K-Kids in your Community
This is K-Kids
KKids is the newest and fastest growing service organization for elementary students worldwide. This student-led community-service club operates under school regulations and draws its members from the student body ranging in age from six to 12 years. A K-Kids club also can be formed as a community-based club in a non-educational facility, such as a community center, library, Boys Club, Girls Club, YMCA, YWCA, or church. Today, in addition to the US, there are clubs in Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia, Martinique, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Trinidad and Tobago. K-Kids is unique because a Kiwanis club, composed of the leading business and professional people of the community, serves as the club s sponsor. K-Kids members work with positive adult role models and participate in group activities that promote self-esteem and respect of school and community. K-Kids members are provided with the opportunity to develop positive self-esteem, listening and speaking skills, leadership abilities, and respect for elders, peers, community, and country. K-KIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY 1
History KKids was started in Florida, where the 1998-99 Kiwanis Florida District governor, Lamar Fisher, developed the program. Lamar felt there was a strong need for a sponsored youth program in the elementary school system. Between the ages of six to 12, students are very impressionable. Involvement in a program that instills a sense of belonging and promotes positive self-esteem and respect for others is crucial at this stage. Difficult issues facing students in this age group include: Development of self-image Dealing with peer pressure Desire to be productive and useful Forming and keeping friendships Development of views regarding fairness, injustice, and social evils Core Values Core values serve as guiding principles for an organization and its membership. All projects and activities should point back to one of these values in order for any organization to be true to its mission. K-Kids Core Values Character Building Inclusiveness Caring Leadership K-Kids Vision To develop competent, capable, and caring leaders through the vehicle of service. K-Kids Mission K-Kids is an international student led club providing its members with opportunities to perform service, build character, and develop leadership. 2
K-Kids Motto and Objects The K-Kids motto is We Build. The objectives of K-Kids are stated in the K-Kids Bylaws: To provide opportunities for working together in service to school and community; To develop leadership potential; To foster development of a strong, moral character; and To encourage loyalty to school, community, and nation. The K-Kids pledge: As a K-Kid, I promise to serve my neighborhood and my school, I will show respect toward my environment, and I will try to make the world a better place in which to live. K-Kids clubs are sponsored by a Kiwanis club consisting of adults from the business community joining together for fellowship and community service. K-Kids accept the same ideals adopted by Kiwanis. The Kiwanis Objects: 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 social, business and professional standards. To develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship. 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 goodwill. K-Kids Club Sponsorship A K-Kids club is a jointly sponsored activity between an elementary school or equivalent educational facility and a Kiwanis club. Circle K and Key Clubs can serve as co-sponsors. Together, educators, community leaders, and parents provide the interactive support for the K-Kids club functioning. A K-Kids club also can be formed as a community-based club in a non-educational facility, such as a community center, library, Boys Club, Girls Club, YMCA, YWCA, or church. All the same club-building steps apply to the community-based club. The only difference is that the sponsoring Kiwanis club works with management of the facility rather than school administration. The facility manager assumes the role of school principal, and a staff member assumes the role of faculty advisor. The chairman of the sponsoring Kiwanis club s committee on K-Kids approaches the elementary school about forming a K-Kids club. After an agreement is confirmed to build the club, the school principal then appoints a faculty advisor to serve as the school representative of the K-Kids club. It is the faculty advisor who becomes the primary advisor for the club, attending meetings and projects, counseling club officers, committee chairmen, and members. Visit the K-Kids Web site at www.kkids.org to find an Advisor Resource Guide with helpful information about conducting club business. K-KIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY3
The Kiwanis club designates a Kiwanis advisor to work with the K-Kids club, attending meetings and projects and counseling the club in its activities. The Kiwanis advisor can be an important link to the local business community by encouraging Kiwanis club and community support of the K-Kids club and its activities. The Kiwanis club provides advisory and financial support for the K-Kids club. In agreeing to sponsor a K-Kids club, the Kiwanis club commits to the following requirements: Appoint a Kiwanis advisor to the club and ensure he/she receives adequate orientation. Ensure Kiwanis members attend every meeting. Maintain an expense line item in the Kiwanis club s service account to support the activities of the club. Meet with the school principal before the beginning of the school year. Ensure that dues are paid for every member of the club. Ensure club officers receive proper training following election. Conduct a planning session involving the leadership of both clubs. Host or participate in joint activities involving membership of both clubs. Invite two members to attend every regular Kiwanis meeting. Co-Sponsoring a K-Kids Club Involvement of high school and/or university students Elementary-aged students often look to high school and university students as role models. The impact of a role model is magnified when the high school/ university student shares many of the same interests and values as the younger, impressionable, elementary-age student. The development of this relationship into a continuing, positive mentorship is a likely outcome when a Key Club member (high school student) or Circle K member (university student) establishes an ongoing relationship with a K-Kids club. This relationship can develop in several ways. The ideal situation is for the Key Club/Circle K club to register with Kiwanis International as a co-sponsor along with the sponsoring Kiwanis club. This provides the Key Club/Circle K club with all K-Kids club mailings, but most important, the Key Club/Circle K club establishes the right and responsibility to fulfill the obligations of sponsorship, the same obligations agreed to by the sponsoring Kiwanis club when chartering the K-Kids club. These obligations include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Attendance at K-Kids club board of directors and general meetings. 2. Responsibility to assist with the training of K-Kids club officers. 3. Participation in joint service and fund-raising projects. 4. Host K-Kids club members at Key Club meetings, projects, and activities as allowed by both schools policies. 5. Inter-club with the K-Kids as allowed by both schools policies. 4 Visit the K-Kids Web site at www.kkids.org to find a special resource guide for sponsoring Kiwanis clubs and designated Kiwanis advisors.
If co-sponsorship is not an option, the Key Club/Circle K club may establish a relationship with the K-Kids Club by: 1. Conducting an officer- and member-training conference. 2. Establishing a buddy system between Kiwanis, Key Club/Circle K and K-Kids officers. 3. Set-up a special K-Kids-Key Club/Circle K section at an athletic event, concert, theatrical performance, speech meet, etc. 4. Coach contestants in the K-Kids Speakers Contest. 5. Offer tutoring services for K-Kids club members. 6. Coach a K-Kids team for the elementary school s intramural program. 7. Conduct programs for K-Kids meeting on: Dangers of drug abuse and other at-risk behaviors The value of being involved in school activities Opportunities offered in high school and beyond Preparing for school exams Conflict resolution Prevention of violence in the school Sportsmanship The value of diversity in the school and community Club Membership and Structure The requirements for K-Kids membership are set forth in the K-Kids Bylaws. Specifically, membership is open to students in all grade levels who are interested in service and who are of good character and leadership potential. The school principal or the faculty advisor must certify all K-Kids members. Scholastic standing shall not be a major criterion for membership eligibility. The sponsoring Kiwanis committee shall ask the school principal and faculty advisor(s) to recommend a list of students for the K-Kids club. Those students who indicate a desire to become members and to comply with the provisions of these bylaws may join the K-Kids club. The school administration shall appoint a faculty advisor who has the responsibility of counseling the members of the K-Kids club in their activities. The faculty advisor also will act as liaison with the sponsoring Kiwanis club. The faculty advisor is encouraged to enlist an assistant faculty advisor with the assistance of school administration. The club shall solicit at least one parent or guardian of the club members to be a parent advisor for the club. The parent advisor shall assist the faculty advisors and help facilitate the input of other club member s parents into the activities and support the club. Club members elect officers, which include president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and sergeant-at-arms. The new officers assume their responsibilities at the last meeting of the school year and continue through the next year. Election of directors (one from each appropriate grade) shall be conducted following the school s opening in the fall. Visit the K-Kids Web site at www.kkids.org to view the K-Kids Bylaws. K-KIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY5
K-Kids Service Through suggestions from the principal, the faculty advisor, the student body, and the sponsoring Kiwanis club committee, the K-Kids club will adopt and plan appropriate projects for the school and community. If there is a Key Club or Circle K club organized in the area, the K-Kids club should consider cooperative projects, if appropriate. Every K-Kids club has the authority to select its own service projects. There are usually many more service needs in a community than there are service clubs and agencies to meet them. To determine a specific need within the school or the community, K-Kids members are encouraged to conduct a Project Survey. The K-Kids Department at Kiwanis International has a Project Survey Interview Guide to assist K-Kids members in interviewing school administrators and faculty regarding programs and service projects that would be of benefit to the school and students. Possible service projects might include: Conducting a can drive for the local food bank Making slipper socks for nursing home patients Collecting old books for distribution to a shelter to create a library Reading to a kindergarten class The possibilities are endless! Developing Partnerships and Discovering Service Projects and Programs There are many opportunities for developing service projects and special programs by working with one of Kiwanis International s Priority One Advisory Council members. ThePriority One Advisory Council includes more than forty child-serving organizations that collaborate with Kiwanis International in developing Young Children: Priority One initiatives. Council members include: Children s Miracle Network, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, National Association for Education of Young Children, YMCA of the USA, and the list goes on. Visit the Kiwanis International Web site at www.kiwanis.org to learn more information about the Priority One Advisory Council and to view a complete listing of its members. Visit the K-Kids Web site at www.kkids.org to view K-Kids service and fund-raising project ideas, and to download the K-Kids Project Survey Interview Guide. K-Kids clubs also can look to Key Club and Circle K for information on becoming involved in service projects or special school programs. Key Club International has developed a Major Emphasis Program titled, Children: Their Future, Our Focus. Through this service effort, Key Clubs plan and implement special projects for children. The program provides focus on specific areas of child growth, including personal development and social interaction. Visit the Key Club International Web site at www.keyclub.org to learn more about Key Club s Major Emphasis Program, Children: Their Future, Our Focus. 6
Kiwanis The Kiwanis family is composed of more than 600,000 members in almost 15,000 clubs worldwide. Circle K International also has adopted a Service Initiative designed to educate all Circle K members about the problems and issues that face children worldwide, ages six to 13. K-Kids clubs should consider contacting a Circle K club to co-sponsor a service project or to conduct a special program in conjunction with the K-Kids club. The emphasis areas of Circle K International s Service Initiative are: After-school Programs: Turn Off TV, Turn On Life Economically Disadvantaged Children: Building a Force for Change Educating Children: Open a Book, Show Them the World Life Skills Training: Supplying the Tools for Life Health and Safety Issues: On Call for the Future Visit the Circle K International Web site at www.circlek.org to learn more about Circle K International s Service Initiative. Kiwanis International is a worldwide organization of men and women whose clubs serve children, develop youth leadership, and provide for social and business networking. More than 8,000 Kiwanis clubs sponsor K-Kids clubs (elementary students), Builders Clubs (middle school/junior high students), Key Clubs (high school students), Circle K clubs (university students), and Aktion Clubs (adults with disabilities). These are known as the Kiwanis sponsored programs. Kiwanis International provides office, staff, and program support for each of these at its International Office in Indianapolis, Indiana. Literally thousands of adult volunteers provide counseling assistance to Kiwanis clubs and Kiwanis-sponsored program clubs in almost every community. Visit the Kiwanis Web site at www.kiwanis.org for more information about Kiwanis International. Locally, the Kiwanis club is expected to maintain regular participation in the K-Kids club by attending meetings, encouraging joint service projects, hosting K-Kids members at Kiwanis meetings as permitted by school rules, and providing financial support for K-Kids club service projects. Kiwanis clubs will encourage support for the K-Kids from all sources and may host a Parent Appreciation Dinner or Teacher Appreciation Day to further orient parents and faculty members about the K-Kids club and its purpose. K-KIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY7
Membership Fees K-Kids are asked to submit a membership fee to Kiwanis International. These fees are payable at the beginning of each year (October 1) and become past due on December 1 of the same year. Every K-Kids club is encouraged to collect membership fees from its members and not look to the school or sponsoring Kiwanis club to pay the dues for them. This provides a special level of commitment and ownership of K-Kids by each member. Visit the K-Kids Web site at www.kkids.org to find more information about K-Kids membership fees. Frequently Asked Questions What kind of service projects can a K-Kids club undertake? There are some limits as to projects in which younger students may choose to participate. The faculty advisor is available to assist students with choosing realistic and manageable service projects. The K-Kids Web site offers many ideas for fun service projects. Members are encouraged to utilize the K-Kids Project Survey Interview Guide to interview school administrators and faculty regarding needs within the school and community. Members will find ideas for service projects, programs, and development of partnerships by talking to these individuals. There also are many opportunities to develop partnerships with local Kiwanis family members such as Key Clubs (high school students) and Circle K clubs (university students). K-Kids members are encouraged to explore partnerships with these groups, which have developed specific service initiatives focusing on issues facing elementary-age students. 8
Are there any minimums for involvement in a K-Kids club? Club meetings should be conducted every week, or once every two weeks, at the same scheduled time. Members are asked to be present at every meeting. Club meeting schedules vary from school to school. Some clubs meet for a full hour and utilize part of the lunch hour and recess; other clubs meet the last half hour of the school day. There are several clubs that meet after school (transportation becomes an issue when meeting after school). Each club member should participate in at least 50 hours of service each year. Our elementary school already has more than one service club. Why should we add K-Kids? Students have different ideas about service, as do adults. Offering more options ensures that more students will become involved in one of these groups. Multiple service clubs can, when properly encouraged, produce a synergy of service within a school and community. Since K-Kids is one of the few student-led organizations, it offers an opportunity for all members to participate on a larger scale. Members elect club officers, pay membership fees, and participate in activities that teach responsibility. How many members are needed to start a new K-Kids club? There is not a set minimum number of members, but we suggest that 15 students participate. Is there any cost to K-Kids members for membership? Yes, there is an annual membership fee. Visit the K-Kids Web site at www.kkids.org to view this information. What does a newly chartered club receive? The club will receive a K-Kids charter certificate, a felt sponsor patch for attachment to the Kiwanis club banner, K-Kids membership cards, and member handbooks. Is it allowable to limit K-Kids membership to a grade level and/or other specific requirements? Yes, the K-Kids Standard Form for Club Bylaws allows the school principal and Kiwanis Club the right to establish membership requirements. The principal has the final authority regarding establishment of additional requirements above and beyond the Standard Form for Club Bylaws requirements. How do I build a K-Kids club? Contact the K-Kids Department at the Kiwanis International Office and request the K-Kids Introductory Kit. K-KIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY9
K - K I D S 3636 Woodview Trace Indianapolis, IN 46268-3196 USA 1-800-KIWANIS ext. 390 (United States and Canada) 317-875-8755 ext. 390 (Worldwide) Fax: 1-800-825-8289 E-mail: k-kids@kiwanis.org www.kkids.org