Forest Hills — From noticing an advertisement to becoming the 2026-27 governor of the Michigan District of Key Club, it has been quite the three-year journey for Forest Hills Northern rising senior Maddy Langlois.
“I’ve had such an incredible experience through Key Club, and I’ve seen it impact so many people,” Maddy said. “I want to be a part of that impact.”
Sponsored by Kiwanis International, Key Club is a student-led high school organization that teaches leadership through community service, volunteering and character building.
“My freshman year, I saw a poster in the hallway for blanket-making and cookies, and I originally thought it was a monthlong club,” Maddy said. “Later, I found out it was a brand-new club at our school, and I joined because I thought it would be a lot of fun.”
Founded in 1925, Key Club has been around for more than a century. At Forest Hills Northern, however, the school’s first Key Club chapter was formed just three years ago by a student whose mother had been involved with Key Club and its collegiate counterpart, Circle K International, Maddy said.
Within weeks of joining Key Club, Maddy attended its Service Leadership Conference. Inspired by the organization’s leaders, she ran for, and was appointed, president-elect of Northern’s club for her sophomore year.
“As president-elect, I kind of understudied every role on the board,” she said. “When I became president, I could step into any role if needed and help train the next year’s board.”
During that year she also served on the state board, where she helped plan the Service Leadership Conference that first sparked her involvement.
Stepping into Leadership
This past year as a junior, she served as president of Northern’s Key Club and helped expand the club’s service projects. Under Maddy’s leadership, the club organized a pie-in-the-face fundraiser and raised money for two organizations that partner with Key Club: UNICEF and the Thirst Project.
Northern teacher Scott Kemperman, the club’s adviser, said Maddy has grown tremendously as a leader.
“Through her hard work, positive attitude and willingness to take initiative, she has quickly developed into a confident and responsible leader,” Kemperman said. “She consistently encourages others, leads by example and shows a strong commitment to serving both her school and community.”
That commitment to service led Maddy to run for governor of the Michigan District of Key Club, which encompasses Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, at the district’s 2026 Service Leadership Conference.
“I was really scared at first; I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it,” said Maddy, who was elected to the position. “But I’ve seen the impact Key Club and past governors have had. I’ve seen them do incredible work, and I knew it was something I wanted to do.
“Once I ran, I realized I was ready.”
As governor, Maddy will work with the state leaders and local chapters, helping with service projects and growing the Key Club program. She has already begun preparing for her term, attending a spring board meeting, training officers and helping develop a strategic plan focused on growth.
“I want to make an impact,” she said. “I want to get more clubs to our Service Leadership Conference and gain more members so they can have that experience.
“I want my board to feel they had a successful year, made an impact and are proud of their work, because my job is to support them and everyone in the Michigan District.”
‘Keep applying yourself’
Maddy said her goals as district governor include increasing awareness of Key Club, creating new programs and helping existing clubs grow while continuing the service projects already taking place across the district.
That includes supporting the recently formed Central High Key Club and potentially helping start a club at Eastern High School. While she will not hold an official position in Northern’s club during the 2026-27 school year, she plans to continue attending meetings and participating in projects and state events.
Key Club has also influenced Maddy’s future plans. She is considering a career in nonprofit administration and political science. Although she has not chosen a college, she expects to remain involved with the organization through Circle K.
She encourages other students to explore leadership opportunities and get involved in something meaningful.
“The best thing you can do is be involved,” she said. “If you’ve run for leadership positions and didn’t get them, remember that rejection can be redirection. You never know what’s coming next, so keep applying yourself.
“My freshman year, I applied for the events co-chair position and didn’t get it. The next year I did, and now here I am.”
Read more from Forest Hills:
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