On Nov. 11, Key Club members from Southern California, Nevada, and Hawaii teamed together at Six Flags Magic Mountain to attend Key Club’s annual Fall Rally South (FRS). The day was jam-packed with spirit: students dressed in flashy outfits consisting of tutus and face paint, carrying posters and beloved “spirit sticks” to represent the division from which they hailed.

The spirit rally was the main event of the day. At different sessions, coalitions of Key Club divisions gathered in the Golden Bear Theatre to engage in cheer battles to determine who was the most spirited. The winning division of each session gaining the prized Cali-Nev-Ha FRS spirit stick.

Fall Rally South, however, is not just about intense cheering and meeting other students with similar interests. During the spirit rally, Key Club lieutenant governors and executive officers are auctioned off to representatives from each division. The highest bidding divisions are able to spend a period of time with their purchased officers.

The funds used for the auction and a portion of FRS ticket sales go towards the Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP), whose mission, according to the Kiwanis Foundation, “is to develop local projects which will reduce the number of children in our three-state District who are killed or injured by trauma, ensuring all children live happy, healthy and safe lives.”

PTP specializes in obtaining equipment, such as helmets or car seats to help reduce the physical trauma that children may endure. Key Club, the high school level subdivision of Kiwanis, aims to collect as many donations in the first term of each year to contribute to PTP.

“It’s really cool to see how much money students can raise together for nonprofit organizations and how passionate everyone is about Key Club,” shared Thao Nguyen ‘18, LQHS’ Key Club President. “I felt moved by everyone’s positivity and hard work, making me motivated to bring back this spirit to our own club. Their efforts made me realize my own position in the club and what I wanted to give and bring back to our club.”

The Fall Rally South event marked the end of the first term and intended to give members of Key Club the opportunity to celebrate their work and commitment to service. They enjoyed meeting fellow students in the comfort of an amusement park, with the knowledge that they contributed to a charitable program.