic tac toe, Scooby Doo bean bag toss, rubber duck pond, and balloon darts. In addition, some Keyclubbers enjoyed doing face-painting. Personally, I was at the basketball booth, and the kids had so much fun competing against each other and trying to get a high score. This environment was super upbeat, and I had a lot of fun spending time with the kids.

- Lindsay Wong

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The jokebook-making event was a fun activity to coordinate and volunteer for. We all gathered in the Belmont Library and decorated a 200-page book with fun jokes and riddles. The event lasted two hours and we made almost 100 jokes and riddles that will go in the book! The book will be donated to hospitalized kids, and we hope the book will make someone laugh or brighten their day. 

- Daniela Cuadros

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On Saturday, October 14th, Key Clubbers volunteered at the Waterdog Run. Although it was super early, it was nice to be out with the community on a Saturday morning. Personally, I helped with the bag supervision, where racers left their bags. However, other Keyclubbers helped check people in, directed people on the course, or gave people medals at the finish line. All of the racers were excited to run, especially the adorable dogs! Overall, the Waterdog Run was a very enjoyable event and a fun way to connect with my community.

- Lindsay Wong

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On Sunday we got together to make fall/Thanksgiving cards to donate to the Lions Club! This event was fun because we had creative freedom over how we wanted to make our cards. We had fun decorating the cards with fall colors and including things like fall drinks and recipes. It was a nice event, and we hope they bring warmth to people this fall!

- Daniela Cuadros

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On Sunday, October 29, Keyclubbers met at the Belmont Library to make fall cards in coordination with Lions Club. For this event, I drew fall designs on the front of the card, and I searched up ideas for inspiration. Then, I wrote a message wishing a child a happy autumn. Doing this event was very fun and relaxing, especially with fellow Key Club members. Lastly, doing this event was extremely enjoyable, as I was happy to making cards to bring cheer to kids in the community.
- Lindsay Wong

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This event was to encourage Key Club members to participate in more events and was a fun way to include the Halloween spirit by dressing up as a bee character. The more events, the person did the more accessories they would get and at the end whoever had the most accessories on the bee won! For this costume contest, I attended the Boba Fundraising, Carlmont Campus Cleanup, Writing Fall and Thanksgiving cards, and the San Carlos Arts and Wine Fair. I thought it was really exciting because we do not do this usually and I liked how there was so much thought and detail put into this whole contest, especially how creative the accessories were. Also, it was more engaging towards the members and doing these events was a way to participate in the contest and help out the community!

- Charlene Xu

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The Post-Goblin Walk was an event where people cleaned up the trash from the last night of the Goblin Walk. Picking up trash with friends was pretty great! My friend and I picked up trash along the streets but found little alleyways with more garbage. The Post-Goblin Walk trash clean-up helped my friend and I connect and talk with some of the people in the community. We also noticed how much trash is on Laurel Street and want to be there again to clean up the street. Overall, the experience at the Post-Goblin Walk was great with talking and connecting with others.

- Thea Geylani

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The Post-Goblin Walk was an event where you pick up trash. The event happened at the end at the Goblin Walk. The Goblin Walk is a San Carlos event where individuals pass out candy to kids walking on the street during October. In The Post-Goblin, some friends and I walked around and picked up trash from the goblin walk. That was great since the people leading the event were  very organized. They had trash bags, cans, gloves, and numerous other supplies to help aid in the clean-up. The people of San Carlos valued the work, and almost everyone thanked the people working there; overall, it was a great experience. The people there were friendly, and it was well put together. 

- Kailee Dovey

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The PTP Bracelet Making event was held at the Belmont library on Saturday, October 28, from 2:00 to 3:00pm. The event was making a variety of bracelets for charity. We sat down in the kids section at a table, and made different styles of bracelets. There were example bracelets placed in the middle, while also ziploc bags with counted beads and strings already in them on the side. There weren’t too many, so we finished quite fast. The activity was quiet, calm, and very subtle, yet fun. Not too many people signed up, but that allowed space for others to wind down and soundlessly create cute and adorable bracelets!

- Olivia Wang

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The annual Region Training Conference from October 14th-15th, at Camp Jones Gulch, was a great opportunity to meet other Key Clubbers! Rotating through all of the different leadership workshops and learning more about Key Club in such a welcoming environment was amazing. Adding on to the fun was the classic camp experience, with exciting campfire activities and a talent show! It was great to make friends from other divisions and participate in cheers, skits, and bonding activities with them. Overall, the Region Training Conference was an amazing experience to make new friends and learn more about Key Club, as well as leadership as a whole. From the mouthwatering food to the Hunger Games-themed districts to the skits, every part of the weekend was packed with one fun activity after the next. I would absolutely do this event again, and I hope to see some more Key Clubbers from our district at the next one!

- Addya Agarwal

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For me, the Regional Training Conference at Camp Jones Gulch was very fun! It was a great event to get to know other people in Key Club, and also to meet the Lieutenant Governors of each division. It is also a good opportunity to have your “Key Club Moment,” something described by the RTC leadership as a moment when you realize that you want to be committed to Key Club and your community. The food was delicious, and the activities were a lot of fun, especially the campfire. Additionally, you can learn a lot from it as well, whether it be leadership or public speaking skills. I hope to see more members from Carlmont this year, as this truly was an inspiring experience!

- Jone Ng

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I worked both days of the art and wine festival and while it definitely was tiring to work for that long on both days, I had a lot of fun. It was very surreal for me because a year ago, this was my first event for Key Club and it really made me reflect on how far I've come. It was also very nice to see new faces for our club that were willing to get out of their comfort zone and raise funds. There was never a dull moment while I was there and it's definitely thanks to everyone who helped on those days.

- Gianni Berini

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Carlmont's Homecoming Dance was on Saturday, October 7th in the quad from 7-10 p.m. We decided that this would be a great opportunity to sell pizza to raise money for our club. We were selling cheese and pepperoni pizza from Costco for $1 each alongside other clubs selling things like popcorn and cotton candy. Everything clubs were selling at the dance was only $1 because ASB kindly agreed to help us still make the same profit we would have made had we sold the pizza for a higher price. The pizza was very popular and quickly sold out before the end of the dance. It was definitely successful as we were able to raise $260 for our club in the end and was also lots of fun!

- Sanvi Adusumilli

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The Letters of Love event was peaceful, relaxing, unwinding, and felt stress-free. Our task was to make uplifting cards of encouragement to send to the organization Letters of Love. This organization strives to provide emotional support to patients in Children’s Hospitals worldwide. We were provided papers, markers, and colored pencils with a neat slide deck of instructions that were easy to follow, and had the freedom to create cards while chatting with friends. I enjoyed the creative aspect of this event, for it allowed me to think of different ways to cheer up kids through card writing.

- Kayla Smith

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Key Club members from Carlmont High volunteered at the Belmont Library on September 10, 2023, to make letters for hospitalized children through an organization called Letters of Love. The letters will be sent to encourage children who are currently battling illnesses such as cancer. Each person created drawings on their letter along with positive and encouraging messages in hopes to support children who receive them. I really enjoyed this event because it was nice to know that I can help support children who are in need through words of encouragement along with drawings. I made a total of 6 letters and I hope that the messages inside are supportive and encouraging towards the children.

- Eileen Yao

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The coastal cleanup was a great event to participate in! I was there for two hours, and in that time I worked with other Key Club members to clean up Twin Pines park and the creeks near this area. Volunteers also had the opportunity to drive to other locations and cleanup, but Key Club stayed by Twin Pines. We were able to pick up a lot of trash and even found some crazy trash like a dog bowl! It was great helping cleanup of the planet, and I would definitely do it again!

- Daniela Cuadros

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I was fortunate enough to attend the Twin Pine coast cleanup on Septembe 23. It was a great experience and I would love to do it again! It felt so amazing to be able to give back to my community by cleaning up a public area that I have great memories at.

- Ami Dong

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Nesbit Elementary's "It's a Party" event was held on September 22 on a Friday after school. At the event, I ran the potato sack racing activity with other volunteers. Many excited kids came to us, ready to potato sack race! It was very heartwarming to see these kids so carefree and excited to participate and have fun! I had a great time playing with them and ensuring that they had the best time at the event. Overall, this was an amazing way to spend my Friday afternoon and I would definitely volunteer at this event again!

- Jennifer Luo

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On Friday, September 22nd, volunteers helped out at Nesbit Elementary/Middle School’s after-school celebration. Personally, I was at the potato sack race station with many other key clubbers. I found it to be a great environment, and having fun with the kids was super fun! Other key clubbers were at the temporary tattoo area, and they were giving kids cute tattoos. Overall, we had so much fun with the kids, and it was an exciting afternoon.

- Lindsay Wong

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I attended the Nesbit It's a Party event, which was delightful! Other volunteers and I helped watch the children at the potato sack race. I vividly remember, at first, not many people came, but as time passed, we kept asking children to join us, and eventually, they played along. It seemed like they had lots of fun. Many children were running around the school, and I could tell everyone was having a great time. I also went to help out at the tattoo station. I thought it was entertaining, and the children were super cute picking out the tattoos they each wanted. This event was amusing, and I noticed it allowed parents, teachers, and children to hang out together. Even though I came as a volunteer, I also had lots of fun hanging around the kids, and it was also lovely to meet them.

- Penelope Ng

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The San Carlos Pedro Tournament is always a Key Club favorite, and was evidently shown this past weekend when I had the opportunity to volunteer! It was such a rewarding experience being able to assist in delivering food to tables, serving meals, cleaning up, and raising over $300 for the Pediatric Trauma Program. My favorite part was being able to interact with the kindhearted patrons who frequent the San Carlos Adult Community Center, and who we’ve been able to build relationships with while serving our community. All in all, I’m excited to return for another event, and am thankful for yet another wonderful time volunteering!
- Caelyn Cheng

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On Saturday, August 26th, I attended the San Carlos Hawaiian Luau hosted at the San Carlos Adult Community Center. Guests got to eat Hawaiian dishes while listening to live music. Along with other Key Club volunteers, I cleared the guests' tables after their meal and helped stack chairs and fold tables after the event was over. The live musicians were kind enough to teach us a traditional Hawaiian dance, which was an exciting way to end the night. Overall, this event was an amazing experience, and I look forward to attending more in the future!

- Cricket Lee

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The San Carlos Hawaiian Luau was yet another great experience at the Adult Community Center! Volunteers were able to help serve and clean up after a traditional Hawaiian dinner and performance, ultimately experiencing the festivities and music along with the Adult Community Center patrons in attendance. It was so rewarding to help others while having a great time, and my favorite part of the night was definitely learning how to do the Hukilau dance with my fellow Key Clubbers. I’m excited to return to the center for another service opportunity!

- Caelyn Cheng

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At the event Making Soul Boxes, we created origami boxes and wrote impactful messages and drawings on the top. These handmade boxes will be sent to Soul Box Project, an organization that uses art to reveal the gunfire epidemic. Each soul box holds a place for a victim of gunfire. Everyone made one or two soul boxes. The things that we wrote and drew on the boxes were hopeful and impactful. I felt relaxed while making the soul boxes; the methodical process was calming. At the same time, I felt sad because the examples I looked at to get inspired for what I should write on my box were a reminder of all the real people and families that suffered due to gun violence. I would recommend this event to others because it is artistic and relaxing to make crafts. It also brings awareness to the gun violence epidemic currently widespread throughout the US. Overall, it was meaningful to read others’ messages on the boxes and create our own.

- Katelyn Ye

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Participating in the soul-box-making virtual service event was definitely a highlight of the weekend! I had the opportunity to learn how soul boxes have such a large impact, despite how easy they are to make. The two hours passed by quickly, and at the end, I was able to see everyone else’s creations that varied in color, patterns, and more! Overall, the event was fulfilling and efficient, and allowed Key Clubbers (who may not have been able to engage if the location were in-person) to earn valuable community service hours!

- Caelyn Cheng

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The Family Campout was a great event that the San Carlos Parks and Recreation hosted for the community! On day two, we helped out by cleaning up the area and folding tables and chairs to reset Burton Park. Volunteers were also helping out by serving food for the community, and we got a t-shirt for our participation! The community had a good night and the staff appreciated our help in resetting the space!

- Daniela Cuadros

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I volunteered at Victorian Days at the San Mateo County Museum of Natural History on August 20th. There are a few different crafts you can help kids with so I was focused on helping kids make and decorate Victorian-inspired paper hats. It was really fun to see the kids and occasionally parents get really excited about decorating the hats with feathers and ribbon. I would definitely recommend this event to anyone who likes to make crafts!

- Christina Yip

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The Send a Smile 4 Kids event was held over Zoom on Saturday, August 19, and was a lot of fun! We were making encouraging cards with personal messages that were signed by us for Send a Smile. Send a Smile is an organization whose mission is to let cancer patients know that they are not alone through greeting cards that provide hope, love, and support. I enjoyed making cards with fun and colorful drawings and uplifting messages, knowing that they would hopefully be able to put a smile on someone's face. I felt good making something meaningful and had a great time at this event!

- Sanvi Adusumilli

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Taking place each August, the Redwood Shores Levee Cleanup is an event I look forward to every year; it's always guaranteed to be a good time. Though I've been participating independently for the past 8 or so years, this time I volunteered with Key Club, and it could not have gone better. I picked up many, many pounds of trash and found some of the strangest things with my group, like a message sealed in a bottle and an old rotary phone! For me, there's just something so satisfying about picking up a long line of garbage along a neglected fence, looking back, and seeing nothing but gloriously trash-free bushes and pine-needle ground cover. It's like I'm helping nature take back its place along the levee, which contributes to it being one of the most picturesque and beautiful areas in Redwood Shores. Helping create a clean community is one of the best and easiest ways one can volunteer-- it benefits everyone, including the people, the wildlife, the plants, and the environment. I'm really looking forward to volunteering again next year, and I recommend everyone to do the same in their local communities.

- Tymofiy Kornyeyev

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The Redwood Shores Levee Clean-up is an annual event taking place each August in which members from the Redwood Shores and surrounding area pick up trash. I got to Mariner Park in Redwood Shores at around seven a.m. to help set up the snacks and drinks we provided for the volunteers. Then, I set off to pick up trash in the surrounding areas of the park. I not only bonded with the other Key Club members at the service event, but I also met many other people, such as  RCSA (Redwood Shores Community Association) board members. The landscaping along Redwood Shores I explored throughout the clean-up was beautiful, and I enjoyed knowing I was helping my environment by participating. After the clean-up, I helped to put away the set up of snack and water tables, and said goodbye to the new people I met. This event was genuinely enjoyable for me, and I look forward to attending next year. 

- Hanna Kent

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In the Writing Letters to People In Need event, we had the opportunity to unleash our creativity through thoughtful and artistic cards. The cards had encouraging messages written within them that we hope will uplift those who struggle with mental health. We drew fun and lighthearted images to create a sense of joy for whoever reads it. All cards will be sent to "Letters Against Depression" in Florida.

- Daniela Cuadros

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The San Carlos Block Party was a fun event for community members to attend to. There were various organizations including the SPCA and zoom room. There were dogs and families everywhere, so as volunteers, we helped set up tables and chairs for people to sit in. We also had the opportunity to pick up trash along Laurel Street, and my friends and I even found 714 cigarette buds to pick up! We also had fun watching the Zoom Room demonstration while we ate dinner, and helped load everything away in the end. 

- Daniela Cuadros

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The Belmont Summer Music Concert series was a series of 8 concerts at Twin Pines Park. It would start a little after noon during lunchtime when people could relax and enjoy their lunch while listening to a live band. At the event, I showed up a few hours before for set up and helped serve a bit. When I showed up, the older volunteers from the Belmont Boosters Club helped give instructions on where to set up, they were kind, helpful, and fun to talk to! I also met some new people from Key Club, those of all grades and different schools too, having great conversations. From this volunteer experience, I was so happy that I went because I love knowing that I am doing something to help out the community or make people happy. I also liked meeting new friends from Key Club which helped me feel more comfortable. I would definitely volunteer again!
- Allison Hoang

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On August 3rd, we made joke books for Hospitality Homes at the Belmont Library. At the event, each of us worked on our own mini notebooks to write jokes on each of the pages. There were different colored pens that were brought, and we could decorate with drawings if we wanted to. For my book, I wrote the question on one side of a page with a drawing, and on the other side of the page, I wrote the answer and drew something else. I had fun doing this event because I liked drawing objects/people that corresponded to the joke. I think these joke books will really brighten the receiver's day.

- Jasmine Gee

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The Belmont Summer Concert Series is a series of weekly concerts in Belmont throughout the summer. On July 2, a country music band performed, while people watched and danced. I volunteered in the concessions booth. I got to make popcorn, and we sold lots of foods like chips, burgers, hot dogs, and pretzels. It was really fun getting to make food to sell to everyone, and I really enjoyed seeing how happy people were at the concert. The music was also nice.

- Camille Ching

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The Belmont Park Boosters' Summer Concert Series is an annual event that relies heavily on Key and Kiwanis Club volunteers to serve food and drinks to attendees. It occurs in twin pines park, with attendees seated all along the meadow, with the band performing on the stage. This weekend, the theme was country, with Fred McCarty & Company's band creating a fun and vibrant environment. During the event, I met many other adolescent volunteers from organizations such as Belmont's Youth Advisory Council. It was genuinely an enjoyable experience, with the music creating an uplifting mood and talking with other volunteers during the event. The Kiwanis Club volunteers were helpful and taught me how to run each station. They ensured each volunteer met their needs, such as frequently drinking water, as it was a very hot day. Overall, I really enjoyed the event, and I will definitely be attending the following weeks of the Summer Concert Series!

- Hanna Kent

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The Freerice and/or UNICEF Math Games event was on Tuesday, August 8 and I had a great time! Over Zoom, we played Freerice trivia games and UNICEF math games to help donate resources to people in need. Freerice is the world's largest humanitarian organization that delivers life-saving food assistance and every question you answer correctly will raise 10 grains of rice for the World Food Programme. UNICEF's Math Games for Good initiative helps get children into school and out of poverty and every math question you answer correctly in one minute will raise $0.25 to help them do so. I especially enjoyed trying out the different categories of trivia questions that Freerice offered such as practicing my French vocabulary knowledge. It was great playing these games while knowing that others could benefit from me answering questions correctly and I would attend this event again if given the opportunity! 

- Sanvi Adusumilli

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On August 8th, volunteers did Freerice and/or UNICEF Math games over zoom. By answering questions correctly on Freerice, you fill bowls of rice, and after private donors match the rice grain donations generated within Freerice, it is donated to the WFP for their ongoing emergencies. Similarly, by playing UNICEF Math games, you can earn 25 cents per correct question, and it will be donated to UNICEF. I enjoyed doing Freerice because I was able to help people in need, and this aid might reach people all over the world even though I am not physically traveling around the world. This event was fun and light, and I appreciate that on Freerice there are many categories so that you can simultaneously study a bit.

- Lindsay Wong

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On Saturday, June 24th, the D34N DCM and Officer Training Conference took place at Burton Park in San Carlos. There were seven people in attendance: six Carlmont Key Clubbers and our Kiwanis advisor, Rosie Jimenez. We met up with clubs from other high schools such as El Camino, Sequoia, and more. After we updated each other on current events, we split off into officer groups to learn more about our duties. I, as secretary for the incoming term, listened to a presentation summarizing the roles and responsibilities that come along with being Carlmont Key Club's secretary. It was really cool meeting other secretaries from our district, and getting to know more about the different positions!

- Cricket Lee

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On June 30th, I participated in the Cranes for a Cure event at the Belmont Library. At this event, we made paper cranes in many different colors as well as in different sizes. The foundation for whom we made the cranes funds pediatric cancer, and after we send them the cranes, the foundation strings them together and sells them. This event was fun, and it was quite relaxing folding the cranes. Lastly, I am really glad I was able to make cranes for this foundation because I know the cranes are being sold for a cause that I support.

- Lindsay Wong

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During the Arts for Little Hearts event, we made small crafts such as hand-sewn items, artwork, etc. for hospitalized children. I made origami hearts with encouraging messages on them. It was fun because I like making origami. I hope that the children received it well and were motivated to continue their healing process. The event was two hours long over Zoom, and I recommend this event to others.

- Kathleen Lin

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On June 26th, 2023, we did Arts for Little Hearts over zoom. Two brothers founded this project in which people all over the world make crafts for hospitalized children. One great thing about this event is that any craft is accepted, so people can get really creative. I really enjoyed this event because I knew the hospitalized children would feel joy from receiving crafts. I’m so glad we were able to do this event and help make some kids’ days.

- Lindsay Wong

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The Belmont Concert Series on June 25th was a great event to volunteer at. This is the 45th year of the series, so there were tons of people and lots of food to sell. Volunteers arrived early to set up concessions and booths. Each volunteer worked at a different concession which included popcorn, burgers and hotdogs, chips and cookies, drinks, etc. I had the opportunity to work in the popcorn booth which was fun because I got to learn how to make and serve the popcorn and also met new people while doing it. Volunteers were also provided with as much food and drink as we wanted and we finished off by helping clean up. It was a great event, and I highly recommend volunteering for it. 

- Daniela Cuadros

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The Kidney walk is an annual event in San Jose and it took place at PayPal Park. So many people who wanted to make a difference when it comes to kidney disease and awareness came to walk 5 kilometers. As for the volunteers, we helped cheer on walkers during their 5k walk with orange pom poms. I loved the event because the environment was so cheerful, and everyone was walking with a purpose. I think this event is so amazing because it brings people together who want to bring awareness to kidney disease, and I had a lot of fun cheering them on.

- Lindsay Wong

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The event was Creating Flashcards For Kids where we made flashcards regarding subjects such as shapes, colors, and math for Classroom Central to give to teachers and students. I did those three sets (shapes, colors, and math). For the shapes set, I drew the shape listed and its name on one side of each card. For the math set, I wrote the numbers 1-10 and the addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication sign each on one side of a card. Lastly, I wrote the colors listed in their appropriate colors and drew a border of that same color around each card for the colors set. I liked doing this because I knew it would really help kids' learning.

- Jasmine Gee

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The Cipriani Talent Show was held on June 1 at Cipriani Elementary School. When we arrived, we were greeted with smiling, excited children in colorful costumes and outfits! It was amazing to see so many talented children show off their talents and interests. We helped check in the children and line them up for when they were ready to perform. We also ushered each grade to the "backstage" classroom when it was their turn to go on! Volunteering at the Cipriani Talent Show was a great experience and I would definitely recommend volunteering at this event!

- Jennifer Luo

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The San Carlos Pasta Bingo Night was a fun 5 hour event we had the opportunity to volunteer at. We spent our time serving attendees, cleaning up, and even having the opportunity to talk with them. There were servings of bread, salad and pasta along with some delicious chocolate cake in the end! Volunteers spent downtime playing pool and creating puzzles while attendees played many rounds of bingo. The volunteers also helped organizers clean up at the end. Overall, it was a very fun event and all the volunteers had the opportunity to work together to help out our senior community. 

- Daniela Cuadros

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I attended the Writing Letters to People in Need event and it was very easygoing. I wrote uplifting messages for people struggling with mental health. Overall I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make someone’s day.

- Kathleen Lin

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In the Writing Letters to People In Need event, we had the opportunity to unleash our creativity through thoughtful and artistic cards. The cards had encouraging messages written within them that we hope will uplift those who struggle with mental health. We drew fun and lighthearted images to create a sense of joy for whoever reads it. All cards will be sent to "Letters Against Depression" in Florida.

- Daniela Cuadros

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On Sunday, June 25, a few Key Club members went to the Twin Pines Park picnic area to help set up the food stand, sell food, and clean up for a concert as part of Belmont’s Summer Concert Series. I had never heard of this event before, so seeing the behind-the-scenes of setting up the stage and helping haul supplies and food from the kitchen and shed to the food stand area was eye-opening. During the event, Daniela and I were in charge of making and selling popcorn to the concertgoers. We learned how to use a popcorn machine and made small talk with customers. Aside from that, we also got to enjoy free food and also listen along to the band. Since we weren’t always busy making and selling popcorn, we talked with the other volunteers and got to know more about them, which I thought was nice. The atmosphere was lively, as many of the concertgoers danced and clapped along to the songs the band played. The band also covered well-known songs such as “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire and interacted with the audience, making their performance even more entertaining. Once the concert was over, we helped clean the popcorn machine and put supplies back to the kitchen and shed. Overall, although I was exhausted after it, the event was very rewarding as we not only helped out, but also got to meet different people and listen to upbeat music.

- Sophia Fu

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The Division 34 North Banquet was held on June 4th at Jefferson High School. Attendees enjoyed a wide assortment of food while meeting key clubbers from other schools! Awards were presented to members and clubs who were outstanding. Carlmont Key Club proudly accepted the award of Club of the Year!

- Jennifer Luo

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The End of the year celebration was held on June 10th. At the end of the year celebration, we recognized club members who earned over 20 hours of service this term! We also enjoyed pizza, ice cream, and drinks while playing fun games. To fundraise for PTP, there were dares where members paid to pie officers in the face or make them eat hot sauce!

- Jennifer Luo

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The Trinity Preschool Ice Cream Social was held on Saturday, May 13, and was so much fun! We helped preschoolers enjoy an end-of-year ice cream social by distributing ice cream and drinks, running various game stations, and helping clean up afterward. There were so many different games and activities that volunteers were able to help with like bowling, soccer, face painting, basketball, and more! It was a nice sunny day and so everyone was in a good mood and preschoolers were very excited to come inside the cool rooms where most of the games were after having some ice cream. I was in charge of the cornhole station and had a lot of fun encouraging kids and handing out prizes. It was great to interact with the kids and fellow volunteers and I would definitely do this again if given the opportunity! 

- Sanvi Adusumilli

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The Writing Birthday Cards for the Elderly service event was a great opportunity for us to show some love and share some joy with our elderly community. We want to ensure that anyone who feels lonely will read one of these cards and feel warmth because of it. I enjoyed this event because it was at home which was convenient, and it allowed me to take my time in designing beautiful cards with warm notes to send to the elderly. I hope these notes spread positivity! 

- Daniela Cuadros

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The Memorial Day Cards event was on May 29th. I made Memorial Day cards on Zoom on Memorial Day. We decorated the cards and wrote messages on them to be sent in care packages for troops. I enjoyed designing and making all the cards and being able to see some friends while doing it, and I am happy that I have the opportunity to do this and make someone’s day, especially making the cards on Memorial Day.

- Camille Ching

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Hometown Days was a lively fair in San Carlos to celebrate their city with food, music, and games! It was the weekend of May 19-21 and Key Clubbers worked shifts ranging from 3-6 hours. Key Club worked with Kiwanis Club to sell drinks over the weekend, raising money for PTP! I really enjoyed this event because there was such great weather and an amazing environment. There were lots of people to interact with as well as such a great community!

- Elizabeth Cruz

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The San Carlos Hometown Days is an annual citywide event filled with food, activities, vendors, and music. I really enjoyed volunteering at the Kiwanis Club drink booth because I had the opportunity to be surrounded by the lively atmosphere while interacting with friendly customers and raising money for PTP! I love that I was able to enjoy the fair while dedicating my time to service as well. There is also a Pancake Breakfast on the second day of Hometown Days, where volunteers help serve a delicious breakfast to participants. Hometown Days is an event that I always look forward to every year, and I would encourage all members to participate in the future!

- Jennifer Luo

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The Special Games event which was hosted by Kiwanis was definitely a memorable event for me as a key clubber. It was an amazing experience interacting with so many enthusiastic young athletes who were genuinely excited to be partaking in the various games that we led as volunteers. Special Games consisted of key clubbers in the area who came together to partake in the huge event and we assisted special needs kids in a whole day full of games and competitive experiences, and it's great to see how united our community was. I had a great time and I felt like I was making an impact on the people that I interacted.

- Annabel Chia

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On Saturday, April 15, Key Club members helped set up for a Rise Against Hunger event, and then some people stayed to help during the event. This event was held at First Baptist Church in San Carlos, and many people from the community outside of Key Club came to help with the food packaging. The goal of the event was to package 15,000 meals for developing nations such as Zimbabwe. So dried protein, vegetables, grains, and a nutrient packet were packaged, weighed, and sealed. Although, someone needed to set up for this event, so Key Club members moved tables, set up the packaging stations, and set up boxes for packaging. I liked this event because, although I did not personally package the goods, I was happy knowing that the meals would be delivered to a developing country that could definitely use them.

- Lindsay Wong

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On April 15, 2023, at the First Baptist Church in San Carlos, Key Club members volunteered for the Rise Against Hunger event. They helped set up tables and bags of dried vegetables, rice, and drink packets before the event started. At 1:00 pm, the volunteer event officially started and there were more volunteers from other clubs such as the San Carlos Lions Club and the Kiwanis club. The volunteers were split into different stations, where some packaged the dried food into a bag and where others sealed the bags. The Key Club volunteers were put at a station where they taped all the shipping boxes together and made sure the food packages had label stickers on them. They also put 36 packages of food in each shipping box, and in total, they packaged 15,000 packages of food for families from countries such as Zimbabwe. Each food package could feed a family of 6, so in total, about 90,000 individuals were fed. I personally enjoyed the event because it felt amazing that I was able to connect with my community help people who are in need. It’s also good to know that with the help of other volunteers, so many families are going to have food to eat. 

- Eileen Yao

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The Dolphin Dash Fun Run was on April 23rd, 2023, and was held at the Central Elementary School. After a guided run for the elementary students, Key Club helped host lots of fun activities for the children to enjoy. A couple of the activities included playing Twister and drawing with chalk! I helped out with both of these and it was so fun to see the kids get competitive while having fun playing Twister and being so creative with their chalk artwork. I loved helping out at this event because I even made new friends! Some of these friends included fellow Key Club members who I hadn’t known before, but a couple included two sisters who would keep coming back to draw with me. One of the sisters was in kindergarten while the other was in preschool. They were both so sweet and I loved how both of them wanted to work together with me to create different drawings such as flowers and bumble bees. We even played a shape game that they thought of where one person draws a shape and the others had to guess what shape they drew. The entire event was so much fun and it was nice catching up with other high school friends during clean-up at the end of the event. 

- Alessandra Tremulis

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The Belmont Central Elementary School Dolphin Dash Fun Run was held in April of this year! During this event, we were able to host many activities for elementary school students. Volunteers were able to help serve the runners food and drinks and encourage them during the race. Along with the run, there were face paint stations, jenga stations, jewelry stations, and many more interesting activities that we led while making conversations with the students and families. It was my first time volunteering at an elementary school and I had such a great time! The environment was really lively and I was able to bond with fellow Key Club members! All of the students were extremely kind and very appreciative of our help which is always cherished. We were able to have many volunteers at this event which allowed the students and us members to enjoy our time together! So, I would definitely attend this event or anything similar to it again because it is extremely enjoyable and we are able to help our community while participating!

- Tala Youssef

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The 2023 DCON was held in Ontario, California, and was an unforgettable experience! From screaming spirit chants to award ceremonies to speeches, there was a range of emotions for just one weekend. Having been one of our club delegates, I could attend Caucuses and vote in the House of Delegates regarding the new district leadership and by-laws. I also got to go on stage to receive medals for platinum MRP and club newsletter. Our club won several awards, including district tree and year-in-review! I encourage members to attend DCON 2024.

- Manya Kumar

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I will never forget my experience at this year's DCON! It was at the Ontario Convention Center, and the bus ride there was about 7 hours long, but we made the most of it. I got so much closer to my fellow Key Clubbers at Carlmont and got to meet members from Hawaii, Nevada, and other parts of California. My favorite part was attending conferences and educational seminars, and we ended the trip strong with a dance. This year I served as a delegate representing Carlmont Key Club, so we got to elect the district board for next year as well as vote on bylaws. Overall, this trip was an amazing experience, and I would recommend more passionate Key Clubbers attend next year!

- Cricket Lee

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From April 21-23, I had an amazing opportunity to attend the California-Nevada-Hawaii District Convention along with my fellow Key Clubbers from Carlmont. The 2023 convention was based in Ontario, California, and for the entire weekend, the Ontario Convention Center was packed with clubs from regions all over the CNH district. Through general sessions and personalized workshops, I was able to collaborate with other members in leadership positions throughout the district as we bonded over our universal love for service. There was even a CNH talent show and Governor’s Ball to celebrate the end of another great term! In addition to the informative aspects of the trip, I created bonds with members I would never have met if it were not for this annual convention. Overall, the experience at DCON was unforgettable, and I look forward to next year’s with great anticipation!

- Caelyn Cheng

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The San Carlos Adult Community Center helps hold many great service events that Carlmont Key Clubbers are always excited to attend. The Pedro Tournament was held in April, and we were able to help serve food to people that participated. We served salad, chicken, and dessert while also having friendly conversations with others. I always love attending these events because everyone is super kind and appreciates all the work we put in. At the end, we also collect donations for the Pediatric Trauma Program(PTP), which is one of our primary sources of raising money for the program. We were able to get a lot of hours in for this event but also had a very fun experience!

- Sara Wilkinson

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I absolutely love volunteering at the San Carlos Community Center because there are always amazing events held there for the community. At the Pedro Tournament, we served lunch and dessert while meeting all the kind people at the community center. We also raised $400 for the Pediatric Trauma Program from donations! A lot of hard work went into putting this event together and I was very glad that I was able to be a part of it. 

- Jennifer Luo

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I attended an Earth Day Cleanup on April 22nd to celebrate Earth Day and make our local trail a cleaner environment. We had an inter-club event with Carlmont’s mission Marine club and we were able to get together for a cause we care about. We walked along Redwood Shores local trail and picked up any trash along the way. As a small group, we were able to collect a surprising amount of trash, and I got to get to know new people from the Marine Club. It felt really rewarding to collect trash along the trail knowing that we are making it a better place for our community. With spring just beginning it was also nice to see all the wildflowers bloom in the nice weather. Overall, I loved the experience and had an amazing time!

- Grace Zheng

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On April 22, I attended Carlmont Key Club’s Write Letters to Ukrainian Refugees event which was hosted on Zoom. For two hours, everyone made several cards in whatever style they pleased with a variety of positive messages, and it was a very calm, but nevertheless, fun event! I was very happy participating in this event knowing that by making something as simple as a card, I was helping to better the lives of people who needed the support these cards could offer. Even though remote events can sometimes seem less active and busy than in-person volunteering, I personally love signing up for these online events for that very reason. Online events like this one are a great opportunity to take some time to yourself to cool off from academic work or whatever has been keeping you busy, and you’re contributing to others in your community while doing so! With this card-making event in particular, I just grabbed some colorful cardstock paper and markers that I had at home, played some music in the background, and wrote some simple, but meaningful messages in my cards. I really enjoyed participating in this event, and I definitely plan and encourage others to sign up for a remote Key Club event as soon as possible, because even from behind a screen, involving yourself with your community is always a great feeling. 

- Naomi Hsu

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Celebrate the Music is certainly an event to remember. The way that it brings together our community over such an integral feature of the arts is nothing short of remarkable. As a member of Key Club and of the Carlmont Symphonic Band, I really feel like I got to experience the best of this festival. I performed twice, once with the Symphonic Band and the other in the Battle of the Bands with Carlmont's Pep Band and the marching bands from UC Davis and Stanford.  It was great to see so many people show up to support the local music community by watching the performances. I saw the same thing while volunteering at the game booths; so many young kids, who seemed genuinely interested in music and the festival itself, would come up to play the games. In my few hours of working the booth, I really came to better understand the value that such social events bring to our community, and the value of volunteering in that. As a member of Key Club who hasn't attended many in-person events this year, volunteering at Celebrate the Music has inspired me to do more events like this in the future. 

- Tymofiy Kornyeyev