[7] In California, during the 1920s, adults were concerned with the pernicious side of high school fraternities and sought some means of replacing them with more wholesome activities for youth.

This occurred ten years before adult women were permitted to join the parent (sponsoring) organization, Kiwanis International.

During the same session, the delegation passed a resolution to change the phrase "...my nation and God..." to "...my nation and world..." in the Key Club Pledge; the Kiwanis Youth Programs Board of Directors, directed by the International Guidebook to review any votes from the House of Delegates, approved the changes.

In 2002 Key Club officially adopted "caring, character building, inclusiveness, and leadership" as the core values of the organization.

The organization maintains partnerships with UNICEF, AYUSA Global Youth Exchange, the March of Dimes, and Children's Miracle Network Telethon.

The three preferred charities of Key Club International are paramount to the organization's success in serving children.

Recently, the Kiwanis International has dedicated itself to eliminating the risk of Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the face of the earth.

The disease plagues mothers and newborns in 40 countries worldwide, and while an effective vaccine has been developed, MNT claims nearly 100,000 lives each year.

It is aimed at reducing childhood obesity and fighting a rising trend that appears to increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

It was decided that the freedom of selecting any project in keeping with the theme of "Children: Their Future, Our Focus" would allow for greater success for member clubs and their dedications to service.

The week has been designed to become the organization's primary membership drive worldwide with the belief that more members will translate to more service and even greater results in serving the children of the world.

Key Club exists on more than 5,000 high school campuses, primarily in the United States and Canada.

It has grown internationally to the Caribbean nations, Central and South America, and most recently to Asia and Australia.

Clubs exist in Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, England, Germany, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Hungary, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia, Martinique, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Panama, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, St. Lucia, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America.

The Executive District Board commonly includes the Governor, Secretary, Treasurer (or Secretary-Treasurer), and Editor.

Each District Board also includes one Lieutenant Governor per Division to serve the geographically smaller areas.

The lieutenant governor serves as a liaison between individual high school clubs in their division and the district board.

In addition to fulfilling the responsibilities of a Key Club member, lieutenant governors must also visit each of the clubs they serve, publish a monthly divisional newsletter, hold regular division council meetings or officer council meetings, collaborate with other lieutenant governors to organize training conferences, and keep in contact their with clubs, district executive board, and Kiwanis counterparts.

The lieutenant governor is responsible for oversight of, on average, 4–15 high school Key Clubs.

Depending on the procedures and bylaws of their respective district, one of the lieutenant governor's duties may be planning an election near the end of their term to determine their successor.

[11] During international elections, district-endorsed candidates (no more than 2 from each district) for IP, IVP, and IT caucus in district-based rooms, sharing their platform and taking questions.

Activities often include forums and workshops facilitated by district board members; awards and recognition ceremonies; a Governor's ball or banquet; a less formal dance; a keynote speaker; and several general sessions for remaining convention business.

Division elections may also include divisional committees or other leadership roles, again varying by each district's own bylaws or preferences.

In between club elections and the date that officers-elect assume their positions, there are district conferences or conventions where future officers can be trained and advised on how to best work in their upcoming role.