Extracurricular activities provide students with an opportunity to apply what they've learned in the classroom. By introducing service to the equation, Key Club allows its student members to take that educational piece to the next level.

At Manheim Township High School (MTHS), Key Club is a vibrant, compassionate and stimulating club.

"Service is important, and we're part of a community," said Beth Krebs, who's been MTHS' Key Club adviser for two years. "Service keeps us in the human realm. It's not just about me, me, me. In order to make change, you have to know how and you have to have action with it. You're working toward solutions. You can be a positive change agent for the future. It starts with service and self-reflection."

A service organization, MTHS' Key Club, which meets from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on one Wednesday each month at the high school, is made up of 170 girls and boys in grades nine through 12 and is affiliated with the Lititz Kiwanis Club and Key Club International. The Key Club is one of 65 extracurricular clubs at MTHS and one of just 13 MTHS clubs that is required to follow academic eligibility standards.

Members of MTHS Key Club donate at least seven and a half hours of community service per semester, or 15 service hours each year, and the students can view volunteer opportunities and track their hours in Schoology, an online program. Upon their graduation from MTHS, some Key Club members join the collegiate equivalent, Circle K.

"Our Key Club members are from all sections of the school community," said Krebs. "They are students who want to make a difference, not only in their school community but also the local community and beyond. They see the value in service and connecting to the world. They're really looking to build a better world. These students want to be actively involved in any way they can. It's broader than our high school or Manheim Township itself."

As part of their service involvement, MTHS Key Club members volunteer at fundraisers, local fairs, carnivals, fun runs, events and the concession stands at school sporting events; as ball runners at athletic contests; and by picking up trash along local roadways, assisting teachers and helping other local service organizations.

"My favorite part is when students come back from volunteering and they tell me about being there, what they saw and what they learned," said Krebs. "I get emails from the places where they volunteered, and they mention the students by name. I like the little 'aha' moments they have and watching them change and grow. We all need these positive moments."

"Key Club means a lot to me," said Gabbie Reedy, MTHS Key Club's vice president. "It means a family of people who all share similar interests with me. I love serving and making the world a better place, and Key Club helps me do that. I will forever be grateful to Key Club for giving me some of my best friends ever."

Formed in 1925, Key Club International is one of the oldest scholastic service organizations in the country. There are nearly 230,000 students involved with Key Club across the country.

The Key Club at MTHS was founded on Nov. 7, 1946.

"We try to do as much as we can," said Krebs. "There are so many things going on for our students. It helps build the community within our club, as well as a sense of belonging. I think that's the biggest thing, feeling like you're part of a bigger community."

"I think overall, extracurricular activities take your education and apply it," she continued. "It's problem solving. It brings that extra level to the curriculum. It takes it past the four walls of the school. Students have to see that their actions have impact, and they're making connections in the community."