Questions Pertaining to General Key Club Facts:

What is a term?

A term starts starts after the retirement of the old board and starts during installation at District Convention and lasts until the next year's District Convention. During this time, the new elected/appointed officers take office. This includes new goals, faces, and more. District Convention is usually held around March/April. Each term may differ in time lengths.

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 260,000 members in approximately 5,000 clubs. Key Club is represented in 37 countries.

Where is Key Club?

The International Office is in Indianapolis, Indiana, at 3636 Woodview Trace.
Key Club is represented in 37 nations:

 - Antigua and Barbuda              - Hungary

 - Aruba                                         - Italy

 - Australia                                    - Jamaica

 - Bahamas                                    - Japan

 - Barbados                                    - Malaysia

 - Bermuda                                    - Martinique

 - Brazil                                          - New Caledonia

 - Canada                                       - New Zealand

 - Cayman Islands                        - Panama

 - China                                          - Philippines

 - Colombia                                    - Singapore

 - Costa Rica                                  - South Korea

 - Curacao                                      - St. Lucia

 - Dominica                                    - Taiwan

 - Ecuador                                      - Thailand

 - England                                      - Trinidad and Tobago

 - Germany                                    - Turks and Caicos Islands

 - Guadeloupe                               - United Arab Emirates

 - Guyana                                       - United States of America                      

What is the history of Key Club?

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. 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 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 is 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 provide fundraising support for each of these groups.

What is the Kiwanis family?

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.

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 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, exclusively for middle and junior high school students ages 12–14; Key Club, the largest high school service club in the world for ages 14–18; and Key Leader, a weekend leadership experience for students ages 14–18.

 - Young adults. Circle K International is the premiere university and college service organization in the world, with clubs on over 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 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.

 - Celebrate Kiwanis family during Kiwanis Family Month in November. 

How much are member dues?

Key Club International’s annual dues are $7.00. In addition, each district charges a varying amount for annual dues. Find out what your district dues are here.