Making a differnce locally and nationally is aim of club (Printed Feb. 8, 2008)
By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
If you walked into high school foreign language teacher Christy Zavasnik’s classroom on the every other Tuesday after school hours, you would find about 30 Scarborough students laughing and talking with one another as they might in a café or student center. In actuality, the 30 students make up the executive board of the Scarborough High School Key Club, a 280-member organization trying to make a difference locally and nationally.
Senior “blood of the club” Paul Chiarantona, Key Club president, said it is the largest organization of its kind at the high school. The club started in 1993 as a result of a Student Outreach Services Program that inspired students to volunteer in the Scarborough community, Zavasnik said. There is a specific process to join the club, which includes attendance at half of its meetings, 50 hours of community services and a $15 membership fee, said Tracey Najarian, who serves as the special event coordinator.
“It’s really easy to be a part of,” said vice president Torrie Hazelwood.
The officers of the club are elected, while the board of directors, usually comprised of sophomores and juniors, are interviewed for their positions. This year the board has one freshman, Abby Van Note.
“She impressed us so much we let her in,” Chiarantona said.
The club generally has one or two activities they work on every week, ranging from fundraising dances to school improvement projects, Chiarantona said.
“We’ve raised $27,000 since the club started,” Chiarantona said.
The club has hosted and assisted in many different events, some on a one-time basis and others annually, such as its Polar Dip scheduled for Saturday.
“There’s such a wide variety of groups in the club, you can do what interests you,” board member Brad Nakanishi said.
Zavasnik said requirements for the Scarborough Key Club exceed those of other Kiwanis related organizations, which require less community service hours and smaller participation rate.
She said the club has been involved with E Hope, an organization that works with the terminally ill, organized care baskets for children with cancer, arranged for babysitters for parents, put together various dances and dance marathons and started a “presents for parents” program at the high school.
“I could go on forever,” Zavasnik said of the laundry list of club activities.
Around the holidays, Najarian said she enjoys creating candy-grams to raise money for the club. The decorative notes are purchased at lunchtime by students and are given out to other students, teachers and parents, she said. This year Najarian said she found herself crafting all of the festive messages at her home because of a snow day.
“People in Scarborough have a passion for helping each other,” she said.
Chiarantona said the success of the club’s events is largely dependent upon a strong attendance rate.
“About 50 to 70 percent of members are really active,” he said.
Chiarantona said the club has accepted 40 new members this past year. Board member Allison Brusie said sometimes new members are eager to volunteer their time, and don’t necessarily follow through.
“Some of the activities we do can go up to 10 hours,” board member Adam Saltz said.
Najarian said the club often tries to coordinate its meeting times and activities with the school’s schedule to accommodate students without their own transportation.
“It’s a social tool for some people,” Hazelwood said. “It’s such a great way to get to know people.”
Some of the students said that they weren’t sure if they would continue with the “Circle K,” the Kiwanis organization at the college level after they graduated high school, since the organization is structured differently. Chiarantona said he was looking forward to learning more about the “Circle K” organization.
Zavasnik and English teacher Lincoln Maclsaac, both work as faculty advisors to the club. Paul Bernard and Sharon Binette, both members of the Kiwanis International club, the parent organization of the Key Club also work with officers and members.
“We like to think that we’re not just raising money but awareness,” Chiarantona said. “Like one of our teachers said, ‘We’re teaching people how to fish, rather than just giving them the fish.’”
Staff Writer
If you walked into high school foreign language teacher Christy Zavasnik’s classroom on the every other Tuesday after school hours, you would find about 30 Scarborough students laughing and talking with one another as they might in a café or student center. In actuality, the 30 students make up the executive board of the Scarborough High School Key Club, a 280-member organization trying to make a difference locally and nationally.
Senior “blood of the club” Paul Chiarantona, Key Club president, said it is the largest organization of its kind at the high school. The club started in 1993 as a result of a Student Outreach Services Program that inspired students to volunteer in the Scarborough community, Zavasnik said. There is a specific process to join the club, which includes attendance at half of its meetings, 50 hours of community services and a $15 membership fee, said Tracey Najarian, who serves as the special event coordinator.
“It’s really easy to be a part of,” said vice president Torrie Hazelwood.
The officers of the club are elected, while the board of directors, usually comprised of sophomores and juniors, are interviewed for their positions. This year the board has one freshman, Abby Van Note.
“She impressed us so much we let her in,” Chiarantona said.
The club generally has one or two activities they work on every week, ranging from fundraising dances to school improvement projects, Chiarantona said.
“We’ve raised $27,000 since the club started,” Chiarantona said.
The club has hosted and assisted in many different events, some on a one-time basis and others annually, such as its Polar Dip scheduled for Saturday.
“There’s such a wide variety of groups in the club, you can do what interests you,” board member Brad Nakanishi said.
Zavasnik said requirements for the Scarborough Key Club exceed those of other Kiwanis related organizations, which require less community service hours and smaller participation rate.
She said the club has been involved with E Hope, an organization that works with the terminally ill, organized care baskets for children with cancer, arranged for babysitters for parents, put together various dances and dance marathons and started a “presents for parents” program at the high school.
“I could go on forever,” Zavasnik said of the laundry list of club activities.
Around the holidays, Najarian said she enjoys creating candy-grams to raise money for the club. The decorative notes are purchased at lunchtime by students and are given out to other students, teachers and parents, she said. This year Najarian said she found herself crafting all of the festive messages at her home because of a snow day.
“People in Scarborough have a passion for helping each other,” she said.
Chiarantona said the success of the club’s events is largely dependent upon a strong attendance rate.
“About 50 to 70 percent of members are really active,” he said.
Chiarantona said the club has accepted 40 new members this past year. Board member Allison Brusie said sometimes new members are eager to volunteer their time, and don’t necessarily follow through.
“Some of the activities we do can go up to 10 hours,” board member Adam Saltz said.
Najarian said the club often tries to coordinate its meeting times and activities with the school’s schedule to accommodate students without their own transportation.
“It’s a social tool for some people,” Hazelwood said. “It’s such a great way to get to know people.”
Some of the students said that they weren’t sure if they would continue with the “Circle K,” the Kiwanis organization at the college level after they graduated high school, since the organization is structured differently. Chiarantona said he was looking forward to learning more about the “Circle K” organization.
Zavasnik and English teacher Lincoln Maclsaac, both work as faculty advisors to the club. Paul Bernard and Sharon Binette, both members of the Kiwanis International club, the parent organization of the Key Club also work with officers and members.
“We like to think that we’re not just raising money but awareness,” Chiarantona said. “Like one of our teachers said, ‘We’re teaching people how to fish, rather than just giving them the fish.’”
Comments