Kristi Ryono is a former Key Clubber and current Circle K member in her third year at UC Irvine. A CNH Children’s Fund scholarship recipient, Kristi shared how her life has been impacted by this award and Kiwanis as a whole:
“I am so grateful for the donors who have helped me fund my college journey. I am currently in my third year at UC Irvine, and it’s wild to think that I only have one more year left to make the most out of it. However, I’m super proud of all of the things that I have already been involved in at school – from rigorous academics and an internship to Circle K to other campus organizations. All of these experiences have given me the space to challenge myself to reflect deeper on my own values and what I want to do for my community. Being a part of these groups also gave me so much joy during the pandemic where anxiety and loneliness became so prominent in not only my life but many (if not all of) others’ lives. As I write this, I am just finishing my term as a divisional liaison on the CNH CKI Kiwanis Family and Foundations Committee, and I will look back on this fondly. I loved getting to meet other Circle K members outside of Orange County, and even though we never got to see each other in person, it still feels like we bonded as friends. Circle K and the Kiwanis Family definitely has been an integral component to my growth personally, and I am so grateful that it has also supported me academically.”