What do you get when you cross a high school student who is
described as “very real, humble, appreciative and a first class
young man” and a high school club that is at least
58-years-old?

You get the first Bradford Area High School student to be
elected as district governor for the Key Clubs across the state of
Pennsylvania.

Following a weekend involving a presentation and a series of
“nerve racking” question and answer periods, high school senior Joe
Pettinato has the honor of overseeing 22 different divisions in the
state.

“I am very excited,” said Pettinato Monday. “A couple of years
ago I would never have been able to imagine this. But over the
years I guess I progressed to this point.”

Pettinato had been serving as lieutenant governor of the
Northwest Division of the Pennsylvania District of Key Club
International for the past year.

The newly elected lieutenant governor of District 1 is Katelyn
Scanlan of the Bradford school district. She is the 8th lieutenant
governor to have come from the district.

Pettinato’s interest in Key Club developed before he became a
member in high school, as both his older brother and sister were
members.

“My brother was a lieutenant governor and I guess I have been
doing events even before I was in high school. I was excited about
it and looked forward to joining,” he said, adding he became a
member in his freshman year of high school.

The types of projects Pettinato has been involved in include
participating in the Festa Italiana, the summer festival, Meals on
Wheels as part of the American Red Cross, blood drives for the high
school and projects such as weeding gardens around town.

According to the Pennsylvania Key Club Web site, Key Club is the
oldest, largest service program for high school students. The
organization is a student-led organization that teaches leadership
through serving others.

Even though Pettinato admits his experience helped him progress
to the point of obtaining the governor position, he wouldn’t allow
himself to believe it really could happen.

“I was afraid that if I thought it would work out for me that it
wouldn’t happen,” he said. “I got a lot of encouragement from a lot
of lieutenant governors and most people from the convention said
very nice things, but I tried not to put a lot of faith in it. I
thought it would make it harder to lose.”

Key Club advisor and Intermediate Unit 9 learning support
teacher at the high school, Kathleen Durner, said she and Pettinato
talked about the likelihood of his achieving the honor.

“He and I talked about it frequently. He asked how realistic it
was,” she said. “He mentioned what his future goals are and we
talked about if it was something he felt he could handle.”

Durner explained the position also entails a commitment on the
part of the family as they would have to be willing to travel
outside of the area so that Pettinato could attend conventions and
the like.

“Something that touched me as a parent and advisor is that his
family is 100 percent behind him,” she said.

She added the local Kiwanis Club had been very helpful and helps
drive the students when they need to attend events, if
necessary.

“The Kiwanians have been incredible helping to drive the
students to Pittsburgh and Harrisburg,” she said. “And they will
probably be driving a whole lot more.”

Pettinato said he will have to attend training in Indianapolis
and go to Carlisle to attend a Circle K International Convention,
which is the college equivalent to Key Club. Another trip he will
make will be to Boston for a convention there.

Pettinato said he plans to join the Circle K International group
if the college he attends has one available for him to join.
Pettinato’s interest is in political science.

His other duties will include serving on a board, writing for a
newsletter for Key Club International and representing the state in
different aspects of serving the organization.

“He is an example of one of the many good kids in Bradford,”
said Durner. “This is just one of the clubs fortunate enough to
have one of the many great students.”

Durner said one of the questions Pettinato was asked by a
delegate over the weekend was what he would do if he did not get
elected as the district governor.

“He said he would go back home and remain a member,” she said.
“I thought that’s amazing.

“He’s a great young man and comes from a great family,” she
added. “He’s a gentleman of integrity and humility. It is so much
fun getting to know a person with such fine qualities like him. And
he still likes to have fun – he’s still a ‘kid.'”