To learn more about starting a club, choose one of the menu options under YMCA Club Menu to the right.

Student YMCA Clubs in high schools grew out of a confrontation between three students and their teacher, D.F. Shirk, in 1889. The Chapman High School (Dickinson, Kansas) science teacher walked in on the students smoking cigars at a local general store. Shirk took the cigars from the boys and challenged them to do something better with their lives. The boys challenged the teacher to help them. Shirk agreed and together they began meeting with other students to talk about their lives, future goals and how to improve their school and community. Today, as in its very beginning, volunteer service is the YMCA club's foundation.

Through monthly meetings and service projects teens in Student YMCA Clubs experience:

• Training on holding effective meetings and successful recruitment of peers
• The opportunity to develop and plan local service projects based upon local assets and needs
• Training on bill/resolution writing, the state government and United Nations process, and how to effectively win support for an idea through Youth and Government and Model United Nations preparation
• A safe educational out of school experience.