Key Club, along with numerous other Seneca Valley clubs, began only a couple weeks ago. Many students have already joined this group, but many other have not heard about it.

Run by Mrs. McLachlan, Mrs. Williams, and Mrs. Sibeto, this organization branches off from the service organization known as Kiwanis International Club. Kiwanis, located in over 80 nations, encompasses several other organizations that each target a specific group of people. In this case, Key Club focuses on teenagers becoming involved in their community to provide service to others.

This service club gives students the opportunity to earn service hours by organizing events that students can sign up for and attend. These events range from helping younger children at baseball games to working at fundraisers for events such as the homecoming parade. When students work at these events, they earn service hours.

Rhea Kudtarkar, a member of Key Club, said, “Key Club helps you to earn service hours, which is helpful in applying to colleges, but it’s a lot of fun to help the community with your friends.”

Additional hours can be earned through attending meetings after school, which are usually every other week on Wednesdays. They end at 4:30, so students can ride the activity bus home.

The meetings allow students to learn of the service opportunities that are offered. Attendance to every meeting is mandatory, and a viable excuse must be given to one of the teachers involved or the president, Teresa Leatherow. Meetings work on a system of strikes, with each student being given two chances per semester. Should a student miss a meeting or an event he or she signed up for, he or she gets a strike. Each strike that is not used can be exchanged for two hours of service.

This year, a minimum service hour requirment has been set. Through meetings and events, each student must earn 25 hours per semester, totalling to 50 for the year. While every meeting and event is not required to meet this minimum, students are encouraged to serve as often as they can.

Service hours from outside sources can also be used to get to the 25 hour minimum. The corresponding form has been added to the SVSD Key Club page, though the supervisor or sponsor must sign this form.

Other requirements also need to be met in order to retain membership. All students must be drug tested for the 2013-2014 school year. If a student has not been drug tested, he or she can ask to be put on the random drug testing list at the office, or ask for the dates of future drug tests. Additionally, students must pay an activity fee to be a part of this club, unless the student is capped out.