Key Club Research Paper

In history, there are many recurring themes, one of the biggest is the “American Dream”. Many people resonate the words dream, freedom, equality, and the opportunity to achieve their utmost desired and achievable dreams. This definition of a perfect land that helps you achieve your dream has been termed the “American Dream.” The “American Dream”, which is supposedly available for all Americans, has unfortunately become untrue for those who are minorities or immigrants. The “American Dream” is dictated by the American society that is controlled by a racial hierarchy that does not give access to the American dream for those who are not part of the preferred race and who don’t fit into its structured box of singularity. Overall, The American

The American Dream has held a special place in the hearts of patriots since the very founding of America in 1776. It has been a subject of many authors who grapple with its attainability, and is a beacon of hope gazed upon by victims of circumstance. The Dream has been interpreted by great minds in various ways, and has been deemed both an evil deception and a great promise of a better life. However, the American Dream has morphed from this promise of opportunities and second chances--in fact, it has become viewed as a cause for societal competition and the reason for decreasing happiness among the American people. As Americans attempt to “achieve their goals,” and “keep up with the Joneses,” they subject themselves to the materialistic cycle of greed. Success, and the goal of the American Dream, has been redefined. To be put simply, the American Dream is now to be richer than one’s neighbor, despite the fact that happiness--and thus, the Dream--cannot be achieved solely through wealth and material goods.

The forty-first president of the United States, George W. H. Bush, once said, “The American Dream means giving it your all, trying your hardest, accomplishing something…” As the years fly by, so does the American Dream. With busy lives, many Americans tend to forget the purpose of the American Dream. Failing to make ends meet, not being able to afford the new iPhone and the lack of success that is not America’s fault. People create their successes and failures based on what they desire. Through a person creating their own definition, not quitting once things go wrong, and creating opportunities the American Dream still floods the streets of America today.

Sophomore year, I joined my High School's division of Kiwanis Key Club. The club prided itself with their devotion to community service. I thought that the club would be a great vehicle for me to assist my community while creating and expanding my relationships. However, I was greatly disappointed in the club my Sophomore year. There appeared to be little leadership present, so hardly any community service successfully took place. I made it my goal to gain a leadership position and turn the club around. Junior year, I was elected as President of the club and was re-elected to the position my Senior year.

The American Dream is possible, but it’s constantly becoming less available to many Americans. As inferred by David Wallechinsky in his essay, “Is the American Dream Still Possible,” the American Dream has progressively gotten more difficult to achieve for many. In this essay, Wallechinsky describes what he views as the American Dream and provides evidence of why it’s not achievable. As stated in the text, “Almost two-thirds say they live from paycheck to paycheck, and 47% say that no matter how hard they work, they cannot get ahead. More than a third worry about job loss” (65). Wallechinsky not only provides a widespread belief that the American Dream isn’t possible, he supports it with evidence by providing data from the Mark Clements Research Inc. Survey that states the poverty many americans

The American Dream is indefinable. There is no one set of words or characteristics that the entire population assigns directly to its definition. With the American population consisting of people of various races, ethnicities, ages, classes, and genders, it seems trivial to even attempt to attribute a single definition to the concept of the American Dream. It is this inability however, to be confined within one single meaning, that allows for the American Dream to govern the desires and goals of the large and diverse American population. And, regardless of all of the heterogeneity within society, the American Dream is generally a goal of all American peoples. In examining this idea, I began to think about the specific meanings attributed to the American Dream for different types of individuals. I broadly outlined the American Dream for myself, to represent the belief in hard work as a pathway to success and raising oneself in society. Consequently, this higher position in society allows for the possession of increased amounts of power. My definition however, neglects to take into account the certain other societal constructs that could possibly have a decisive role in how to both define and achieve the American Dream for the wide variety of people who pursue it.

From the time our Founding Fathers introduced the idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, many individuals are now craving to achieve their idea of the American Dream. The American Dream has changed dramatically over the few centuries. During the Founding Fathers’ time, many believed the American Dream meant freedom, equality, and mutual respect. Time has changed this ideology of the American Dream, which is now seen as owning a million dollar mansion with multiple luxury cars. This isn’t the case for many immigrants who come to the Americas to have a better life for themselves and their family. To many of them, the American Dream is as simple as living in a house and being able to provide their children with an education and

   The story of America is an exciting one, filled with swift evolution and an amazing energy unprecedented in world history. In America's short existence, it has progressed from a small collection of European rebels to the economically dominant nation that it is today. Mixed up in the provocative reputation of America is the celebrated ideal of the American Dream, the fantasy of complete independence and self-reliance mixed with the opportunity to attain wealth through one's labors. On the surface, this reverie seems almost enchanted, offering people the unprecedented prospect of achieving success regardless of one's race, religion, or family history. The American Dream is exactly what it appears to

Over the course of my academic career, I have volunteered with Key Club at my school and other various places, such as the Poe Center for Health Education and WakeMed Health and Hospitals. Involvement with each organization has had a tremendous impact on my character. Often, while at the Poe Center, I had hours alone to create educational tools, file papers, and enter data into spreadsheets which taught me responsibility and integrity. I always strived for the best when I completed tasks at the Poe Center and at WakeMed. Each organization has been impacted through my volunteer services. With Key Club, we had monthly trips to the senior home. Each time I visited the senior home, the elder’s faces would light up because many of them did not have

My high school years have been filled with many great memories; it is safe to say that I had an enjoyable high school experience. Some of my most unforgettable moments of my high school career have been in Beta Club. In 9th grade, I joined the Beta Club at my school. I joined because I knew that this club was an organization for those who love to serve others, and I know that decision will have a lasting impact on my life as well as on others’ lives. I was elected President of the Beta Club at my school in 11th grade. I led my club of about 40 members throughout the year as we took part in various service activities such as: trash pickup for Adopt a Highway, sponsoring a child for the holidays, and visiting local elementary schools to read

However, we must remember an important fact: our generation of American faces the same wall of hopelessness that stood before those who lived through the Great Depression – and they overcame it. What we can take from them, is that we can succeed if we accept the simple fact that we must do what must be done, even if it isn’t desirable. If we graduate with a degree in fashion marketing and fail to secure employment, we work at a retail store in order to pay rent and get the bills paid. Running around for hours to work in a store takes grit; being underemployed takes gut; learning from experience and applying it to one’s life creates character. And one day, we grow. That in my belief is “the Dream.” For too many versions of “the Dream” equate prosperity to happiness, happiness I feel is not so simple. This makes it seem that the American Dream may always remain tantalizingly out of reach for some Americans, making the dream more like a cruel joke rather than a genuine dream. Perhaps, what our generation needs is to

The American Dream has always been a driving force in the lives of Americans. It has become a foundation of ideals and hopes for any American or immigrant. Specifically, one of the ideals that always exist is the dream of America free of class distinction. Every American hopes for a society where every person has the opportunity to be whomever he or she desire. Another ideal in the American dream is the drive to improve the quality of life. As one’s idea of the American Dream gets closer and closer, often times political and social ideals of America cause their American Dream to take a turn for the worst.

I interviewed my older brother, Brandon Mathura. As a 21 year old, he is new to the “real world.” Similarly to my previous interviewee, Brandon was born into the American Dream. Overall, his definition of the American Dream is having a lot of success and having opportunities. However, he believes that you can receive similar opportunities in other parts of the world. According to Brandon, the American Dream “is a standard in society.” In his American Dream, he is willing to work hard in order to become successful, retire and live down South or live in the city. His experiences such as working and taking an urban anthropology class has shaped his views on society and the American Dream. Brandon believes that he is slowly transitioning into a rugged individual. Something that stood out to me the most was how his thinking changed over time and his connection to anthropology. His point about “achieving the American Dream elsewhere such as the United Kingdom,” pushed me to think beyond the American Dream.

I have always had great passion for helping others and I thought the best to do that is through my community. So, when I heard about service clubs, I took the initiative to try something different. I ended up with one of the best things, Key Club. It’s centered around volunteering and giving back to the community. Through the club, I’ve been given the opportunity to make valuable friendships with likeminded people who want to have fulfilling experiences volunteering. I have always had great passion for helping others and Key club represented the perfect opportunity to express that. After my first year, I wanted to put back into the club what it had given me.

The classic “American Dream” can be envisioned as a white picket fence, crisp lawn, and two young children playing about in front of a lightly hued colonial style home. Once the ideal of ultimate success within the United States, this life goal is now just an image on a page of a 1960’s chapter within a United States history textbook. Now, America’s strong-willed and influential millennials have thoroughly and unapologetically redefined the “American Dream”.