Frequently Asked Questions
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What is Key Club?
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Oakland Tech Key Club is a high school service organization sponsored by Kiwanis International. Key Club assists Kiwanis in carrying out its mission to serve the children of the world. Our Key Club members perform acts of service in their communities, such as cleaning up the bay, and helping events that is in need of volunteers. Members also learn leadership skills by running meetings, planning projects and holding elected leadership positions at the club, district and international levels. Key Club gives you the opportunity to lead and meet new people in your community and around the world.​
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During the 2010- 2012 year, Cali-Nev-Ha worked on Project SHINE--- bringing light into someone's life through helping children with special needs. Key Club does not only work on one project. During 2011- 2012, the Cali-Nev-Ha District raised over $125,000 for Pediatric Trauma Prevention. At international levels, we are partnered with UNICEF, March of Dimes, and Children's Miracle Network.
In 2008, Key Club members raise more than $1.3 million to fight HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. In 2009-10 Key Club and the Kiwanis family raised almost $1.8 million for Children's Miracle Network and their affiliated hospitals.
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Key Club doesn’t just stop in high school, it carries on through your life. After high school, there is Circle K, which in a quick summary is like the college version of Key Club. In 2007, Circle K helped raise $500,000 for UNICEF in efforts to help children around the world who do not have access to clean drinking water. After Circle K, many members go on to join Kiwanis, as adults. Kiwanis serve children around the world through UNICEF and directly through community service and encouraging youth leadership and service. As a global project in coordination with UNICEF, members and clubs contributed more than $80 million toward the global elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), the leading preventable cause of mental retardation.

In our efforts to help Key Clubbers not only learn the value of service, we also want to set them on the road to college and promote a smooth transition from Key Club to Circle K, we invite UC Berkeley Circle K members to join our meetings and speak about their experiences in Key Club, Circle K, and College Life/ the Application Process.

We encourage all students to join!
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What makes Key Club different from other service organizations? Why should I join?
We all have one amazing goal--- to provide service for our community and change the world. No service club is better than another, and each has it's own, unique aspects. We highly recommend that students join all the service clubs and find the one that is best fit for them!

Here are some of the common differences between Key Club and other service organizations:
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Key club offers programs in a professional environment and connections
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We're like a second family!
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Key Club is one of the few organizations that actually is a student-led organization from top to bottom. That means the members elect the officers at club and international levels.
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We have multiple global focuses, such as, but not limited to: UNICEF, March of Dimes, Pediatric Trauma Program, and Children's Miracle Network.
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Our main focus is to serve the children of our world.
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We are VERY WELL KNOWN, even on international levels!
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Key Club International is the oldest, largest, and most successful non-profit student-led organization for high school students.
What are dues for?
• Key Club Insurance!
• Leadership management and development resources, including the leadership handbook planners sent annually to each club
• Member’s subscription to Key Club magazine, published twice a year
• Club service grants
• Ability to attend leadership conferences and conventions
• Service partner program materials and additional project opportunities Online video magazine, highlighting Key Club service and leadership stories Marketing materials, including brochures, posters, and PR tools
• Meeting management tools, including the Make your Meetings Move booklet
• For new members only: member pin, membership card and handbook
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Why pay dues?
​By paying your dues, you become an official member, meaning that you are eligible for the Kiwanis scholarship as well as other wonderful opportunities! You can also legally write about Key Club on your college apps!
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How do I check my hours?
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We are in the process of creating an online spreadsheet for members to check their hours; however, you can also email us at otkiwis@gmail.com, and we will reply ASAP with the hours you have completed.
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​How many service hours do Key Club members provide annually?
​Each Key Club member is expected to do at least 50 service hours per year, which equals more than 12 million hours of service annually!
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What is the Pediatric Trauma Program?
Pediatric Trauma, or unintentional injury, remains the leading cause of death among children ages 14 and under in the United States. More children die from unintentional injuries than all other childhood diseases combined. In addition, injury results in the deaths of approximately fifteen children per day in our country. Many of these deaths can be prevented!
The main goald of this program is to prevent and reduce the number of children who are injured or killed by this trauma.

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What is the YES Campaign?
The YES! Initiative provides flexible support for the most pressing, ongoing priorities of the Cal-Nev-Ha Children’s Fund. The YES! Initiative ensures that all District student leaders are able to attend District Board meetings and other leadership training conferences regardless of their family’s financial situation, provides scholarships to our Circle K, Key Club, and KIWIN’S members, and awards grants to Kiwanis clubs, which helps them make a difference in children’s lives and their communities!

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If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us at: otkiwis@gmail.com.
