By Ethan Schmidt, Key Club International trustee

The unrefuted best week of the year is near: Key Club Week! This November 6-10, Key Club members will participate in five themed days of service, appreciation, inclusion and community, with each day helping to make Key Club a household name. Check out these three districts that take Key Club Week traditions to the next level! 

Key Club Week Traditions  

Jamaica District: It’s no surprise that Key Club Week in the Jamaica District is a huge deal. From creating scavenger hunts for members “daring” to participate in Wednesday’s “Dare to Share” theme (at Campion College Key Club), to participating in local parades and school-wide rallies (at Convent of Mercy Academy “Alpha” Key Club), to even filming and directing promotional videos for each day of Key Club Week (at Wolmer’s Girls School Key Club), rest assured that every day during Key Club Week will be jam-packed with fun and service. Look no further than the Jamaica District to get pumped up!  

Florida District: Florida District Board members pitched in to create a video thanking advisors for their hard work. Coral Reef High School took engagement to the next level by having members design and decorate “K” cutouts in honor of Monday’s “Show your K” theme. The Key Club of William H. Turner Technical Arts High School took “Dare to Share” to Instagram, highlighting the different cultures, intentions and goals shared by their members.  

New York District: Brooklyn Tech High School Key Club took “Random Acts of Kindness” to new heights by challenging members to write notes of encouragement and hand them to strangers. Bronx High School of Science Key Club used Monday’s “Show your K” theme to promote Key Club with signage and liaisons manned at club expo stations. Valley Stream South Key Club “connected the Ks” on social media through promoting which branches of the Kiwanis family each member intended to join.

Start Planning your Key Club Week  

Whether this is your first, fourth or even fifth Key Club Week, strive to make it the best. The best way to ensure a smooth week full of celebration is to prepare in advance — don’t hesitate to start planning with your clubs now. Include everyone in conversation about service projects, shindigs and spirit wear. Brainstorm avenues to use your club’s budget for any supplies needed to deck out your school in Key Club’s colors. Consult your school’s administration on drafting announcements for the weeks leading up to Key Club week. At a roadblock trying to come up with ideas for Key Club Week? Here are a few to get the ball rolling!  

Monday: “Show your K”  

  • Design a sticker or button centered around the Kiwanis family. Pass them out before/after school, lunch and club meetings. Wear them to stand in solidarity with Key Club International.  
  • Choose a T-shirt (blank or Key Club-related) to wear to school and ask members to sign it.  
  • Create a “K” cutout and position it at your school’s entrance. Have students pose with the “K” as they walk in.  
  • Design a social media post for your school’s Key Club account. Add graphics and symbols that are meaningful to your club and represent Key Club as a whole. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #KeyClubWeek.  
  • Host a giveaway/competition for Key Club apparel. 

Tuesday: “Invite and Include”  

  • Host a cultural appreciation event at your school through Key Club. Have participants bring food, cultural dress, games and other interactive tools. 
  • Devise a taskforce of members to invite a quota of non-Key Club members as guests to a service project.  
  • Write a survey for students to fill out with questions they may have for Key Club. Use your school’s announcements to address those questions or reach out to the participants personally.  
  • Hold a competition in your club to see who can invite the most non-club members to an after-school meeting, where you’ll show the guests how Key Club runs. Create a log sheet asking all attendees to indicate who invited them. Think of a prize for the member with the most attendees.  
  • Pass out appreciation cards during the day to students. Include the idea that they are always welcome in Key Club. 

Wednesday: “Dare to Share”  

  • Create a “stats” template for all Key Club members to fill out, including their information and background. Post the template on social media.  
  • Take testimonials from members on how Key Club impacts their daily lives, identities, etc.   
  • Hold a conversation on diversity, equity and inclusion in your club.  
  • Invite community leaders from organizations/institutions your club has partnered with in the past or plans on partnering with. Give them the floor at a club meeting to speak about how Key Club helps them.  
  • Plan a mini expo on your Key Club’s partners and charities during a lunch or free period.    

Thursday: “Random Acts of Kindness”  

  • Divide your clubs into teams and aid the custodial staff at your school by accomplishing janitorial tasks. This can include picking up trash in the hallways, sweeping the lunchroom floor, wiping down tables and vacuuming your teachers’ rooms.  
  • Direct and edit a video with testimonials from past Key Club members thanking your school’s advisors for the hard work they put into Key Club.  
  • Write notes for teachers thanking them for their hard work.  
  • Fill out a roulette wheel with each piece outlining a service idea. Let each member spin and receive a service project. Post the project results on your club’s social media.  
  • Help out at a local food bank.  

Friday: “Connect the Ks”  

  • Plan a breakfast, luncheon or dinner with your sponsoring Kiwanis club.  
  • Hold a Kiwanis family rally at a local park or public space. Invite members from K-Kids, Builders Club, Circle K International, Aktion Club and Kiwanis. 
  • Visit your local middle school’s Builders Club and design bookmarks with members, who can pass them out to students.  
  • Create a custom hashtag that connects your community’s Kiwanis family.  
  • Team up with Circle K International to visit elementary schools and read to classes.  

Are You Ready?  

Don’t miss out on all the fun! Celebrate Key Club Week with Key Club International this November 6-10. Use #KeyClubWeek to highlight your feats on social media! We can’t wait to see how your club chooses to spend the best week of the year!