We had the good fortune of connecting with Hiam Koujan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hiam, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned from Key Club is that you can’t force people to care. You can only control how you present an issue. When I first became involved in leadership, I thought if I worked hard enough, put in all the extra hours, and made sure everything was planned perfectly, people would match that energy. I quickly learned high school students are more complicated than that. I realized I couldn’t make people feel the same passion for service that the officers and I had. But over time, I learned leadership isn’t making people care, it’s about creating the best opportunities for those who felt inspired to step up. It’s about putting in the work for a long-term impact rather than immediate results. There was always a risk with everything we planned: reaching out to businesses for sponsorships, setting up food drives, and organizing large-scale events never guaranteed success. However, small details like how well we advertised an event or whether dates overlapped with other commitments could completely change the outcome. So strategic planning was a valuable skill our officers learned. So instead of letting uncertainty stop us, we as a club pushed forward by spending time over weekends, breaks, and over the summer. Realizing success isn’t always correlated with numbers and attendance was also a lesson: it’s about impact. If one event inspires even a few people to get involved, if one fundraiser helps a cause even in a small way, that effort is still worth it. Inclusivity and teamwork are what make the club thrive. I learned to never shut down ideas, even if they weren’t fully formed or possible in the moment because every idea has value. The success of Key Club doesn’t come from just one person’s efforts-it comes from an environment where every member’s contributions matter.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets us apart from other clubs is the commitment of our officers. Getting an officer position in Key Club was especially competitive this year because we hold ourselves to high standards. I think our dedication is what makes us unique. There have been challenges along the way with teamwork. We overcame them by focusing on our shared goals, now teamwork is one of the club’s greatest strengths. Another thing I’m proud of is the diversity we’ve brought to the club this year. In our school, diversity is a huge problem, especially in the other clubs at our school. As someone of Middle Eastern origin, I was able to break the stereotype of the demographic makeup of Key Club. We now represent a wide range of backgrounds, which has contributed a lot to the inclusivity of the club. Getting to where we are now compared to the past few years has been a huge journey. Working hard over the summer to set ourselves up for success has paid off. I’ve learned to always believe in others even when unmotivated, we just have to do our part in providing an opportunity to show their effort.
Ultimately, I want the world to know as long as you put 110% into doing your part, things will eventually work out. No matter your starting point, anyone can make a genuine difference in their community!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
It is not exactly in the city, but I recommend for volunteering to check out Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange for sorting donations, stocking their food pantry, assisting at their thrift store, and helping with community outreach programs. I also recommend Miracle League of Southlake: an organization that provides children with disabilities the chance to play baseball in a supportive and inclusive environment. Volunteers assist with coaching, organizing games, and helping players enjoy their time on the field! Truly heartwarming and meaningful.
Lastly is the White Chapel ELL program for refugees: it is designed to help students and families learn English as a second language. Volunteers in this program help with language skills and provide support in their education journey! There are various levels of classes and one is offered for assistance in upcoming citizenship tests!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a huge shoutout to Kiwanis Organization in Southlake. They offered incredible support and mentorship and truly believed in our Key Club by investing in our success through sponsorship events, bringing food to our club meetings, and even fundraising through their own pickleball tournaments. Thanks to their generosity we could cover hotel costs at a leadership conference Key Club attends every year. And we were able to grow to over 200 paying members. Also, a special shoutout to Dan Seyler for his unwavering kindness and dedication. He is always advocating for both Key Club and Kiwanis, encouraging students like me to step up and believe in ourselves. Kiwanis has shown me service doesn’t stop after high school or college, it is a lifelong path through organizations like theirs!

Website: https://slckeyclub3.wixsite.com/slckeyclub

Instagram: slc.keyclub24

Other: Link tree: https://linktr.ee/slckeyclub24

Image Credits
Jessica Choot, Kylie Connor, Zania Karim, Hiam Koujan

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