For the members of Interact Club, being a part of the club isn’t just about adding another extracurricular to their college applications– it’s about growing as a leader and learning to put others before yourself. The club’s mission is to provide opportunities for high school students to work together towards the common objective of being of service to those in the community.
Interact Club works in close association with the Rotary Club to open the eyes of students to the issues in their community and help students reach a point where they can act and see the effects of those actions and motions for change. Rotary Club is the organization that sponsors Interact Club and helps find service projects that the students feel passionate about and that also benefit the community in substantial ways. Matthew Baldwin committed to sponsoring Interact Club this year.
“The most rewarding part so far has been doing the Head Start Christmas Party. I had a good time with that. I think the students had a good time with that. I think the kids that were benefiting from the event were having a good time with it, so it was a good chance to spread some Christmas cheer and to practice some charitable acts,” Baldwin said.
Interact Club is a club for progress, both in the community and in members’ lives. The main goal of the club is to leave a lasting impact on students by teaching them valuable lessons and skills through the idea of service over self. Interact Club President, Aubree Jones, describes the impact Interact Club has had on her perspective.
“The enlightenment that I’ve had since joining the club is that a lot more of the issues are happening a lot closer to home than I realized. So now that I’ve realized this, I’ve noticed myself applying the mission of the club not just when I’m volunteering and working for the club but also in my personal life when I’m just seeing people who need help. I’ve realized that there are small ways that I can provide that help aside from the big projects that we work on as well,” Jones said.
Interact Club is similar to numerous other organizations in Lenoir City High School. They volunteer their time, they influence their members, and they work towards the common goal of a more united community. Yet, what undoubtedly sets this club apart is the magnitude of the impacts that their actions cause.
“I wish that people understood that Interact Club is not just another one of those volunteering clubs that everyone signs up for to get their required hours. Interact Club is a club that genuinely takes action and works towards bigger picture goals while a making difference, not just in the community but even further. We partner with the Rotary Club of Lenoir City, and through that we’re able to have a more widespread impact, not just to Lenoir City but as far as other countries. So I think that it’s really awesome that through Interact Club, you’re able to make such a profound impact,” Jones said.
While Interact Club focuses on benefiting the community, they are also focused on bringing more attention to the club. Interact is a recently restored club after COVID-19 and online school caused many students to lose interest in the group. The sponsors’ goal for Interact is to increase involvement and spread the message of Interact.
“I want to grow our club and get as many members in as we can. The more people we have, the more good we can do. So right now we’re just focused on increasing membership and finding some projects and things we can do to better the community, both at the high school and Lenoir City in general,” Baldwin said.
Interact Club is making a considerable return as it focuses its efforts on the revitalization of the community while spreading the message that it only takes one person to make a difference.
