NHS Key Club

Article I: Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Niceville High School Key Club.

Article II: Organization
Section 1. Its form of organization, its ideals, and its purpose shall be similar to those of the Kiwanis Club of Niceville-Valparaiso.

Section 2. It shall be sponsored by, but not a part of, the Kiwanis Club of Niceville-Valparaiso.

Article III: Objects and Activities
Section 1. The objects of Key Club shall be to develop initiative, leadership, motivational and organizational skills. - Kiwanis Advisor

  • To serve the school and community.
  • To accept and promote the following ideals:
  • To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life.
  • To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships.
  • To promote the adoption and application of higher standards in scholarship,
  • sportsmanship, and social contacts.
  • To provide a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render unselfish service, and to build better communities.
  • To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which makes possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and good will.

Section 2. The activities of the Key Club shall be in accord with its Objects. The activities should include those suggested by Key Club International and the Florida District of Key Club and other activities adopted by Key Club and approved by the school principal.

Article IV: Motto, Mission Statement and Pledge
Section 1. The motto of Key Club shall be “Caring – Our Way of Life.”

Section 2. The Mission Statement of Key Club shall be “Key Club is an international student-led organization which provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership.

Section 3. The Key Club Pledge is:
I pledge, on my honor, to uphold the Objects of Key Club International; to build my home, school and community; to serve my nation and God; and combat all forces which tend to undermine these institutions.

Article V: Membership
Section 1. Membership shall be limited to the Niceville High School Students as apportioned from the senior, junior, sophomore and freshmen classes.

Section 2. Those scholastically qualified students, as prescribed in Section 1 of this Article, of their respective classes interested in service, with good character and leadership ability, and so certified by the principal, shall be eligible for membership.

Section 3. The selection process shall:
consist of a try-out period where applicants are observed working on community service projects.

  • keep track of the applicant’s community service hours.
  • Invite the applicants with the highest number of community service hours to a Key
  • Club / Kiwanian interview. Example: If Key has 30 freshmen trying out for 10 open positions, the freshmen with the highest number of community service hours with Key will be invited to the interview. New members will be selected from this group.
  • Attendance with parent or guardian at the beginning of year Key Brief

Section 4. The elimination process.
Kiwanis Club Sponsored Youth Committee shall have the power to suspend or dismiss a member from Key Club for:

  • non-payment of dues.
  • non-attendance at meetings without valid excuse.
  • conduct unbecoming a member.
  • ceasing to meet the scholastic requirements of the school.
  • not performing 5 hours of community service per month.
  • not achieving a minimum of 50 hours of community service by May 1st of the calendar year.
    • 15 hours will be required by September 1st (returning members only hours start from May 1st)
    • 30 hours ( 25 hours new members) will be required by November 29th
    • 40 hours will be required by January 30th
    • 50 hours will be required by May 1st
    • NOTE: Key Club Year runs from May 1st to May 1st of each year. Key Club International requires all Key Clubs close out the year and start a new Key Club year beginning May 1st.
  • non-attendance at mandatory events without a prior written valid excuse.
  • not paying all your debts (Boo / Valentine Grams, Pancake Breakfast tickets) to Key before May 1st
  • Mandatory events include, but are not limited to:
    • Kiwanis Tennis Tournament
    • Beginning of Year Key / Parent Briefing
    • Kiwanis Mullet Festival Fundraising Booth
    • Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast (All Key required to sell tickets)
    • Key Club Boo Grams (All Key required to sell tickets)
    • Key Club Valentine Grams (All Key required to sell tickets)
    • Start of year social.
    • Holiday social
    • End of year social.
    • Other events that the Key Officers, Faculty or Kiwanis Advisors deems necessary.
      If a member is dismissed during the current Key club year, they may try out again the following Key Club Year.

Section 5. Convention Attendance

  • The Florida District of Key Club Convention is a leadership training conference. Key Club Members must have 50 hours of community service by the registration date to attend convention.
  • Distinguished Officers
    Officer’s must have 75 hours of community service BEFORE March 1st in order to be designated a “Distinguished Officer”

Article VI: Officers

Section 1. Officers shall be president(s), vice-president, secretary, treasurer, editor (historian), and class director’s.

Section 2. Each officer shall be a member in good standing.

Article VII: Election of Officers
Section 1. Elections of new officers should be held at a meeting in February and the officer elects should take office before convention.

Section 2. All members who are members in good standing and who are in the top 50% of community service hours shall be eligible for election

Article VIII: Meetings
Section 1. Key Club should hold meetings twice a month at such time and place as shall be determined by the club with the approval of the principal. Officer meetings will be held prior to the club meeting.

Article IX: Dues
Dues shall be $40 per member which covers district dues, international dues, club dues and t-shirt.

Article X: Awards and Scholarships
Section 1. The Niceville-Valparaiso Kiwanis Club Scholarship Committee will determine who will receive an endowed scholarship. Kiwanis endowed scholarships are managed by Okaloosa Walton College. Applications and information may be picked up at the OWC financial aid office.

Section 2. The Niceville-Valparaiso Kiwanis Club Sponsored Youth Committee will determine who will receive an award.

  • Awards may be given out at the end of the school year if Kiwanis has money left over from the Sponsored Youth Committee Budget set aside for Key Club.
  • Award type and amount of money, if any, will be determined by the Kiwanis Sponsored Youth Committee.
  • Factors the Kiwanis Sponsored Youth Committee should consider for an award may be based on but not limited to:
    • The number of hours of community service.
    • Attendance level.
    • Overall contribution to Key Club.
    • Positive impact on other club members.
    • Observations of the individual by Kiwanians and others at community service events and club meeting.