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In 1936, the “Circle K House” at Washington State College was established by the Kiwanis Club of
Pullman, Washington. Organized as a fraternity, Kappa Iota Phi served men who needed financial aid to attend college. Kiwanians also wanted to provide collegiate students leadership opportunities for their future careers and work service projects to better their communities while having a sense of fellowship. In 1947, Circle K changed from a fraternity to a service organization. That year, the first
Circle K club was chartered at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois. In 1949, two more clubs were added, and by 1955 there were 147 clubs, at which point Circle K received official endorsement from
Kiwanis International. Circle K International adopted the Kiwanians beliefs by establishing the three tenets of Service, Leadership, and Fellowship to bring a sense of purpose to the organization.
The Kiwanis International Board of Trustees accepted a proposal to allow the establishment of Circle K
Districts on February 22, 1957. The very first Circle K District to be officially recognized was the Texas-
Oklahoma District. The second Circle K District was Kentucky-Tennessee, which was closely followed by Michigan. Four more Districts were added in the 1957-58 administrative year:
Missouri-Arkansas, California-Nevada-Hawaii, Ohio, and Alabama.
In 1971, delegates at the International Convention voted to allow women into the organization. The move was initially met with resistance by Kiwanis, which must approve all changes to the Circle K governing documents. After nearly two years of debate, the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees approved the change on February 6, 1973 and Circle K became the first co-ed organization in the
Kiwanis Family. In 1984, Susan E. McClernon was elected the first female International President of
Circle K International.
In 1975, Gregory Faulkner from the New York District was elected to the position of International
President. Faulkner was the first African-American International President. Faulkner's election and the admission of female members was symbolic of the new level of maturity and responsibility Circle K
International had assumed over 20 years of service, growth and development.
At the International Convention in 1987, the delegates approved the use of the initials CKI as an official name of the organization. That same year, Kiwanis International voted to allow women into
Kiwanis clubs. Key Club had gone co-ed in 1977.
Today, as the largest collegiate service organization, CKI boasts a membership of more than 12,600 collegians on more than 500 campuses worldwide. CKI is a student-led organization with an
International Board of Representatives elected by its membership each year. Embodied by its tenets of leadership, fellowship, and service at the club, district and International levels, CKI continues to grow through service to the world's campuses and communities.

Circle K International of the University of Aruba is a non-profit organization consisting of students of higher level of education institution in Aruba with the main objective to create a better community, inspire great leadership and create amazing fellowship. Circle K International
University of Aruba is a Service Leadership Program of the Kiwanis Club of Palm Beach founded in 2005.
Circle K International (CKI) is the world’s premier collegiate service organization, a member of the Kiwanis family. CKI is comprised of college and university students who are responsible citizens and leaders with a lifelong commitment to community service worldwide. As a collegiate organization, CKI holds the promise of today’s student becoming tomorrow’s leader.
It exists to meet personal needs of the individual collegian through the qualities of leadership, the rewards of service, and the unique spirit of friendship. Leadership, service and fellowship; the embodiment of the three tenets of CKI are necessary to shape the future, realized in the colleges and universities of today.
Through the mission and vision of the organization, Circle K is dedicated to the realization of human potentials. The potential of Circle K lies in its ability to positively influence members of the society who are facing ultimate personal decisions and those who will one day create the vision of humanity for generations to come. Leadership opportunities afford Circle K members the resources and tools needed to become active citizens. Circle K members can assume leadership responsibilities at the levels of the organization and through various experiential.
As a sponsored program of Kiwanis Club of Palm Beach, Circle K shares the focus of serving the children of the world. In support of this effort, the Circle K service initiative is focusing on the future:
Children. This initiative encourages members to address the issues facing children ages 6-13 and to find solutions through service for addressing these issues.
With each element and aspect of Circle K, members experience fellowship and develop lifelong relationships with collegians, advisor, Kiwanians and citizens in their communities. Whether a Circle K member is mentoring a child, networking with a business professional, or bowling with members, that
Circle K member is developing social skills, meeting new people and strengthening relationships.
As a CKI member, you’ll have experiences that help you fulfill your potential. You’ll find friendships that last a lifetime. You’ll even establish a network of professional contacts. In so many ways, CKI membership will bring you the satisfaction of serving and working with others.

As one of our tenets, Circle K International of the University of Aruba truly believes in giving back to the community. Each year the elected board makes their agenda for the year on what projects they are going to focus. Over the years CKI of the University of Aruba has come up with different projects that are focused for the children’s of the Aruban community. Some of this project was Pasa Dushi cu Circle K, Christmas dinner with the less fortunate kids, March of
Dimes and Eliminate.
“ Pasa dushi cu Circle K” is a project that was initiated a few years ago and now it has become one of our yearly project that we do. Each year we select a school that is going through a difficult time or schools that have a lot of children that are missing the support of their parents.
CKI organize every year a day filled with activities for all the children. This project is to give the kids a day to play, to laugh and to enjoy themselves. It is a day that the CKI members bond with these kids and bring joy.

Every year Circle K chooses less fortunate kids in the Aruban community and celebrates
Christmas with them. This is a project that the CKI of the University of Aruba is trying to make bigger every year. This year the CKI have chosen 30 kids. Every year we take them to a dinner, give them presents. Over the past years we are focusing on helping more kids and making this project bigger.

The March of Dimes is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1938 by then president Franklin D.
Roosevelt. When founded they had the mission to combat polio. Over the years they have develop their mission. The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes provides mothers, pregnant women and women of childbearing age with educational resources on baby health, pregnancy, preconception and new motherhood, as well as supplying information and support to families affected by prematurity, birth defects, or other infant health problems.
Being part of Circle K International, we form part as one of the partners of the March of Dimes
Foundation. Each year the CKI Club of the University of Aruba organize walks to raise money and to bring awareness of premature babies. All the money raised is donated partly to the March of Dimes
Foundation and to our local “Wit Hele Kruis Foundation”. As a Club we believe that we do not only have to contribute to international foundations, but more importantly we have to give back to our community. Therefore we found it important to contribute to the “Wit Hele Kruis”, because they help the new mother with their newborn on the island.
Every year we look for opportunities to make this project bigger to bring more awareness about the premature babies that are born. This year we had a group of students that are doing a research on premature babies on the island. This was very important for our club, because it is going to help us in focusing on what is really needed on the island and where can us as a club help out.

With the Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. This deadly disease steals the lives of nearly 60,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year. The effects of the disease are excruciating, tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and are extreme sensitivity to light and touch.
To eliminate MNT from the Earth, more than 100 million mothers and their future babies must be immunized. This requires vaccines, syringes, safe storage, transportation, thousands of skilled staff and more. It will take US$110 million and the dedicated work of UNICEF and every member of the Kiwanis family.
Kiwanis and UNICEF joined forces to tackle iodine deficiency disorders, achieving one of the most significant public health successes of the 20th century. Now, they are eliminating MNT from the face of the Earth. And in doing so, the project will reach the poorest, most neglected mothers and babies with additional lifesaving health care. The end of this one disease means the beginning of better health for so many families.
Being part of the Kiwanis family, our club has seen the importance of the affect that we as an organization can have in the daily living of all people. Therefore our Club has taken the challenge and we have brought this year the awareness of the Eliminate projects. This year we have focused to bring the awareness in our own University. As a club we want to encourage the all student at the University to be more aware of what is happening in the world. Therefore on Valentine day we have sold cupcakes with a blue heart on top. The blue heart represented every baby or mother that they have saved when they bought a cupcake. All the revenue from the cupcake sale was donated to the Eliminate Project.

The Student Leadership Summit is a Student created initiative organized by the Circle K International of the University of Aruba, in cooperation with the guidance and support of the Office of Student Affairs of the University of Aruba. This initiative provides delegates with the focused, two-day opportunity to develop their skills, establish a solid network of peers and counselors, and expending their leadership potentials.
Back in 2009 the Office of Student Affairs started providing the students of the University of Aruba with the various lecturers on leadership and personal development in order to enhance their leadership capabilities. These lectures continued to be provided by the Office of Student Affairs together with Circle
K International throughout the years. In 2012, Circle K International approached the Office of Student
Affairs to form a collaboration to organize the first Student Leadership Summit. Circle K International and the Office of Student Affairs both believe that we have to foster critical young leaders in today’s society, for they are the ones to hold future key leadership positions in our community.
The Student Leadership Summit is “the only student-organized leadership conference of its kind in
Aruba”. The conference in 2012 drew approximately thirty-five student leaders from various student-led organizations in the Aruban community. Based on a survey conducted at that conference, 97% of the delegates stated that they felt the need to continue with the Student Leadership Summit and to develop the program. With growing support and involvement from students, staff and faculties at the University of Aruba the Student Leadership Summit will continue to attract outstanding students who are leaders both inside and outside of the classroom.
The Circle K International of the University of Aruba believes that we have to invest in the students of today because they are our future leaders. Therefore our club is focused and dedicated to this leadership summit, to give all the students the opportunity to develop their potential skills and become great leaders in their professional and personal lives.

So often we hear the youth are our future, however, few organizations really give youth the possibility to really share what they learn and take responsibility. We as CKI are actually encouraging youth to be part of an ongoing development in the community and take responsibility now. The CKI gives their members the opportunity to cope with responsibility by giving them guidance and at the same time freedom to supervise a project, recruit peer students, and deal with logistics of their own activity.
Members will then have the possibility to discover their strengths, and talents they never knew they had.
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The young people of today have so much to choose from, it is important that they know that their actions are not taken for granted. We can be an example for others and help others to be meaningful for our community.
“The Circle K of University of Aruba has given me the opportunity to really develop my leadership skills and continuously educates all of its members on the importance of serving the community. Since the beginning I always felt welcome and the friends and networks I have made while being an active member of the Circle K is countless.” – Carl Quant
“Circle K is an awesome organization, where you develop many skills and talents which could be useful in my future career. You meet a lot new people and you develop great friendships along the way.” – Ralitza Werleman