In high school, it was the clubs and organizations in my community that made who I am today. I learned my life's greatest lessons in KIWIN'S, Club Cafe, the National Honor Society, the California Scholarship Federation, Science Olympiad, the Buddha's Light Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Wilson Marching Band, PawPrints Journalism, and International Baccalaureate.

When I entered college, I wanted to give back to my community the way it gave to me. As a result, I found myself on what seemed like an endless journey of joining clubs, developing initiatives, and leaving legacies in the organizations around me. As I reach the end of my college career, I realize that I would have been a completely different individual if it wasn't for the intense and windy path I took through the organizations, projects, and programs I've committed myself to. Below is the barebones list organizational involvements I've had. In the next few months, I'll be putting together a vlog on the lessons I've learned through clubs. 

1st Year: The Claremont Colleges

➡ Korean American Students Association: KASA Freshman Dance Off

Dancer

Competed at the 2011 KASA Freshman Dance Off in Los Angeles

➡ Circle K International (CKI) 

Divisional Executive Assistant, Spirit and Sunshine Chair

➡ Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC)

Secretary

➡ Shingiru Crew

Founding Member, Dancer

2nd Year: The Claremont Colleges

➡ Circle K International (CKI)

Lieutenant Governor

➡ Groove Nation Dance Crew

Crew Manager

➡ 5C Taiwanese American Students Association (5C TASA)

Member

3rd Year: The Claremont Colleges

➡ Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association

National Board Representative, 5C TASA Advisor

➡ Groove Nation Dance Crew

Crew Manager

➡ 5C Hackathon

Webmaster and Photographer

➡ Global Leadership Organization

Committee Member of North America Programs, Counselor Operations, Asia Programming

1st Year: Columbia University

➡ Global Leadership Organization

Director of People Operations, Certified Counselor

➡ Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE Impulse)

Newsletter Superintendent, Digest Curator, Mentee of Women@CORE

➡ CU Generation

Dance Member, Temporary Vice President

➡ Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association (ITASA)

Assistant Director of Programs

➡ CU INFORMS

Webmaster

➡ Science Technology Engineering Program (STEP)

Mentee

➡ InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Life Group Member

2nd Year: Columbia University

➡ CU INFORMS

President 

➡ Global Leadership Organization

Conference Director at Columbia University, Advisory Board Member of North America Programs, Director of People Operations

➡ Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE Impulse)

Secretary & Internal Programs Coordinator

I've been a part of the Global Leadership Organization since early 2014. I served in numerous positions in the nonprofit, and I finally earned my certification as a GLO Counselor in December 2014. This past summer, I had the privilege of flying over to Taiwan to teach at two leadership conferences in Taipei.

It went from the Charleston International Airport to the Houston Airport. From there, I flew on the Boeing 777 (woo, go Boeing!) on the Hello Kitty aircraft with Eva airlines. This place was an amusement park. There were Hello Kitty utensils, blankets, pillows, videos, aprons, barf bags, toilet paper, board passes, and so much more. It gave such a great start to the journey.

The first venue of the conference was at Kang Chiao International School. It is this gorgeous high school located right outside of Taipei in the mountain area. Although WiFi was pretty much nonexistent at this school, the view looking out was breathtaking.

Teaching is something I've come to deeply respected. I strongly believe that teaching is the noblest thing one could commit to in this world. I'm glad to have it part of my life.

This is what small group sessions look like. The attendees are placed tight-knit small groups and sit in a U-shaped seating arrangement to immerse themselves in deep discussions about certain topics in leadership.

The above is what general sessions look like. Essentially, Teddy goes on stage to give some of the most well-delivered speeches I've ever had the chance of hearing. Although I've heard his stories over and over again, his speeches never fail to send shivers down my spine. At some points in the general sessions, I was able to go on stage to lead energizers, present on GLO recruiting, and to perform spoken word poetry.

The above shows a collage of testimonials. As counselors and staff members, we're so busy working through the logistics of the day that it's difficult to gauge how our attendees are feeling. From our perspective, we see attendees falling asleep during small group sessions, people on the phone during general sessions, and people staring blankly at us when we ask tough questions. It is really during these testimonials that we get to see the fruits of our labor. This is where attendees get to come up to the stage and openly share how GLO has impacted their lives. Usually these testimonial sessions get quite emotional. This is my favorite part of general sessions, and I've definitely cried before.

This was my adorable small group! They called themselves the C-squad to represent Team Chloe! I had a huge range of kids. There were people who would refuse to speak, those who constantly played Devil's advocate, and those who were just so talkative that I had to switch up seating arrangement throughout the day. On the last day of the conference, there was a sudden click when going through the Public Speaking portion of the curriculum. This was where even the quietest kids had to go up in front of everyone and shout their hearts out about things they're passionate about. I wouldn't let anyone sit back down unless they sent chills down our spines. These kids kept trying and trying, and then when they finally go to the point where they could speak with conviction, the whole team cheered like no other. That kind of team spirit and positive dynamic made such memorable moments in C-squad. I was incredibly proud.



This was the small group team at our second conference - Fu Hsing Private School. I switched to become a Counselor Assistant on Team Robin to gain a different perspective in teaching. Although there were only four attendees in Team Robin, this group was incredibly talkative. I was glad everyone got so close in only two days.

The above are pictures of the outstanding staff team in Taiwan, which was mainly comprised of high school students. I've never met a more mature, spirited, and supportive team before. There were several times throughout the conference planning process where administrators were chewing them out for logistical concerns. These students faced each problem with a nod, a smile, and a plan of action. When there were logistical hiccups, no one would blame each other or talk behind each other's backs. Their attitude was: "Okay. So how can I help?" This is what teamwork should look like. It was incredibly refreshing to work with these high school students.

Of course every large project comes with some sort of huge food celebration. Our team had several celebration dinners getting AYCE hotpot, KBBQ, and AYCE ramen. There was one funny story about the ramen. At this restaurant, I was eating my noodles like a normal person at my table. Suddenly, the GLO President, Teddy, started a dialogue with me from the other table:

Teddy: "Hey Chloe!"
Chloe: "Yeah?"
Teddy: "What bowl are you on?"
Chloe: "My first."
Teddy: "Well, I'm on my second."

And so, he challenged me to a ramen eating competition. He finished with 3 bowls of ramen and I finished with 6 bowls. This was one of my proudest moments in GLO. :)

The above two photos just show the dynamic personalities that our attendees had. We definitely had incredibly strong groups at both conferences.

I was able to go through the entire cycle of learning to teach and teaching to learn. I learned so much about the kids, about the kids, and about this world. That constant cycle of improvement is one of the most fulfilling things I can do.

Through this process, I discovered what I really want to do in the future. I call it being a conductor of a team. This is kind of like a conductor of an orchestra. A conductor's job is not to play the music. The conductor may know how to play every single instrument but does not play it. In fact, the conductor's job is to empower the musicians on the floor, to get them to understand each other, to learn to fill in when in need, and to create something they can't do by themselves - orchestral music. Bringing this concept into a team management and coaching setting, I realize I wanted to take that kind of role in people's lives to get them to push their potentials and to accomplish things they never knew they could accomplish.

My journey in GLO has only just begun. I know there's plenty of more I want to do, and I can't wait to see how I grow at each step of the way.

The dream was 30, but our goal was really 10 students. Last year, the SoCal District team of the Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association hosted a college seminar, inviting local high school students to learn about the college application process and student experiences. After a significant amount of preparation, guess how many showed up? One.

Kids a hosts at brunch!

I mean, the program last year was probably fantastic. I think the problem was that it was planned on an SAT date. This year, our team learned our lesson and made sure not to repeat history.

64 high school students, around 35 hosts, 32 mock interviewers, 8 tour guides, and about 10 panelists later, I sit here pondering about what happened these past few months.

I, Chloe Shih, am the 2013-2014 ITASA National Board Representative of the Claremont Colleges. I serve on the SoCal District team along with representatives from UCSB, UCSD, UCI, UCLA, and USC. Although it has its many perks and merits, the position of an ITASA rep isn't very clearly defined. Coming from the service, leadership, fellowship organization, Circle K International, I had an immense background in project managing and community engagement. I thought joining ITASA would be my next step in reaching my dreams in youth empowerment. 

After a number of okay-ish events that our district put together, I couldn't just let my term end without doing anything particularly memorable. I recall sending several messages to our National President and Vice President that I felt very lost and useless on the National Board. I kept reading ITASA's mission statement: "...to inspire, empower, and activate its community." How on earth am I doing this if all I'm doing is sending e-mails and setting up socials? I had to change something. 

An opportunity came forth. Our district is required to put together a college seminar to fulfill the philanthropy requirement. I insisted on hosting the event at the Claremont Colleges. Most of our events were held near the LA area. Claremont rarely gets representation or recognition from the other schools. It was time to change that. Although the event began as the district's committee project, I just had to take the reigns to make this a quality event. The result - nothing less than successful. 

The ITASA SoCal District Key to College Seminar and Overnight Stay Program was perhaps the most sophisticated event I helped put together. I've done service events with over 200 volunteers and numerous student groups, conferences with hundreds of attendees, a banquet of banquets with nearly 200 attendees and a 6-hour dinner program, PR after PR and after more PR work, and I even founded my own scholarship. This time, however, I finally dunked myself in something that was very directly and personally impacting for my greater community.

I mean, at the Claremonts, you always see those prospective student programs and college tours for high school students. Out of all respect, these programs are outstanding, but I rarely see people of color, especially from underprivileged backgrounds, being represented. Where are the people from underfunded schools? Where are the students who don't have legacies and who've never had the chance to learn about these resourceful and unique places in the nation? Where are the students who look like...me?

This was the mission behind my Key to College Seminar: to enrich, enable, and empower those students from those communities who don't get many chances to realize their potential. Figuring out every nut and bolt to get this project running was no joke. We're talking about liability and waiver forms, parent authorizations, reserving several buildings on different campuses, one-on-one mock interviews, overnight hosting, inviting a professional guest artist, providing funds for substantial expenses, and just so many more logistics. 

I really wanted a very personalized experience for the kids. I didn't want to throw them in a one-size-fits-all program where they feel very out of tune. I need fit. And so, with the best of my abilities, I matched kids with hosts and interviewers with similar interests. 

Interviewers!

To promote, our committee sent out invitation e-mails to SAT prep schools, after schools, TA junior divisions (TACL-LID & JTASA), Key Clubs and KIWIN'S  Clubs, and academic counselors of public high schools from the San Gabriel Valley to Rancho Cucamonga. Initially, we had very few sign ups. By our last week, we got up to around 20 to 30 registrants. This was outstanding. We literally reached our dreams in terms of attendance. Before the last day of early registration, our numbers doubled. I was not prepared. 

Two weekends before, I made personal announcements at almost all of our Asian American sponsor groups (APAC, AAMP, APISPAM, and APAM) for help. When our attendance numbers doubled, I scrambled. Although I did have a committee of 4 people, there was definitely a substantial amount of work on my shoulders. I spammed everyone I knew to be a mock interviewer, a host, or a donor (to flex students into the dining hall). I just didn't have enough. It sounds like somewhat of a small, doable problem now, but at the time, it seemed impossible. Keep in mind that TASA is a cultural club that's in its second year at the 5Cs. We've only put on some food fundraisers and casual socials. This was finally a time our organization can invest in something that directly makes a difference in our community. Although it was really difficult to get the 5C student body to help out, we eventually got enough people to take care of the 64 kids.  

Objectively and subjectively speaking, the event was a huge success. It panned out like a mini-conference. I got donations from the 5C Hack-a-thon (since I am on the planning committee). We were able to give the kids these huge Google tote bags filled with admissions pamphlets and info booklets from every school. We gave out little Google gifts (like pens, sunglasses, and car phone chargers) and Hack-a-thon t-shirts. We got 30 free meal tickets from Harvey Mudd admissions (thank goodness for Terrence), we got $140 fee waived from maintenance (thank goodness for Arthur), and a few hundred dollars in funding from sponsors. 

Here's what the schedule looked like:

Friday:

6 PM - 8 PM TASA Benefit Night Market & Overnight Stay Registration

8:30 PM - 9 PM Welcome Icebreakers for students and Host Debrief

9 PM - 10 PM Welcome Meeting, Introductions, Schedule Debrief, Host Assignments

10 PM ~ Free time with hosts and students

Saturday: 

9 AM - 9:30 AM Key to College Registration Opens

9:30 AM - 10 AM Tour of Scripps College

10 AM - 10:30 AM Tour of Harvey Mudd College

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM Complimentary Brunch at the Hoch Dining Commons

11:30 AM - 12:20 PM Workshop #1: The College Application Process, College Resources/Programs, & Personal Statements

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Workshop #2: Mock Interviews for College Admissions

1:40 PM - 2:20 PM Workshop #3: College Student Panel

2:30 PM - 3 PM Tour of Pitzer College

3 PM - 4 PM Jason Chu SPEAKS!

4 PM - 4:30 PM Tour of Claremont McKenna College

4:30 PM - 5:15 PM Tour of Pomona College

5:30 PM Dinner & Small Group Discussions

6 PM - 7 PM Kids are picked up!

A few key items that led to the success of our program included the following:

• Keeping a 24/7 mentality and tracking or actually completing tasks that came to mind immediately.
• Never say, "Oh, we'll figure that out in the next meeting." I mean, you can say it, but I tried my best to minimize postponing.
• I assigned zero actual jobs to myself during the actual event. I wasn't an interviewer, presenter, tour guide, host, or a panelist. I did, however, try to be a photographer...which wasn't that great of an idea. The point is, as the director of an event, you need to always be available for people with questions in need of directions. You can't be occupied because, more often than not, you are the one who can give the final say. People shouldn't wait on that. 
• I didn't have to lead every group to the next destination. I delegated other people to take our group to the next session while I stayed behind to do quick scans (for lost items) and cleaned up. This really helped keep things on schedule. I highly emphasized to start even without me. I think, for many events, people tend to be reluctant to carry on a program when the main director isn't there. If every program item began and end with me, we would be hours behind schedule. 
• Using my resources. I had no idea I could get so much funding. All I did was to ask. Paying for the 64 kids to eat at a dining hall was no small issue. I would have had to come up with nearly $900 of funding just to cover that. Thankfully, I reached out to Harvey Mudd admissions to ask for support. They provided 30 free meal tickets. That saved us $375. I also asked all of the other admission offices for support. Although they couldn't help us must with finding hosts (because nearly each college had some sort of prospective student host program going on at the same time), they provided with tons of pamphlets and info packets. The Google goodie bags given to the kids seemed very legitimate. It was cool. Further, requesting to set up each workshop are from maintenance helped a lot. Once we arrived to the next workshop destination, all chairs, tables, and AV support were set up. HMC admissions actually told us that if we had asked earlier, they could have supplied us with more meal tickets and brought in professional speakers with streamlined presentations and guidebooks to help with our program. I was so surprised how much they were willing to help us. The take-away from this is that student clubs can get so much support from campus departments (you know, from experienced people who are actually paid to provide professional services).
• Personal network. 
• Minimize the question-asking. In other words, minimize the time people ask you questions that can easily be answered. If 64 kids went up to you to ask where they're supposed to do next, there's clearly some miscommunication. I went through the program as if I were an attendee and a volunteer host/interviewer/panelist and so forth. I provided master schedules and assignments for everyone else. One mock interviewer asked me why he needed to have the interview assignments of the rest of the crew. My response: "If 64 kids don't know who their interviewer and they ask you, you'll know what to do instead of wasting the next half hour to find me to figure it out." Everyone was to be a master of everyone else's schedule. That way, anyone can find answers from anyone else. I can only direct so many people at a time. 
• Don't be afraid to ask people you know and you don't know for help. I admit, nearly all of the 50 + people I asked to help me were people I knew, many others were ones I met on-site. People I didn't know included all the sponsoring programs, admissions office, maintenance, campus program directors, and friends of friends. This is an event with a greater cause. Bringing people together to make things happen really united my 5C network and community. It was very satisfying to see all of these people who've never met each other to come together for our  community. I've been called "common denominator", bringing unrelated people together for great memories. 

I literally worked nonstop for weeks to flush out an engaging and memorable program and to keep on top of my academic work. It was not easy, but completely worth it. At the end of Saturday, it really was just me (and my partner in crime) waiting for all of the parents to arrive. When students were leaving, many of them went up to me to ask if they could shake my hand, give me a hug, or take a picture with me. They said they genuinely enjoyed the program. The feeling - fulfilling. 

I came back to my desk at night and received messages like this one below: 

Hi Chloe,

On behalf of (another parent's name) and I, we would like to say thank you so much for the GREAT opportunity you had given to our boys to see the campus. The boys had a good time. They say it was a good experience, fun and meeting new people. They all especially like Pomona college and said it was really big, nice and clean.

Once again thank you!

Things like these make me really feel that my time spent was worth it. My efforts directly impacted parents and youths from the community. I am one step further in my journey for youth empowerment.

Sleeping bags and heavy carry-on items that the kids put in the SOCA (Students of Color Alliance) lounge.

--

April 21, 2014

Chloe Shih

On stage with the 12-13 Circle K President at the 2013 Banquet of the Phoenixes

I would not have been the Chloe I am now if it was not for Kiwanis International, a service nonprofit dedicated to "changing the world, one child, and one community at a time." As President of KIWIN'S Club in high school, the shy little Chloe had to step in front of a crowd and do what she feared most: speak. Through this organization, I both cheered my heart out and met the most interesting and capable youths. KIWIN'S pushed me to extremes that developed my spirit, my confidence, and most importantly, my voice.

As the Lieutenant Governor of the nine colleges/universities in the Foothill Division of Circle K International (CKI), I had three main objectives: to develop club continuity, to instill unity, and to organize personally-connected service projects. We had a 55% overall growth in membership, a 40 member attendance increase to monthly divisional council meetings, and a quadrupled attendance to the largest district events in CKI history. With strong administrative and managerial efforts, Foothill rose from being the underdog division to the strongest in the district.

As part of this transformation, I was eager to establish Foothill's personality and what it uniquely stood for. My secret mission was to was to fulfill the last line of the Circle K Pledge: "To dedicate myself to the realization of humankind's potential." I sought to provide a spark in the lives of others to instigate their dream-chasing.

I coordinated 173 volunteers at the largest Asian-styled festival in the United States - the 626 Night Market. The event was a huge success in that Foothill received endless words of acknowledgment from the 626 staff, Yelp reviews, and Facebook comments. As a long-term result, CKI gained massive visibility in the community and earned the opportunity to collaborate with other branches and organizations. A couple of members also got job offers from the night market. What was most rewarding was that our members got to see the differences they made in their community.

The next big project was coordinating the first ever Foothill benefit show- Phoenix Café Night. Here, we showcased the diverse talents of instrumentals, voice, spoken word, a cappella, and beat-boxing. I fulfilled my life-long passion for youth empowerment through performing and visual arts by encouraging members to challenge their stage fright and take on the stage. The goal was to create a comfortable space for people to show their most vulnerable sides through art while also raising funds for Project ELIMINATE. Phoenix Café Night became a memorable evening members were proud they participated in.

I think my greatest accomplishment was that I transformed the mindset from being "not good enough" to being "one of the best". I took risks to challenge Foothill to go after what seemed impossible, and pulled through. The attitude shift in realizing the potential of Foothill was key to making the term revolutionary. It was a privilege to lead impact the volunteers of my community as Lieutenant Governor.

--
January, 2014
Chloe Shih

[In progress]

Cal-Nev-Ha KIWIN'S Club | 32nd District of Key Club International
Cal-Nev-Ha Circle K International | Kiwanis International

It all began in high school. KIWIN'S was the time the once shy little Chloe was given a chance to cheer her heart out and meet the most interesting and capable people. Being the KIWIN'S Club President of Glen A. Wilson High School pushed me to extremes that developed my spirit, my confidence, and most importantly, my voice. I developed the need to think big, to do more, and to speak out. I realized my potential. Since then, serving, leading, and loving my community became my way of living. In college, I continued in the Kiwanis Family onto Circle K International.

After the Awards Ceremony with my home division - Goldstone!

I knew I wanted to engage myself at the divisional level right off the bat. I began my first year as an Executive Assistant of our division - the Foothill Division - which comprised of 9 colleges/universities located between Glendale and Claremont. At the time, we were considered the underdog division averaging around 5-20 attendees at our monthly Divisional Council Meetings. These really were humble beginnings.

Nearly 20 Foothillians at Fall Training Conference 2012!

During that first year, I fell in love with the last lines of the Circle K Pledge: "To dedicate myself to the realization of humankind's potential." For the first time in three years, I became the first elected Foothill Division Lt. Governor. I started off my term with three main objectives: to develop club continuity, to instill unity, and to organize personally-connected service projects. My secret goal, however, was that very last line of the pledge - it was to get people to realize what they had in them. I wanted to spark something in the lives of others to begin their own journeys of dream-seeking.

On stage with the newly-elected Executive Officers of the Cal-Nev-Ha CKI District Board at DCON 2012.

With my weekdays filled with e-mails, board meetings, and endless promotions, my weekends were booked with service events, fundraisers, divisional council meetings, officer training and just so much more. In the midst of this jam-packed schedule, there were several events that really made my term uniquely my term.

One of those events was the 626 Night Market, which is the largest Asian festival night market in the United States. In July 2013, the Foothill Division hosted a service event helping out the second 626 Night Market held at Pasadena City Hall. This two-day event was designed like a combination of a farmer's market and a street festival/fair except it was held in the evening -- an event reminiscent of the traditional Asian night markets. The 626 Night Market was not just an opportunity for community members to appreciate Asian culture and enjoy a festive evening , but it also served to raise awareness and support for causes like Helping Janet (registering bone marrow donors to help Janet and other patients fight Leukemia) and the 626 Movemeant (supporting youth empowerment through art and entertainment). 

Combined, Circle K and Key Club brought about 173 volunteers to this large-scale event. Both youth groups had a ton of fun meeting one another and working together at the event. I'm very thankful for all the advisers and administrators who helped with the paperwork and, of course, all those who came out to volunteer. 

Although the 626 group had very little budget to prepare for their event, they took great care of us, providing us with pizza, water and lychee drinks, a table, a commercial-grade and fire retardant tent, a fire extinguisher, and 626 volunteer T-shirts. We've also received endless words of appreciation and acknowledgment from the 626 staff, Yelp reviews, and Facebook comments: 

Yelp: "‎Also, it made me happy to see all the high school-looking-aged kids with the red 626 night market t shirts. They always had tons of energy and looked like they had a lot of fun keeping lines in order and taking pictures." 

Yelp: ‎"What amazed me the most were the volunteers in red shirts who actively helped keep the line management in check while allowing passers by a chance to actually read what the vendors were selling without appearing to "cut" in front of others."

626 Staff Coordinator: "I can't tell you all, not only how happy I was to have you all help us, but incredibly proud. Not only has your enthusiasm, initiative, and professionalism been raved about on Yelp, but through the mouths of our vendors, guests, and Facebook wall. This just proves once again that the K-Family not only just brings quality service, but spunk, spirit, and a sense of rambunctiousness that just makes it so much fun for anyone to be around you guys.

Thank you again for helping our night market make such an incredible comeback."

626 Staff Coordinator: "I still can't get over how awesome the volunteers were..."

Though I've personally received many positive remarks about how unexpectedly successful the event went, I don't think I deserve that credit. All I've done was sent a bunch of e-mails to the right people to ask for help. The real work was performed by the volunteers themselves. I'd like to give special thanks to the chaperons, who've made it possible for the Key Clubbers to attend, and the lieutenant governors that helped me with all the behind-the-scenes work. As one of the organizers of the event, seeing both Kiwanis family volunteers and Online Inquiries volunteers (just other volunteer groups) really made me realize how much more passionate the K-family is about service in our community. At a place where so many of us were gathered to help out, I saw so much youthful spirit and positive attitude that I felt I was losing in the midst of my own administrative work. I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but I mean it. This was refreshing. 

The 2nd ever 626 Night Market by JLieu Photography.

The third 626 Night Market happened in October 2012 at the Santa Anita Race Track. This time the division coordinated volunteers and a Phoenix Funnel Cake Booth. Preparing for a food stand was not, by any means, an easy task. In the end, the team made it through the shifts and Circle K raised a whopping $2000 that went towards our future charity projects and donations. 
Talk about 3rd 626 Night Market here... (started the Phoenix Funnel Cakes)

The Phoenix Funnel Cake crew at the 3rd ever 626 Night Market.

Fall Training Conference is a district event where members gather in the mountains of Sonora, California for a weekend of workshops, speeches, campfire skits and talent acts, awards and light ceremonies, a fashion show, a dance dance, and insane cheer-offs. This is the second largest district event in the history of Circle K International and it is where new members get to see what Circle K at the district level is really about. As mentioned above, we had almost 20 members at FTC. In November 2013, we had 70 total attendees from 8 out of our 9 clubs. 

A few years ago, Foothill underwent a "Golden Age" led by past Lt. Governor Nitt Chuenprateep. Before his time, the division wasn't doing so well. The division went from the "Foothill Fatties" to the "Foothill Rocks". Nitt transformed it to the Foothill Phoenixes.  A few years later, my predecessor, past Lt. Governor Christian Tolosa, wanted to bring back that time and led the division as the "Rebirth of the Phoenixes". In my year, I emphasized the theme: "The Phoenix Rises". This, indeed, is a reference to "The Dark Knight Rises", but it represents a single entity making a significant world-changing comeback. The theme demonstrated unity and growth. I'm proud to say that at FTC that year, the Foothill Phoenix did rise.

The Foothill Phoenixes at Fall Training Conference 2012!

The Foothill Division is famous for one large event, which is GO WEST. As an annual social-benefit-service event,  GO WEST is primarily hosted by Pasadena City College Circle K and serves to bring members from all over the district (in California, Nevada, and Hawaii) to help decorate the Kiwanis Rose Floats and to help with neighboring community events (ie. the Kidspace Children's Museum). This video (by 13-14 CNH Circle K District Governor Sean Dylan Nguyen) sums up what the Kiwanis Rose Float section of GO WEST is all about:






Since the Cal-Nev-Ha district is so incredibly large (with approximately 2,563 members in 54 clubs), hosting district events is quite the task. Unlike other district events, GO WEST is hosted during winter vacation leaving students stress-free and happy to inter-mingle. The first night, which easily is my favorite, is the traditional massive broomball social.

CNH at the largest broomball social in CKI in Pasadena, CA!

Since I was the founder of Club Cafe [link will be provided soon] in high school, I wanted to host larger benefit concerts. In February 2013, the Foothill Division hosted 
Read about the ELIMINATE Project or watch a video about it here:

There is plenty more I want to talk about once winter break begins! 

Until then! 



--Spring, 2014
Chloe Shih