When most of think of Key Club, they never think past the club here at Immaculata La-Salle, but in reality it’s something bigger than that. Key Club is a long-standing, international volunteer organization that is the original, largest organization for high school students actively participating in service-based volunteer projects worldwide. Founded in 1925 by Kiwanis International, Key Club promotes the development of character, kindness, and inclusion through encouraging high school students to perform community service. Participating in service-based, hands-on projects such as organizing a food drive or leading a local neighborhood cleanup project provides students with valuable experience to satisfy the number of service hours required for graduation.

Yara Bahhur, an 11th grade student at The Cushman School and a member of Key Club, explained, “Key Club inspires us to serve with purpose and drives us to volunteer more, give more, and grow into stronger leaders through every act of kindness.” Many of Yara’s fellow club members share her sentiments about joining Key Club to help make a difference to others.

The structured organization and flexible framework provided by Key Club support students who wish to work towards providing for their communities through service-oriented projects.

Furthermore, 11th grade student at The Cushman School, Victoria Ballestas emphasizes the two advantages of participation. She says, “I joined Key Club because it lets me be involved in service while also connecting with students who want to help others. It does help me earn service hours, but I really value the community it creates. Instead of volunteering alone, we work together on projects that support people and improve our school, and my goal is to be part of efforts that bring students together and make a real difference.”

The fact that Key Club is present in more than 38 nations shows how popular it is everywhere and how young people’s desire to make a positive impact on the world never goes away.