Key Club is a service organization for high school students, which operates under school regulations and draws its membership from the student body.  Key Club differs from other organizations in many ways.  Key Club is unique because it is sponsored by a local Kiwanis club, composed of the leading business and professional people of the community.  Key Club's objective is the development of initiative, leadership ability, and good citizenship practices.  Key Club is different because it functions not only on the local level, but on a district and international level.  This highly developed structure provides programs, literature, and the opportunity to relate to teenagers from countries all around the world.  Key Club is the largest service organization of its kind with over 160,000 members in approximately 4,200 clubs.

History

   The first Key Club was sponsored in May 1925 at Sacramento High School in California by the Kiwanis club of Sacramento.  The original concept was to develop a vocational guidance program aimed to combat the problems of student fraternities.  Fron this evolved the idea of a service organization for the home, school and community.

    This idea slowly spread throughout the country, and by 1939, Florida has a sufficient number of Key Clubs functioning to hold a state convention and form a district.  Other districts followed Florida's lead, and finally in 1943, a national organization was started.  In 1946 the first club in Canada was formed.  Also, to establish a strong foundation, the Key Club International Constitution and Bylaws were adopted during that same year.  Today there are clubs in Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles, Philippines, Republic of China, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States, Colombia, Bermuda, Panama, and New Caledonia.

Kiwanis Support

   Each Key Club must have a sponsoring Kiwanis club.  The members of the Kiwanis clubs are dedicated to seeing that Key Clubs are active and thriving.  They spend a great deal of time and energy on Key Clubs' behalf to insure a successful program.  There is also a district and international level of Kiwanis that is pledged to the support of Key Clubs.  Kiwanians on all three levels are valuable sources of information, wisdom, and insight.  Finally, there is an International Office in Indianapolis, Indiana, devoted to Key Clubbers' needs.  The International Office serves as a clearning house for Key Club information, keeps the records, handles the correspondence, provides effective liaison between Key Clubs and Kiwanis, conducts the annual International Convention, and handles the organization's international publication -- Keynoter

Dues

   Like most worthwhile organizations, Key Club costs money.  Key Club International annual dues are just a few dollars per member.   Through these dues each Key Clubber receives seven issues of the official publication - Keynoter, an official membership/theme emphasis card, a Key Club Manual (one free per club), a wealth of literature (from the role of the faculty advisor and welcoming new members to training new officers and suggestions for Key Club Week), a chartering service for new clubs, and many, many other srvices.

    There are also individual dues for the district organization.   Some clubs charge club dues.