Adolescent stage is not complete without being an integral part of a school club. It is the perfect time to build your social self while slowly discovering your identity. Despite the vibrant array of opportunities in front, you may still feel some void within. Maybe because you are not in the right network of people, are you?
If you plan to venture into an avenue of self-growth and social involvement, you would ultimately love to be a volunteer for Key Club. Perhaps you are thinking right now: what is Key Club, and why should you join?
Like other organizations that uphold social commitment and community engagement, Key Club aims to render social cause and catalyze change while building character, leadership skills, and camaraderie among its roster of volunteers. If that is not enough to convince you, read on to learn its mission, vision, and core values.
What is the Purpose of the Key Club?
What is the Purpose of the Key Club?Key Club International is an organization that aims to promote companionship and character development among high school students through service-oriented community development and global volunteerism. It provides avenues of leadership and patriotism to bridge the practical gaps that are less tackled at schools.
Primarily, the organization is committed to instilling social initiative and personal development among aspiring servant leaders in pursuit of transforming communities globally. The organization also stands on the ground of inclusivity, care for people, and a positive self-image.
The club’s genesis mushroomed from the idea of Kiwanis Club members in the personas of Alber Olney and Frank Vincent to ratify a junior group that resembles their motives but with their own codes, which took place in Sacramento, California, in 1925 with 11 original charter members. It is technically an umbrella project organization of the Kiwanis Club as a parent union that centralizes on children’s welfare and protection.
Creating fervent school spirit through a vocational guidance program was the blueprint of this cause until it translated into a fully pledged schoolwide service organization. Key Club was coined after the “key boys” first participated in this movement. At this time, it is the biggest and oldest service-driven high school organization in the whole wide world.
Core Values
- Leadership (Key Club activities like charity work and clean-up campaigns ignite leadership spirits, which you need to embody during these endeavors)
- Character Building (Organizational events train members to be meaningful constituents who strive to pioneer good causes for personal and social benefits)
- Caring (Providing service to people should be intrinsic and genuine, as care is the fountain of love and compassion)
- Inclusiveness (Diversity promotes active participation and willingness)
Primal Objectives
Key Club envisions a social fabric of learners and school administrators as valuable citizens in promoting a harmonious society where young leaders initiate, cooperate, and provide service to their network of influence that encompasses within and outside the school premise.
- Primacy of human and spiritual life, away from material values.
- Implication of the Golden Rule in human relations.
- Pursuing high standards in social contacts, scholarship, and sportsmanship.
- Develop moral values of aggressive, intelligent, and serviceable citizenship.
- Creating friendships that endure toward selfless service to build better communities.
- Vanguarding public opinion, which actively promotes nationalism, justice, and goodwill.
Who Can Join Key Club?
Key Club has championed non-discriminatory and inclusivity for years, thus ensuring the committee gladly receives all students who have the willingness to devote time and effort. If you wish to become a transformative youth leader and participate in the club, consider time management, responsibility, and accountability as crucial attributes to spend your time doing community services meaningfully.
Once you become an official member, you are expected to perform a minimum of 50 hours of combined service to your home, community, and school every year alongside being a high school student. There are no major Key Club requirements you need to be eligible for when sending an application as long as you are in high school with spare time to be an agent of community building.
Every student is valued and encouraged to participate given the abovementioned conditions of time devotion and genuine volunteerism. Nonetheless, mainly of those who decide to volunteer are top-performing students who can excellently ace the essay and interview screening during the application process.
It is indeed a hotspot of achievers who wish to apply to highly selective universities soon and gain relevant experience as an addition to their college resume. Overall, you must equip yourself with writing and public speaking skills before legally volunteering for a smooth membership acceptance.
7 Reasons Why You Should Join Key Club
Most high school students tend to spend more time on leisure and entertainment, which is never wrong because you need to live a life according to your preferences. However, most people do not realize that high school has the easiest and free access to valuable experiences that would leverage your future endeavors—that is why you need to become a part of the nearest Key Club from where you live.
People have dissenting opinions on what Key Club is all about. If you give it a shot, you will not lose anything, so sign up for membership now. Look at these substantial arguments for why you should join Key Club.
Discover Yourself. Become Limitless.
Key Club is impeccable for self-discovery because you will deal with many activities that will challenge your competence. You will learn to interact with people from all walks of life, thus requiring varied approaches in different situations that indeed delineate your strengths and weaknesses. Most active volunteers end up pursuing a specific program because of their experiences as a volunteer.
A Plus On Your Resume
When you plan to pursue a program at a prestigious university, a relevant experience is a major turn-on to application committees. It is helpful for high school students who want a fair chance of getting into a college by submitting a colorful resume. A year of experience is already a significant background that you can highlight.
Expand Your Network of People
You will never know the value of connections until you need one. Whenever you apply for a job, school, or any field, you need someone who can vouch for your skills. When you become a volunteer for Key Club, you will meet new friends from multicultural backgrounds. It will be an excellent opportunity to start building your professional network as early as now.
Interpersonal Communication
If you are someone who struggles to communicate with people, you need to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who will imprint a positive impact on your life. Interacting with kids as a volunteer teacher will elevate your ability to adapt to challenging situations. You will experience fun and exciting events, mostly unexpected.
Upskill
Experience is the best teacher. Once you are a part of the organization, you will attend numerous seminars with keynote speakers who are experts in different fields. It is free and easy access to the growth zone.
Spice Up Your High School Years
Do not just settle with pure academics if you aim to be holistic. Sometimes you get bored with attending classes. Find an avenue to channel your inner clown to break the monotony of studying. Key Club will give you one of the best experiences that you cannot have in other organizations.
Meet Famous People
Tom Cruise, Bill Clinton, and Brad Pitt were volunteers when they were in high school. You might get a slight chance to work with them for a drive. It is a good chance for you to get to know them should opportunities arise.
What are Some Key Club Activities?
Different districts have different projects. You cannot expect to do a particular task because the annual operating plan is based on the consensus of the chapter you belong to. Leaders can curtail a program that is most suited and relevant to specific communities, including the following:
- Volunteer Tutors Program
- Environmental Drive
- Food Drive
- Charity and Clothing
- Elderly Care
- Education Drive
Generally, Key Club International anchors its projects to the standardized Major Emphasis Program, Children: Their Future, Our Focus in collaboration with critical sponsors who participate in the completion of the program. Sponsors may donate and lend support of any kind and usually deploys employees to volunteer during a campaign. The following are some of the key stakeholders:
What Makes Key Club Different?
Key Club is not just a local club that spans its project within the area but rather a global collaborative initiative to connect high school students and make a change in the worldwide arena.
You will join other volunteers from other countries during international conventions and have a chance to become the organization’s chairman, who will spearhead the plans and direction.
Although it is a stand-alone club, other sister organizations will collaborate with the organization internally. As mentioned, Kiwanis Club is the parent org that overlooks the union at some point. Moreover, Circle K comprises a university student who regularly cooperates with Key Club.
In this case, the organization is not confined to its internal opportunities. High school students will benefit the most because they will absorb practical experience that is not common at a high school. These opportunities only come to those who are bold and fearless to face greater heights.
Key Club is relatively different from other organizations because it empowers mainly high school students and focuses on service, excellence, and comradeship that extends to international fronts while closely working with bigger groups.
What’s the Difference Between Key Club and Interact Club?
Key Club and Interact Club overlap in some aspects since both aim to create a better society to live in. However, their specific goals vary in the application area because Key Club centers on building a community, usually on local drives such as food and clothing. Meanwhile, Interact Club is inclined on the global scale of awareness and understanding, such as environmental clean up and Habitat for Humanity.
Key Club has the freedom to implement projects as long as they are approved by the committee and anchored in the organization’s mission. Members can also choose when to join as long as it meets the requirement of 50 combined hours annually. On the other hand, Interact Club has two primary community service drives every year—one of which is focused on the local scale.
Wrapping Things Up: What is Key Club and Why Should You Join?
Whether you are looking for a companion, wanting to build your character, or aching to learn new and exciting activities, Key Club got your back.
If you are still weighing out your circumstance, ask: what is Key Club, and why should I join? The answer is within you.
Tie up your laces and brace yourself for greener pasture. Are you up for the challenge?
Shy away from talent hold-backs for gone are the days of staying within the comfort zone. Do not dim your brightness; go and broaden your horizon.
