After Key Club

Written By: Joseph Carbonneau | Division 10 LTG

For a lot of Key Club members, high school service becomes a big part of who they are. Between weekly meetings, volunteering at events, fundraising, and district conferences, it is easy to build strong memories and even stronger friendships. As graduation gets closer, a common question starts to come up: what happens after Key Club? 

The truth is, service doesn’t stop just because high school does. 

One of the best ways to continue the Key Club experience is through Circle K International, the collegiate branch of the Kiwanis Family. Circle K is made up of college students who want to stay involved in service, leadership, and fellowship while adjusting to life on a college campus. In many ways, it feels familiar to Key Club, but with new opportunities that come with being in college. 

A big change after high school is learning how to find your place in a new environment. College can be exciting, but also overwhelming at first. New classes, new people, and a completely different routine can easily make one feel disconnected. Joining an organization such as Circle K can help with that transition. It gives students an immediate community of people who already share similar values and interests. 

Circle K members take part in a wide range of service projects. Some clubs focus on local community outreach, while others partner with food banks, schools, hospitals, or campus organizations. Members have the chance to take on leadership roles, plan events, and attend conferences where they meet other students from across their district and beyond. For students coming from Key Club, many of these opportunities feel like a continuation of what they already know, just at a new level. 

As Division 10 Lieutenant Governor in Georgia Key Club, I’ve seen how much impact service can have on students not just in their schools, but in their personal growth. Key Club teaches us how to lead, how to work with others, and how to care about something bigger than ourselves. Circle K builds on those same values in a college setting, helping students keep growing instead of starting over. 

Another important part of Circle K is that it keeps you connected to the Kiwanis Family. The same values that guide Key Club: leadership, character building, and caring. Even if you're still deciding where you’ll go to college or what your plans look like, it’s worth looking into whether your future school has a Circle K International chapter. Most colleges and universities have active clubs, and they are always open to new members who want to get involved. 

Key Club may be coming to an end for seniors, but the impact it leaves behind doesn’t disappear. The skills you’ve learned, the people you’ve met, and the service you’ve done all carry forward into whatever comes next. Circle K International is simply one way to keep that going. 

So as you finish your Key Club journey, don’t think of it as the end of service. Think of it as the start of the next chapter!