<p>We have a Rotary club at my school, but I've been doing research on Interact and it seems to have a more international focus. I'm interested in starting an Interact Club at our school, but is this possible if there's already a Rotary one? & I have no idea who to contact about it. (I already checked the official website and it doesn't have any specifics on this) Please let me know if this is the right place to post this:) Thanks.</p>
<p>i was in INTERACT at my own school. there was not a rotary club at my school, but there was a rotary club in my town. basically they coexisted while working closely with each other. so im pretty sure you can have both at the same school. but, i have no idea who to contact...</p>
<p>uhhh, rotary club is for adults? and interact is for high school students. i don't see how there's a rotary club? rotary clubs are usually sponsors for interact clubs. i started the interact chapter of my school and we work closely with the rotary club in our area who sponsors us.</p>
<p>Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people ages 14-18. The program gives young people an opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and meeting new friends.
<a href="http://www.rotary.org/programs/interact/%5B/url%5D">http://www.rotary.org/programs/interact/</a></p>
<p>Frequently Asked Questions</p>
<p>I am interested in joining Interact but I am only 13 years old. I heard one has to be 14 to belong to an Interact club, is this true?
Interact is a service club for young people made up of members age 14-18 or secondary-school age. If the club you wish to join is school-based, it must accept and abide by the rules your school establishes regarding membership. Therefore, all secondary-school students are eligible to become Interactors.</p>
<p>Why should our Rotary club sponsor an Interact club?
Organizing an Interact club is one of the most rewarding activities a Rotary club can undertake in its community. The Interact program gives Rotarians the opportunity to mentor dynamic young men and women who want to provide service in their communities and in the global community. Rotarians serve as resources for Interactors who will become tomorrow's parents, business professionals, and community leaders. In turn, an Interact club can bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase support to projects, and spread knowledge of Rotary into other sectors of the community. Interactors, with the experience they have gained through this Rotary program, make exceptional future Rotaractors and later Rotarians.</p>
<p>How do we make our Interact club "official?"
Once an Interact club has achieved a strong membership base, it must apply for a charter from Rotary International. Complete a Interact Organization List form (which should include contact information from the Interact club, signature of president of the sponsoring Rotary club, and signature of the district governor). Send the form to RI Headquarters or the RI International Office in your area. After Rotary International receives the completed form, an official charter certificate will be mailed to the president of the sponsoring Rotary club. You might consider planning a special ceremony or celebration to present the Interact charter certificate to the club.</p>
<p>Are Interact clubs always based at secondary schools?
An Interact club can be school-based or community-based. A community-based Interact club may draw members from several different schools. The Rotarian advisor must attend every meeting of a community-based club. A school-based club is subject to the policies and regulations governing all other organizations of that particular school. In most instances, a faculty advisor — who may or may not be a Rotarian — is appointed to work with the Interactors. In the case of a school-based club, the Rotarian advisor is only required to attend the Interact club's board meetings.</p>
<p>Do I have any financial obligations once I belong to an Interact club?
Dues, if any, should be minimal; money for projects and activities should be raised through club activities. However, inquire with your district chair as to any district dues that may be applicable in your area.</p>
<p>How can I find out if there are any active Interact clubs in my area?
Contact your local Rotary club, district Interact chairperson, or RI staff for more information on the program in your area.</p>
<p><a href="mailto:interact@rotaryintl.org">interact@rotaryintl.org</a></p>
<p>Interact is usually for high school kids and they help with things local unlike rotary, where its for adults and they help all over. (At least thats how it is here)</p>
<p>gmlk, if there is already a Rotary Club at your hs, then trying to start an Interact Club may be redundant. </p>
<p>Just participate in the existing Rotary Club. I am assuming that the Rotary Club is made up of hs students and not parents and other adults.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. I don't get how it works either, but the club is definitely called "Rotary Club" and it is run by high school students at my school. We do have other service clubs, but they don't do a whole lot and they don't have international projects. I'd love to start something that'd be more active but I'm having trouble thinking of anything that wouldn't be redundant since most of the clubs are run by kids who really don't care and just want it for their college apps. Edit: I also tried contacting that email address a while ago but I doubt they check it often.</p>
<p>if you are interested in doing something more international you could start up a group to help with the landmine problem. there is one at my school and we actually raise quite a bit of money. we do things like wrap books at barnes and nobles at christmas which is actually a lot of fun if done with friends. i know there are two main organizations we send money to. if i remember right one is for victims of landmines and the other is for the removal of them. i don't know if that interests you or not but in case it does i can PM you with more information and stuff.</p>
<p>That's actually really interesting and a good fundraising idea. I'd love more info because I'm having trouble finding organizations. (It's hard to figure out which ones are dependable & honest, and which ones I can actually have a club for and not just donate $$) Do you only send to landmine victims? I think that's a good idea, and in general I'd like to help kids/families that don't have the $$ (or access) to go to school or even eat because I think that's where we have to start.</p>
<p>i'll just post it here even though it's kinda off-topic. anyways our program was started because some of the other IB schools wanted to start a program and so there was a club formed at our school for it. we raise money for Landmine Survivors Network and the United Nations' Adopt-A-Minefieldd. The Survivors Network is the only organization, not sure if this is still true, for survivors of landmines. It helps them with health care, rehabilitation, support, and social and economic reintegration. The Adopt-A-Minefield one raises money to clear out the landmines. It takes up to $1,000 to clear one mine. You don't have to wait until you have that amount to send the money in though. Although I think we wait until the end of the school year and our teacher adviser sends it in. There are a lot of great ways to funraise. Like I said before, we wrap books at Barnes and Nobles at Christmas. That is a purely on donation from the customer and Barnes and Nobles provides you with the paper, tape, and a table. I think we had about 6 days last year. The day I went raised at least a few hundred dollars. Jamba Juice also has a great fundraiser. That one is done during school at lunch times or things like that. We also set up a table at school events like back to school night and open house. We do set out a donation box but these events are about just raising awareness. Some parents donate to the program later. Our community also has an Earth Day where we had a booth this year and I think we have a booth at our upcoming International Fair. This way it gets out into the community. I don't know if your city has anything like that. If you do a search on the two organizations, then you should find how to send the money in. I know it is relatively simple but that's the part I am lacking in info. I hope you are able to get a club started. Good luck!!</p>
<p>what exactly is a rotary club?</p>
<p>Thanks so much, I'll look into them but I might PM you if I still have questions. Thanks again for taking the time to type all that out! Rotary is a huge organization that does a lot of different service both within local communities and fundraising for everyone from cancer patients to kids in Afghanistan who can't afford school supplies. Check out their website for specific info/a club or activities near you.</p>