Let me tell you about a local organization. They number upwards of 70 members who sponsor or involve themselves in everything from maintenance of forest trails to acting as parking monitors for Laguna Seca races to assisting Santa Claus and his helpers in making a better Christmas for local families to organizing Red Cross blood drives, the last one resulting in enough blood to save 57 lives. And to top it off, this active and important club is only five years old and there ain’t an adult member among their rolls; they are King City High School students. They are the Interact Club.
Sponsored by Rotary International, Interact Club membership is open to freshmen through senior classes. According to Rotary sources, the first club was founded way back in 1962 at Melbourne High School in Florida (probably none of the local Interact members have ever been to Melbourne, Fla., but I have on a few occasions), one year later there were 177 clubs in 24 countries, and now 63 years later there are 14,900 clubs in 145 countries. Obviously, the young people active in these clubs live up to their motto “Service Above Self,” or such explosive global growth and influence in their communities would never have taken place.
There are many here in King City who have seen these young people at various functions and events throughout the city, they are easily noticeable in their blue T-shirts with white lettering displaying the name of their school and the Rotary wheel logo, but not many know of the full extent of their activities. I have announced parades where Interact Club floats have graced the route, last Christmas Parade they gleaned a second-place trophy, and I have seen members active in community events but was unaware of all they do as an outreach organization.
Those activities mentioned above, the accumulation of 19 pints of blood to bolster local supplies, the distribution of food and gifts at Christmastime, and road and campground maintenance work with the U.S. Forestry Service, are worthy and important efforts, but they do not constitute the totality of Interact Club activities. While fulfilling both the club motto and required school community hours, members have assisted with registration, food distribution and traffic for the downtown Ciclovia event, they costume up to treat the tricksters at Trunk or Treat, and of course they are all over the annual Rotary Club Crab Feed, with crab costume and all.
I fully expect to see some of those distinctive blue-and-white shirts two days from now at the Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum’s annual Drury Tankersley Clam Chowder Feed. They hold fundraisers to keep the coffers supplied and membership drives to keep the legacy alive; at present they have just shy of $5,000 in their treasury. I mentioned there are no adult members of the group, but there are two people who act as advisors. Rotarian Steve Adams established the club at the high school five years ago and KCHS English and Drama teacher Jaime Jones is the on-campus advisor.
Senior Hayden Munoz is the sitting president of the KCHS Interact Club, her second administration as she also held the position as a junior. A few years back, I knew Ms. Munoz and her two younger sisters and Hayden seemed the more reserved of the three. That is not the case today. As a public speaker since elementary school, I recognize good speakers and Hayden is very impressive; and she leads an impressive group. Every student who stepped to the mic the night Interact Club presented to the high school board were confident, poised and showed authority with their presentation, a skill that is a very good tool for a young person to put in life’s toolbox.
As an arts supporter, I have watched board member Victoria Jones wow audiences since she was very young, and have worked with both Vivian Cullen and Natalia Merritt together onstage in a couple shows. Talent draws talent, so I am assured that every member of the club is talented in their own way, with the result that when working together they do get things done.
One of the more impressive efforts of the club is making the way for two of their members to travel to Uganda, where they will interact with other Interact Club members in projects designed to improve the lives of one town’s citizens. In case you didn’t catch that, I said Uganda; that is a country on a different continent half way around the world. That is impressive and will provide two individuals with memories to last a lifetime.
Three of the members offered thoughts about their involvement as Interact Club members. Aime Alvarez states, “The Interact Club is important to me and many of my friends because it gives us a sense of pride to be part of a group that helps people in our community. It gives us a place to give back to the world while making friends with others our age who we wouldn’t have met otherwise.” In her second year as vice president of the club, Natalia Merritt writes about travel to areas where she met others her age and states, “I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of this club and gain life skills to better myself and my community.”
And Ms. Munoz, once one of only two freshmen in a club of few members, has been instrumental in recruiting members while getting involved in every aspect of the club. “Interact has had an immense impact on my life,” she states. “I’ve gotten to connect with a myriad of people and learn from so many different perspectives. Through Interact I have been able to develop my leadership skills, but more importantly, I’ve discovered the intrinsic joy that service to others brings.”
Those are powerful and meaningful declarations from young people who will benefit greatly from their time spent as members of this outgoing, energetic group.
Take care. Peace.
