Three Ingredients for a Successful Interact Club

Posted by The Greens (Hollie, Jill and Jim) on Jun 01, 2015
 
Article compiled by the Three Rotary Greens in Sun City – Hollie, Jill and Jim
 
Interact Highlights Sun City Rotary Year
Three Ingredients for a Successful Interact Club
 
Last summer, a contingent from Glendale’s Challenger Middle School came to a Sun City Rotary Club meeting to ask the club members to sponsor a new Interact Club at the school.  Principal Tiffany Molina, Teacher Sarah Stevenson (now the faculty advisor and Honorary Member of the Sun City Club) and volunteer Kristen Stevenson were ready to give full support to the new club.  Bob Solis, member of the Sun City Club and “Service above Self Award” recipient, immediately volunteered to be the club’s advisor.
 
The combination of dedication, energy and enthusiasm of everyone involved immediately created a powerful presence in this low-income school composed of local families and immigrant families from Spanish-speaking and Middle Eastern countries. 
 
The Club’s first main project was to raise $1,000 to help with the community Thanksgiving Dinner.  This successful campaign was the beginning of a very active year in which the Club completed more than 10 community projects, including one international project at Open Arms Home in South Africa. The year-end video presentation the Interact Club made in Sun City was astounding.  “It rivaled many professional presentations,” Rotarian Green (guess which Green) commented.
 
 At the May District Conference, the Interact Club was awarded the prestigious Rotary International President’s Citation – an important recognition of a very successful first year!
 
The Washington High School Interact Club of 330 active members continues to awe Rotarians around the world with its superior efforts.  The club has the full support from Principal and Honorary Sun City Rotarian Tami Strege, 6 other faculty members who also are Honorary Sun City Club members, universally respected faculty advisor Sun City Rotarian Jill Green and all of the members of the Sun City Rotary Club.   This year’s community service goal was 100 projects, surpassing last year’s 90 projects.  The actual number of community projects this year reached an all-time high of 120 local and international projects!  The Interact Club was the first Interact Club in the District to receive the prestigious Rotary International President’s Citation.  It received this honor again in May at the District Conference.  “Our Interact Club is the standard for all other Interact Clubs in the Rotary International family.  It shines above all other clubs!” exclaimed Rotarian Green (guess which Green).
Rotarian Green (guess which Green) has been associated with the WHS Interact Club for 15 years.  Tradition proves that the following aspects must be highly visible in a thriving Interact Club.  Three necessary aspects:
  1. A dedicated and energetic faculty advisor who understands the value of volunteerism in a young leader and is actively involved through positive direction in honing these skills.  This includes full support from everyone at the school.
  2. A Rotary Club advisor who has the passion to create excitement in the entire learning experience among all participants in the Interact movement – a Rotarian who is actively involved with the Interact Club.  The entire Rotary Club membership also must be “owners” of this process.
  3. Creative student leaders who want to make a difference in their world even if it is one person at a time.  These young leaders need support from their families in order to give the time to affect positive change in their communities.