INTERACT
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INTERACT is a service and social organization for
young people, ages 14-18, that is guided and
inspired by its sponsoring Rotary club, yet each
InterAct Club is self-governing and self-supporting,
giving members a chance to develop a range of
leadership skills while leaning the value of
teamwork. "INTERACT" stands for International
Action. Interact clubs exist in some 100 countries,
and InterActors act to solve problems and improve
the quality of life - in their community and around
the world. Bellaire/Southwest Houston Rotary sponsors three
of District 5890's 30 InterAct
Clubs - - at Southwest Houston's Bellaire High
School, Westbury
Christian School, and St.
Thomas' Episcopal School. Our club's Youth
Team includes
the Director of Youth Activities, the InterAct Chair, and
the President, who act as a liaison with, and
resource to, InterAct students and faculty advisors. Youth Team members may counsel Interactors
on planning service projects or fundraising activities,
visit meetings of school-based clubs, and facilitate
reporting the
names and addresses of new officers to Rotary's District
Interact committee. They also encourage InterAct
members to participate annually in "Round-Up",
sponsored by District 5890 on a weekend in early
September, apply for the Rotary Youth Leadership
Award program, compete in the annual District-wide
4-Way Test Essay Contest, participate in the
District InterAct Conference in the Spring at which
officers are elected for the entire area, field
charitable and humanitarian projects, and join with
their sponsoring Rotary club in selected volunteer &
fellowship activities each Rotary year. |
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The WESTBURY
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL INTERACT CLUB is led by
faculty advisor Sam White and has a membership of
approximately 45 students. 
WCS InterAct community
projects have included packing and distributing
food to the needy, December's Adopt a Family
Program to offer assistance during the holiday
season to needy families with the help of the
local YMCA, entertaining sick children at the
Texas Children's Hospital, and bringing cards and
cookies to the elderly in retirement homes for
Valentine's Day. Photo: BSWH Rotarian Nan
Wagoner installed the WCS Officers, congratulating
them on their commitment to the Rotary ideal of
service above self and presented their pins of
office. Sam White (Faculty Advisor), Krystal
Onwumere (President), Philmon Baby (Vice-President:),
Garner Haynie (President Elect), Johnson Hoang
(Treasurer), Peter Stathatos (Secretary), Wagoner. |
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The INTERACT CLUB OF ST. THOMAS'
EPISCOPAL SCHOOL fielded its first service
project in late Spring of 2007. 
The "shower
team's" smiles show how satisfied the young
people were
with the results of their baby supply
drive, which resulted in donation of a wealth of
much-needed baby and toddler
items for The Star of Hope Mission. Pictured
InterActors: Back Row, L to R: Chris Cooper,
Kitty Engerrand, Gwendolyn Seale (daughter of
Rotarian Ed Seale), Chelsee Freeman, Gibran Shaikh,
Amit Koduri, Brian Mathews. Front Row, L to R:
Rachel Hannusch, Helena Duran, Emily Heerensperger,
Katie Mueller, Mary Frances Dunlap.
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RYLA - Rotary Youth
Leadership Awards
 2006-7
BSWH Rotary President Phil Nauert presented Rotary's 2006-07 Youth Leadership
Award to Glory Nwaugbala of Westbury Christian
School INTERACT Club. The other 2006-07 honorees
were Garner Haynie (WCS InterAct Club), Victoria
Bole, a sophomore at Westbury High School, and
Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) Student Hilal Virinli
(Bellaire High School InterAct Club). Bellaire/SW Houston
Rotarians sponsored the RYLA winners at a leadership retreat and treated them to
the luncheon and ceremony in May. Their Certificates of Distinction commended the winners' fine achievements and expressed the confident hope of our membership that they will fulfill their potential for promoting goodwill as future leaders in their community, professions, and everyday lives. |
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ROUND-UP!
Each year
Rotary District 5890 sponsors an area-wide
conference where South Texas InterActors gather to
exchange ideas, plan projects for the year, and
get to know their counterparts in other clubs. Art
Rascon of ABC13 television was a special guest at
the 2006 InterAct Round-up, and Rotary District
Governor Suzi Howe gave the keynote address.
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The first Interact club was founded in
October 1962. Today there are more than 6,000 clubs around
the world, each sponsored by a Rotary club.
There are 30 Interact clubs involving approximately 2,500
students in the greater Houston area and sponsored by 25
Rotary clubs. On a District level, last year area Interactors collected 11,000
school books and filled a shipping container for South
Africa, and two years ago the students raised nearly
$4,000 for Hunger Plus, a worldwide effort to distribute
freeze-dried food to areas stricken by drought. Individual
clubs have raised money for local Boys & Girls Clubs,
operated mentoring programs for middle school students and
assisted cities with festivals.
| Rotary's
Statement
of Conduct for Working with Youth: Rotary
International is committed to creating and
maintaining the safest possible environment for
all participants in Rotary activities. It is the
duty of all Rotarians, Rotarians' partners, and
any volunteers to safeguard to the best of their
ability the welfare of and to prevent the
physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of children
and young people with whom they come into contact
through Rotary. |
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Promoting Literacy, Ethical Values in Youth ~
District
4-WAY TEST ESSAY SCHOLARSHIPS
Gwendolyn Seale of Houston's St. Thomas' Episcopal School was named top essayist in
the 2009 area-wide writing competition and received a $2000 college scholarship for her efforts.
The annual contest is open to 12th grade InterAct members
throughout the District. Seale and two other area winners were recognized during a special awards luncheon hosted by Bellaire Southwest Rotary
with framed certificates and gifts after the scholarship announcements.
For entry information and rules, contact District
4-Way-Test Scholarship Chair
Nan Wagoner.
Click LINKS below for helpful InterAct Materials to download.
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Bellaire / Southwest Houston Rotary Club
