Jessie Case plants a tree with the Coronado Rotary Club.
By Jessie Case, Rotaract Club of Pacific Beach, California, USA
My very first Interact project was picking up trash at a nearby lake and recreation area. It was so simple, yet I was so moved by the idea that if you wanted something to happen, you could take matters into your own hands and get it done. I am still moved by that feeling that comes from identifying a problem, finding a solution, and acting upon it. Continue reading
A Navajo family enjoys their newly installed solar light.
By A.J. Holzer
As I landed in the Durango airport, cramped into a small airplane, my entire Rotary career flashed before my eyes. I had joined Interact at the beginning of high school as a way to help my community and connect with others. And for most of my high school years, I was able to do just that, growing as a leader and learning from my peers. The experience was uniquely personal – all I knew of Rotary was my club and the work we did in the community. But in the summer of my sophomore year, my knowledge of Rotary was about to explode to an entirely new level. Continue reading
Dave White
Editor’s note: This is the fifth and last in a series of blog posts from the 2018 Youth Leadership All-Stars, participants in Rotary’s programs for young leaders, in celebration of Youth Service Month.
By Dave White, Rotary Club of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
I was inspired to become involved in the Rotary Youth Exchange program in the 1980s while I was a secondary school principal and the school hosted our first international exchange student. A young lady, an Inbound Exchange student from South Africa, spent the year at our school. She had never been taught by a non-white teacher and had some hesitations about attending his classes. The trepidations soon disappeared. She grew to know and respect the teacher as a person and thoroughly enjoyed his classes. Continue reading
Ismael Nieto reads to children during one of his Interact club’s service projects.
Nieto
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of blog posts from the 2018 Youth Leadership All-Stars, participants in Rotary’s programs for young leaders, in celebration of Youth Service Month.
By Ismael Cadeno Nieto, Interact Club of Manta, Ecuador
When I was 10 years old, my parents became involved in Rotary. Since that moment, I’ve assisted in club activities as the son of a Rotarian, and at first, I didn’t like it all that much. But four years later, something changed, and it became one of my favorite hobbies. I was inspired to take action through the needs I discovered in my community. Continue reading
Exchange students from District 6990 get together.
By Gabriel de Jesus Abade, former Rotary Youth Exchange Student
When I was 16, like most teenagers, I was focused on my own life. I hadn’t really thought about joining a service club or dedicating myself to helping others. But that changed when a high school friend began talking to me about Rotary, and its local and global actions. I was captivated and wanted to learn more. Continue reading
High school students enjoy a bonfire event in 2016.
By Brett Morey, chair of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship and past president of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, California, USA
Have you ever thought of turning a hobby or passion into something even more beneficial through Rotary? I am a third generation Californian and grew up bodyboarding at Huntington Beach and Del Mar, before starting to surf 34 years ago. Back in May, I got this crazy idea to do something with my interest in surfing. Continue reading
This week, World Interact Week, we honor the accomplishments of an estimated half a million Interact club members. And we are recognizing the positive impact young people have made through Interact for more than 55 years.
To celebrate Interact we asked clubs around the world, “What makes your Interact club great?” Here are some of the responses: Continue reading
By Andrei Precup, president of the Interact Club of Constanta, Romania
We were honored to be selected as best video in last year’s Interact Video Awards. Our goal was to open people’s eyes to the need to take care of our planet and ourselves.
We were driven to take part both because it was something different from our usual activities and because the theme was so interesting (If Interactors ruled the world). I remember being at our club’s meeting when our president announced the idea of making a video. Many people were very excited. Our club likes taking on new challenges and trying things for the first time. Continue reading
Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of blog posts from Youth Leadership All-Stars, participants in Rotary’s programs for young leaders, in celebration of Youth Service Month.
By Riley Benton, a member of the Interact Club of Coffee County Central High School, Manchester, Tennessee, USA
I had already participated in different service projects when I joined Interact in my freshman year of high school. I have been a member all four years of high school, and it has shaped me into a servant leader. Continue reading
Ambanpola, second from left, packing 10,500 food packets for Haiti with members of Rotaract.
Editor’s note: This is part of a series of blog posts from Youth Leadership All-Stars, participants in Rotary’s programs for young leaders, in celebration of Youth Service Month.
By Nipuna Ambanpola, a member of the Rotaract Club of Armstrong State University and former member of Interact
Volunteering has been a very satisfying component of my life. When I volunteer, it’s always about contributing my time and skills to enhance the quality of life of others in my community.
I joined the Interact Club of Royal College, the second oldest club and the oldest continuously functioning club in Sri Lanka in 2009. Continue reading
