Key Club International

KIWANIS YOUTH PROGRAMS IS A SUBSIDIARY OF KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL AND EXISTS TO DELIVER PROGRAMS FOR K-12 STUDENTS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICE, BUILD CHARACTER AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP.

KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL (KCI) - A MAJOR FOCUS OF KIWANIS YOUTH PROGRAMS (KYP) IS LEADERSHIP EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THROUGH THE MANY EFFORTS OF STAFF, THE TRAINING MEETINGS, AND THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS PRODUCED, THE STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN LIFE-LONG SERVICE LEADERSHIP SKILLS. MEMBERS OF KCI LEARN SUCH SKILLS BY PARTICIPATING IN LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS, PERFORMING COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES THROUGH THEIR LOCAL KCI CLUB AND SPONSORING KIWANIS CLUB, LEADING THE ORGANIZATION ON A MEMBER-ELECTED BOARD, WORKING AS OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR LOCAL KEY CLUB CLUBS, WORKING WITH OTHER ADULTS IN SPONSORING KIWANIS CLUBS, AND RECEIVING LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE MATERIALS PROVIDED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION. MANY MATERIALS AND EDUCATION MEETINGS HELP TO WALK STUDENTS THROUGH THE STEPS OF SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ORDER TO ENVISION, ENLIST, EMBODY, EMPOWER, EVALUATE, AND ENCOURAGE. STUDENTS LEARN THAT TRUE LEADERSHIP IS BASED ON SERVANT LEADERSHIP, WHICH REQUIRES LEADERS TO PUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS FIRST, AND TO REALIZE THAT NO MATTER WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A TITLE, THERE IS ALWAYS A NEED FOR SERVICE TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE WORLD. MANY KCI PROGRAMS TAKE MEMBERS OF KCI THROUGH ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE PROJECTS TOGETHER - GAINING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER SERVICE-MINDED ADULTS. KCI CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADING ORGANIZATION IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND A LARGE PORTION OF THAT DEVELOPMENT IS THE CREATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF LEADERSHIP HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS. KCI PROVIDES A LEADERSHIP GUIDE FOR ALL OFFICERS OF EACH OF THEIR CLUBS AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT HELP WITH PRODUCING SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL SERVICE PROJECTS. IN ADDITION, KCI PUBLISHES OTHER MATERIALS DURING THE YEAR FOR ALL OF ITS MEMBERS THAT CONTAINS EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE LEADERSHIP AND PERFORMING CHARITABLE SERVICE TO THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES.

KEY LEADER (KL) - ANOTHER FOCUS OF KIWANIS YOUTH PROGRAMS (KYP) IS LEADERSHIP EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOP FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. ATTENDANCE IS OPEN TO ANY INTERESTED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT THAT PAYS THE APPLICABLE REGISTRATION FEE. MOST ATTENDEES ARE MEMBERS OF KEY CLUB. THROUGH THIS WORKSHOP, THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN AND THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS PROVIDED, THE STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN LIFE-LONG SERVICE LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN A WEEKEND CAMP SETTING. ATTENDEES OF KL LEARN SUCH SKILLS BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES AT THESE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS. ATTENDEES ARE SPONSORED BY LOCAL KIWANIS CLUBS, KIWANIS DISTRICTS, SCHOOLS, OR PARENTS. THE WORKSHOPS ARE PROFESSIONALLY-LED AND ALLOW ATTENDEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE LEADERSHIP, SELF-ESTEEM AND TEAM BUILDING. EACH WORKSHOP IS ADULT-LED AND SUPERVISED. MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL KIWANIS CLUBS AND HOSTING KIWANIS DISTRICT SUPPORT THE WORKSHOP WITH CHAPERONES AND FUNDS. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED TO ALL ATTENDEES TO BE USED DURING THE WEEKEND AND ALSO AS A REFERENCE UPON COMPLETION OF THE EVENT.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION - THE ANNUAL KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL (KCI) CONVENTION TAKES PLACE IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR. IT BRINGS TOGETHER AS MANY AS 1,500 YOUNG ADULTS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE TO LEARN SERVICE AND SOCIAL SKILLS FROM OTHER MEMBERS. IT ALLOWS THE MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE FROM OTHER CITIES, STATES, AND COUNTRIES WITHIN THE KCI ORGANIZATION, TO CELEBRATE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THE PAST YEAR AND TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE SERVICE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION. WORKSHOPS AND OTHER TRAINING SESSIONS ARE CONDUCTED TO TRAIN THE MEMBERS ON SERVICE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION, THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION (BOARD OF DIRECTORS) IS ELECTED DURING THIS ANNUAL MEETING AND LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TAKE PLACE TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL BYLAWS, WHICH ARE SUBSEQUENTLY RATIFIED BY THE ADULT KIWANIS YOUTH PROGRAMS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION WAS NOT HELD IN 2021.