The Kewanee Key Club racked up trophies and awards at the District Convention and Leadership Conference- Illinois-Eastern Iowa, held last month in Springfield. The weekend provided fellowship for the members, a learning experience and the opportunity for them to shine.
Three first place trophies were awarded to the club in areas of “Major Emphasis” for their theme “Hands in Service-Helping Those in Need,” “Single Service” for their Life Skills Prom, and first place for their Digital Scrapbook Year in Review Project.
Other honors included second place, Platinum, James Robert Hall Achievement Award and Pam Johnson was awarded the Kiwanis Advisor Award.
Interclub honors included the Kiwanis Family Relations Award, the Public Relations Award and the 100 percent On Time Reporting Award thanks to the club’s Statistical Secretary Veronica Murillo.
Key Club members honored with distinguished interclub awards were President Jacie Hinton, Vice-President Marlee Bates, Secretary Taylor VanWinkle, Editor Chase Palm, senior member Liz Pratt and sophomore member Charlotte Burkhart.
Favorite conference memories for the club included Aaliyah Duarte leading the way at LTG and presenting two different sessions; members asking thoughtful questions during candidate caucusing; President Hinton and Vice-President Bates representing KHS at the House of Delegates; learning from their peers in a wide variety of workshops, packed elevator rides, parties, late-night pizza and dominating the dance floor.
In addition, Isabelle Vargas was sworn in as Lt. Governor for Division 17.
Ideas the club brought back with them from the conference included an Easter Egg fundraiser, Thirst Project Walk for Water and a pickleball tournament for charity.
The Kewanee Key Club thanked the Kewanee Kiwanis Club for their “unwavering support and contributions that made it possible for a school bus full of 27 students to experience the DCLC.”
The first-place projects will move on to represent the state of Illinois and compete with other clubs from all over the world at the International Convention held in July in Orlando, Fla.
