Discover > History & Timeline
Key Club’s history
The first Key Club formed in 1925 in Sacramento, California with 11 charter members. Key Club was the idea of two Sacramento Kiwanis club members, Albert C. Olney and Frank C. Vincent, who also were high school administrators. They approached their Kiwanis club with the idea of starting a junior service club in the high school. It would resemble Kiwanis, have its own classifications based on school interests and hold luncheon meetings.
The 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.
Soon, the club that started out as a vocational guidance program expanded to become a complete service organization for the whole school. It also offered a social aspect to balance its service activities.
Today, Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students in the world. It has more than 250,000 members in 5,000 clubs in 30 countries. Check out a timeline of important dates in the organization’s long history or read the Key Club story.
Hover over the red dates to view pictures:
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1925
The first Key Club meets at Sacramento High School in California
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1939
Florida association forms, becoming the first Key Club district -
1943
Key Club movement achieves “International” designation. Delegates to the first Key Club convention formally vote to form the International Association of Key Clubs, electing Malcolm Lewis the first president.
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1946
In New Orleans, Louisiana, 250 delegates to the 3rd Annual Key Club International Convention adopt a new constitution and bylaws. Major Emphasis Program “Children: Their Future, Our Focus” is developed. -
1946
May - The first issue of the Keynoter magazine is published.
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1946
December - The first Key Club Week is observed. -
1952
December - The 1,000th club is chartered. -
1956
In Washington, D.C., the 14th Annual Key Club International Convention features a “boyish popular” U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. When the soon-to-be U.S. president enters the convention hall, delegates storm him with banners bearing his state’s name.
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1967
May - The first Key Club outside the United States and Canada is chartered, at Nassau, Bahamas. -
1968
2,610 members attend the international convention. -
1977
Female students are admitted into Key Club. -
1987
Kiwanis allows females to become members.
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1991
Michelle McMillen becomes the first female member to be elected Key Club president.
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1992
Key Club’s membership reaches 146,972 members in 4,013 clubs in 17 nations. -
1997
Key Club launches its first website. -
1998
October - Key Clubs raise more than $1.2 million for UNICEF to fight iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) -
1998
The first Key Club strategic plan is developed. -
1999
Membership tops the 200,000 mark. -
2000
Key Club celebrates its 75th anniversary. -
2005
Key Club’s membership reaches 243,422 members. -
2008
Key Club members raise more than $1.3 million to fight HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. -
2010
Key Club exists in 30 countries, with membership of over 250,000 in over 5,000 clubs.
