Members of revitalized Key Club part of unique high school’s graduating class

Nearly a dozen members of the newly rechartered Key Club earned diplomas during Arlington Community High School’s 2026 graduation ceremony.

They were among 62 members of the school’s Class of 2026 celebrating completion of studies during a ceremony held June 12 at Washington-Liberty High School.

“The sky is truly the limit to all of you,” said Dr. Tiffany Mitchell Patterson, a social studies teacher and faculty sponsor of the school’s Key Club.

(Click here to view the ceremony online, and click here for ARLnow coverage.)

The school’s Key Club, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of South Arlington, was active until Covid resulted in the temporary shutdown of in-person classes across Arlington’s school system in 2020. Efforts to bring it back to life have been ongoing for the past year.

A total of 21 students signed up, some seniors and others from lower grade levels, which will help to build the organization’s strength in the coming school year.

Officers for the past year were Sidney Thomas, president; Amina Osman, vice president; Chaniya Beale-Smith, secretary; and Nyakuiy Kong, treasurer.

Arlington Community High School offers specialized programming designed to meet the needs of students, who range from those who wish to complete academic studies early to those coming back to school after an absence.

The school is special because it “is just so different,” said Mitchell Patterson, who spoke on behalf of the faculty at the ceremony.

Graduates ranged in age from 16 to 46. Many are immigrants for whom English is not their primary language.

“You’ve climbed every hill, pushed through every obstacle.” principal Dr. Jeannette Allen told graduates.

Two of the Key Club’s graduating seniors were among three students selected to speak at the graduation ceremony.

Among them was Grace Duran Velasquez, who came to Arlington Community High School in order to complete her final year of high school.

“It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made,” she said. “It was a blessing.”

The new graduates have been prepared to face the next challenges, Duran Velasquez said.

“A fresh chapter is unfolding. We have proven we can finish what we start,” she said.

Key Club member Brandon Campbell, who transferred from Wakefield High School for his senior year, said the individualized attention at Arlington Community High School was what he needed to get to the finish line.

Teachers and staff “pushed me every day to keep moving forward,” he said at the ceremony.

As part of its support for the program, the Kiwanis Club of South Arlington bestowed a $1,500 scholarship on Key Club member Elizabet Guzman Fallas. It was one of several scholarships she received, helping her make the transition to Virginia Commonwealth University.

Kiwanis Club of South Arlington president Andres Tobar and secretary Scott McCaffrey attended the ceremony. Club member Mila Lynne Floro, who served as liaison to the Key Club, was out of town but was featured in a video presentation during graduation ceremonies.

New graduates who were Key Club members were easily identifiable, wearing commemorative medallions provided by the Kiwanis Club of South Arlington to salute their achievements. The club also staffed a table for the post-ceremony reception, where fruit offerings were enjoyed by graduates, families and school personnel.

Arlington School Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton, who spoke at the ceremony, said all the new graduates are “prepared to meet what lies ahead.”

“Each of you took many steps to invest in yourselves,” she said. “Take pride in how far you have come.”

At the ceremony, Superintendent Francisco Durán urged students to maintain their momentum moving forward,

“You are excellence,” he said. “Be bold, be courageous and claim your success.”

Mitchell Patterson said she hoped the students’ connections to their alma mater would not end on graduation day.

“You are surrounded by love, and I want you to carry that with you,” she said. “The world needs you.”

The near-record graduating class of 62 at Arlington Community High School was part of a group of more than 1,900 Arlington Public Schools seniors who crossed graduation stages in ceremonies running from June 5-13.

The graduation ceremonies were livestreamed and archived, and can be viewed online.

Key Club is an international, student-led organization that provides members opportunities to deliver community service, build character and develop leadership.

The first Key Club formed in 1925 in Sacramento, Calif., with 11 charter members. Its founders were two high-school administrators and Sacramento Kiwanis Club members who sought out “key” members of the student body to support community service and build school spirit.

Key Clubs would remain male-only organizations until 1977, when membership opened to girls. In 1991, Michelle McMillan of the Missouri-Arkansas District became the first female member elected president of Key Club International.

In 1996, future “Today” show host Craig Melvin was the first Black president of Key Club International, and three years later, the organization’s membership topped 200,000 for the first time.