The Interact Club is a student-run organization offered at RCHS that has allowed students to connect with their community through service opportunities. The club’s low-key demeanor has resonated with students throughout the years and motivates them to volunteer in local events such as the Hospice Hustle, Road and River Relay, and the Boxerwood Fall and Spring Festivals. However, the start of the year brought unexpected change to the Interact Club. The club is  no longer affiliated with the international Rotary Club, as it has been in past years. This caused the leaders of Interact to pivot and change the name of the club. Ms. Leadbetter, the club’s sponsor, was the organizer in the decision making process that came with changing the name.

“I thought the process to change the name should be a democratic one; therefore, we accepted nominations for a ‘new’ name, presented the names at our second meeting on September 9, and allowed all students who attended said meeting to vote,” said Leadbetter. “The majority of student members voted for ‘The Outreach Club’ to be our new name.”

The draw to the new name came from the fact that the club’s main purpose is to give students a chance to reach out and give back to the community. Although this new name does bring some changes, the Outreach Club is still focused on moving forward as planned and getting high schoolers as involved in service work as possible. 

“We hope to reconnect with the local organizations we worked with pre-COVID, and we want to reach out more in the community. We are also planning to fundraise so that we can bring back our Earth Day celebration in the spring and purchase new club t-shirts,” said Leadbetter.

The Outreach Club is led this year by Seniors Seamus Looney and Ella Vaught who serve as Co-Presidents. The club is still open for any student to join and will offer multiple opportunities throughout the year. Seamus Looney sees the need in the community and wants this club to be a successful outlet for those looking to give back. 

Speaking of this purpose, Looney said, “We encourage all students to join whether their motive is to improve their college application or a genuine strive to make their community a better place.”