At the annual Key Club District Convention and Leadership Conference, held February 21-23 in Springfield, Illinois, Key Clubs from the Illinois - Eastern Iowa District of Key Club International met for a weekend of collaborating, celebrating the year's accomplishments, attending workshops, voting for the 2025-2026 district officers, and sharing a love of volunteering.
Seventeen members of the Pecatonica High School Key Club attended this year's conference along with their faculty advisor, Michelle Johnson.
Throughout the weekend, the PHS Key Club and several members won a variety of awards and received recognition for their volunteer work and fundraising efforts this past Key Club year, including:
Club Awards
~First place: Single Service Award, recognizing the 2024 Mr. Pecatonica High School Pageant fundraiser which raised $11,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
~Second place: Robert Hall Annual Achievement Award, recognizing the club for its service within the community, fundraising efforts, membership recruitment & retention, and more during the 2024-2025 Key Club year
~Second place: Talent show - junior Trevor Buck played "Clair de Lune" by Debussy on piano
~Distinguished Club
Individual Awards
Distinguished President: Anna McLevige
Distinguished Secretary: Addison Stender
Distinguished Statistical Secretary: Anna Munson
Distinguished Treasurer: Rachel Lucas
Distinguished Senior: Brooklyn Connell
Distinguished Junior: Renee Brown
Distinguished Freshman: Harlee Shumaker
100 Hour Award: Renee Brown, Brooklyn Connell, Rachel Lucas, Anna McLevige
Additionally, freshman Luisa Salgado was elected in January to serve as the 2025-2026 Division 12 West Lieutenant Governor. She was officially installed at the Governor's Breakfast on the last day of DCLC. She will spend the 2025-2026 Key Club year helping to lead seven clubs in our area by promoting service ideas and keeping the clubs connected with the I-I District and the Kiwanis family.
The Pecatonica High School Key Club, sponsored by the Lincoln Douglas Kiwanis Club of Freeport and Kiwanis Advisor Mary Arenson, meets each Tuesday during the school year from 2:45-3:15. We're looking forward to another excellent year of service!
Pecatonica Freshman and 2025-2026 Division 12 West Lieutenant Governor Luisa Salgado (6th from the left) is officially installed as a District Officer.
Members of Pecatonica High School Key Club pause for a photo before the Awards Night dinner begins. 
Members of Pecatonica High School Key Club pause for a photo before the Governor's Farewell brunch and 2025-2026 District Board Installation begins. 
PHS Key Club member Trevor Buck receives the 2nd Place Talent Show trophy from 2024-2025 I-I District Governor Vanessa Ng. 
PHS Key Club President Anna McLevige receives the 1st Place Single Service Award trophy from 2024-2025 I-I District Governor Vanessa Ng. 
Sophomore Addison Stender and freshman Luisa Salgado served as the club’s voting delegates in the annual House of Delegates to elect the 2025-2026 I-I District Board.