The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. – Gandhi
Educating our students involves much more than math, science, and literature. True education must include seeking out opportunities to learn about reaching out to others, finding ways to improve the community in which we live, and working together towards a common goal. These are some of the ways our students will learn to act with compassion. As we examine ways in which our school system is helping to shape our young people into the next generation of caring and responsible citizenry, we cannot ignore the opportunity being given to our students by a group known as the Interact Club.
What is the Interact Club and how did it start in Avon?
The Interact Club exists to develop community leaders who will experience the value of service to others. Not every school has a group like this one, so we are excited that Avon gives this opportunity to our high school students!
Every Interact Club grows from their local Rotary Club, which connects with a local high school and finds at least twenty-five interested students who want to participate. For Avon’s Interact Club, it began to take shape in 2008 when Chelsea Zusan started the ball rolling, but when she graduated, the club needed a new leader. Pam Lyons, one of the Rotary Club’s liaisons to Interact, met a lovely teacher by the name of Heather Coffman and recognized in this teacher an enthusiasm for the community and a desire to further connect with students that would be perfect for helping to begin the club. Together they were able to gather enough interested young people to start the ever-important process of reaching out to serve Avon and the world.
What is the value of the Interact Club?
As I’m trying to find the right words to answer this question, I’m overwhelmed by the large number of people who are impacted by the outreach of this committed organization, not to mention the intense and authentic education that the participating students experience.
The Big Picture: Literally, people all over the world benefit because these students will do amazing things as they go about their year in Interact. Just some of the projects the club has done over the past year includes: collecting shoes for the international Soles 4 Souls project, sponsoring a Prom Dress Sale, packing boxes for Hendricks County Project Angel, selling luminaria bags for the Avon Relay for Life, working at IU Health West sponsored run/walk to raise funds for the B&O Trail, fundraising for Sheltering Wings, weekly reading to preschool children at Day Nursery, obtaining a grant for Family Promise in Hendricks County, weekly tutoring at Intermediate and Middle Schools, delivering cheer and valentines to nursing home residents, hosting Game Day for special needs students, hosting the International Global Social for English Language Learner students, delivering handwritten thank you notes to veterans at the VA hospital, and assisting Avon Rotary with other various projects – WOW!! They really touch the lives of so many people!
The Student Picture: Our high school Interact Club members get to learn much more than curricular subject matter through these programs. By connecting with young children and our senior community, our club members receive education in the areas of compassion and humility. By connecting with those who have bravely served our country, our club members receive education in the areas of gratitude and respect. By connecting with citizens of Hendricks County, our club members receive education in the areas of service and kindness. We can all agree that the value wrapped up in these areas is foundational to the growth of our youth and the development of our future community.
The students in the Interact Club are excited about all the things they are learning as well. Sophomore Lauren King, who will serve next year as the Director of School Activities for Interact, says this about her experience with the club: “I have learned how to become a better leader through service like being a tutoring captain at AIS East. Also I learned how to become a better public speaker with my work on the grant to benefit Family Promise. This grant also helped to open my eyes and realize other things, in this case, homelessness that goes on right here in Hendricks County.” Graduating senior Ashley Morgan, who served as this year’s Director of International Projects, says this about her own experience: “I feel that I have learned not only how to communicate better and be more confident in front of people, but most importantly I’ve learned how much I really enjoy serving others and how much I truly value serving the community.” Students realizing the value of serving others – education doesn’t get much better than that. A parent or teacher can explain to a young person every day how to be compassionate and respectful, but that type of education doesn’t happen from the outside-in. It works best from the inside-out. And when people serve, they learn from the inside-out.
The Rotary Club may have more life experience than the kids who make up the Interact club, but they are not without their own education from their experience with this connection. Pam Lyons, who serves as Rotary liaison, had this to say about her own involvement: “The more I’m involved in Interact, the more I learn about myself. Students and sponsors who work with Interact think they go into it in order to serve the community, and through that service what they really end up gaining is personal growth.”
The T-Shirts worn by Interact Club members outline their outstanding goals: Developing Leaders, Demonstrating Respect, Understanding Responsibility, Advancing Goodwill.
Thank you Interact! Keep up the good work! You are making a world of difference! We look forward to next year!