YOUTH SERVING YOUTH (YSY)

Since 1925, Key Club International has provided more than 12 million hours of service to homes, schools and communities each year. From building bridges, to collecting over six tons of food, thousands of dollars raised for cancer research, helping eliminate iodine deficiency disorder, Key Club International plays a vital role in serving the children of the world.

Every Key Club has the authority to select its own service projects because there usually are many more service needs in a community than there are service clubs and agencies to meet them. However, all PA Key Clubs are asked to participate in the YSY.

Children’s early experiences such as the bonds they form with people and their first learning experiences will deeply affect their future physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. Studies have shown that “early childhood education preschool programs increase the likelihood of children graduating from high school with fewer behavioral issues, attending college, and becoming responsible young adults.” That is why Pennsylvania Key Club chose early childhood education as the Youth Serving Youth (YSY) initiative. Early childhood education involves high-schoolers helping, volunteering, and interacting with children from preschool to third grade in any activity in regards to their early childhood education and activities such as reading, playing, and socializing. Pennsylvania Key Club’s goal is to optimize the early years of children’s lives and in turn improve social skills, stimulate better performance in grade school, improve attention spans, and foster an enthusiasm for lifelong learning.