FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS KEY CLUB?
Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through service to others. Members of the Kiwanis International family, Key Club members build themselves as they build their schools and communities. Key Club has approximately 270,000 members in approximately 5,000 clubs. Key Club is represented in 38 countries.
WHERE IS KEY CLUB?
The International Office is in Indianapolis, Indiana, at 3636 Woodview Trace. Key Club is represented in 38 nations.
HOW DID KEY CLUB START?
The original concept was to develop a vocational guidance program aimed to combat the problems of a student fraternity. The idea evolved into the formation of a youth service organization for the home, school and community.
HOW DID KEY CLUB GET ITS NAME?
In 1925, California State Commissioner of Schools Albert C. Olney and vocational education teacher Frank C. Vincent worked to establish the first Key Club at Sacramento High School in California. This club was comprised of the key boys in the school, willing to serve the school in any way possible and to create better school spirit. Thus, the club was dubbed Key Club.
HOW MANY SERVICE HOURS DO KEY CLUB MEMBERS PROVIDE ANNUALLY?
Each Key Club member is expected to do at least 50 service hours per year, which equals more than 12 million hours of service annually.
WHO ARE KEY CLUB’S PREFERRED CHARITIES AND HOW DOES KEY CLUB SUPPORT THEM?
UNICEF, March of Dimes and Children’s Miracle Network are all preferred charities. Key Club members can provide fundraising support for each of these groups.
WHAT IS KIWANIS?
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Our members help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, mentor the disadvantaged and care for the sick. We develop youth as leaders, build playgrounds, raise funds for pediatric research and more. Working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone.
WHAT IS THE KIWANIS FAMILY?
The Kiwanis family includes Kiwanis members, or Kiwanians, and all of Kiwanis’ Service Leadership Programs, which provide service and leadership opportunities for young people and adults with disabilities around the world.
Elementary school students. Kiwanis Kids (www.kiwaniskids.org) provides three programs—K-Kids, Terrific Kids and Bring Up Grades—for students ages 6–12. In each, lessons of leadership and self-development are introduced through learning to plan, set goals, work with others and celebrate successes.
Teens. Kiwanis offers three meaningful, interactive programs that allow students to discover their own leadership potential—Builders Club (www.buildersclub.org), exclusively for middle and junior high school students ages 12–14; Key Club (www.keyclub.org), the largest high school service club in the world for ages 14–18; and Key Leader (www.key-leader.org), a weekend leadership experience for students age 14–18.
Young adults. Circle K International (www.circlek.org) is the premiere university and college service organization in the world, with clubs on more than 500 campuses in 17 nations. In Europe, Kiwanis Junior gives young adults a chance to volunteer for their communities.
Adults living with disabilities. Aktion Club (www.aktionclub.org) is the only community service club for these adult citizens, providing members an opportunity to develop initiative and leadership skills in serving their communities, while enabling integration into society.
WHAT IS KEY LEADER?
Key Leader is a Kiwanis weekend leadership education program for high school students. Its mission is to provide a life-changing experience that inspires young people to achieve their personal best through service leadership. Key Club members and nonmembers can attend this inspiring leadership weekend. Register at www.key-leader.org.
WHAT IS KEY CLUB WEEK?
Key Club Week is usually the first week of November, which is also Kiwanis Family Month. During Key Club Week, clubs are encouraged to spread the word about Key Club by participating in themed days. This includes inviting friends to meetings, planning special service projects and promoting each club’s activities locally.
WHAT ARE DISTRICTÂ CONVENTIONS?
At district conventions, which happen each spring, Key Club members elect new student leaders, learn new service projects, meet other Key Club members and attend interesting workshops. Each district convention is held annually and usually lasts two days.
ARE THERE ANY MINIMUMS FOR INVOLVEMENT IN A KEY CLUB?
Many clubs utilize a point system in which members earn points for attending meetings and projects. A best practice is the 50-hour rule: Every Key Club member should be willing to undertake 50 hours of service each year. (Throughout the organization, millions of service hours are volunteered annually.)
THE CLUB MEMBERSHIP FORM ASKS FOR MEMBER NAMES AND MAILING ADDRESSES. WILL KEY CLUB SELL OR RENT THESE TO OTHER PARTIES?
No. The membership database is for the exclusive use of Kiwanis International's Key Club team and Key Club International. It will only be used to mail organization and benefit information to members under the control of Key Club and Kiwanis.