The Excitement Begins With

Interact

InteractInteract is one of Rotary International’s nine structured programs designed to help clubs and districts achieve their service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, fostering fellowship and goodwill in the process.

What is Interact?Interact is a service club for young people ages 14-18. Sponsored by local Rotary clubs, Interact clubs give young people an opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and meeting new friends.

Wauconda, SAS Interact Club

Interact Goals and Guidelines• Develop leadership skills and personal integrity.• Demonstrate helpfulness and respect for others.• Understand the value of individual responsibility

and hard work.• Advance international understanding and

goodwill.

A Part of the Rotary FamilyInteractors and Rotarians are partners in service. Rotarians mentor promising youth in their communities. Interactors bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase support of projects, and help develop future Rotarians.

Interact History• Interact stands for

international action.• The first club was

chartered in 1962 at Melbourne High School, FL, USA.

• Today there are more than 11,400 clubs in over 125 countries with an estimated membership of 250,000 youth worldwide.

About Interact• Sponsoring Rotary clubs provide support and guidance, but

Interact clubs are self-governing and self-supporting.• Club membership varies and can be single-gender or

mixed-gender, large or small.• Members are drawn from one school’s student body or

from several schools in the community.

Program GuidelinesInteract clubs are encouraged to• Be school-based or community-based.• Have a Rotarian adviser and a faculty

adviser for school-based clubs.• Meet at least twice a month. Interactors

must attend 60% of regularly scheduled meetings.

• Support from Sponsoring Rotary Clubs

Service ProjectsInteractors carry out activities to– Benefit schools and communities – Expand international understanding

What Interact Means To Me!

Service Projects

Popular projects include:• Fundraisers/ International

initiative too!• Blood drives• Community Project• Clean-up campaigns • Join with other Service

Organizations• Support local Food Pantry• Support School Initiatives

How to Organize a Club1. Form an Interact

subcommittee.2. Identify the membership

base.3. Hold informational and

organizational meetings.4. Complete the

Interact Club Organization List.

5. Submit the list to Rotary International.

Rotary Club SupportSuccessful ways to provide guidance:• Invite Interactors to Rotary club meetings.• Connect with area High Schools• Create an annual Rotary-Interact service

project.• Establish a recognition program.• Publicize activities to the community and

the Rotary world.

Interact Club StructureThe Interact board of directors is the club’s governing body. It consists of the following elected officers:– President– Vice president– Secretary– Treasurer– Other officers as needed

Interact Club CommitteesThe Interact club president appoints four standing committees to effectively help carry out the club’s activities– Club committee– Finance committee– Service committee– International understanding committee

World Interact Week

Every year, Interactors and Rotarians celebrate the charter of the first Interact club in November. Together they participate in a variety of activities to increase Interact awareness in their communities.

ParticipateInteract clubs• Allow Rotary’s new

generations to be involved in community life and develop skills to become responsible and productive members of society

• Are one of the most significant and fastest growing programs of Rotary service

Video

ResourcesThe following resources are available on the RI Web site:– Interact section– Interact Brochure– Interact HandbookOr Contact– Interact Advisor, Sam Martinez, Wauconda