When aiming to secure admission to your dream college or university, it’s important to understand that admissions officers at top institutions value high school students who invest their time and energy in activities they are passionate about beyond the classroom, such as participating in Interact Clubs.
If you’re considering which extracurricular activities could be beneficial in multiple ways, not just for college admissions, one great option to explore is Interact Club. In this blog, we’ll be sharing everything you need to know about Interact clubs—including what they are, what they do, and why they’re important in high school.
- What Is an Interact Club?
- What Are the Rotary Interact Clubs?
- What Does an Interact Club Do?
- How to Join an Interact Club
- How to Start an Interact Club
- Does Joining an Interact Club Help with College Admissions?
- Should You Join an Interact Club?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
What Is an Interact Club?
The Interact Club is a branch of Rotary Youth Programs. Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people aged 14 to 18. While Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which offer support and guidance, they remain self-governing and self-supporting.
Club membership can vary widely—clubs may be single-gender or co-ed, large or small. They can draw members from a single school’s student body or multiple schools within the same community.
Rotary Youth Programs offer a variety of fun and exciting opportunities for students worldwide, including:
- Rotary Youth Leadership Award
- Rotary Youth Exchange
- 4-Way Essay and Speech Contests
- Interact Club
These are countless engaging ways for young people to spend their time outside of class.
As one of the most significant and fastest-growing programs of Rotary service, with more than 10,700 clubs in 109 countries and geographical areas, Interact has become a worldwide phenomenon. Almost 200,000 young people are involved in Interact.
What is Rotary?
Rotary is a global network with over 1 million members and more than 35,000 clubs worldwide, all working together to support education and literacy, promote peace, combat illness, and create lasting positive change.
Many students involved in Rotary Youth Programs participate in summer camps and seminars as part of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. This program is called an award because it recognizes and rewards young people for their leadership, commitment, and service in making the world a better place.
While the Rotary Youth Leadership Award isn’t directly connected to Interact Club, it reflects the values this global program upholds and its expectations for the students involved.
What Are the Rotary Interact Clubs?
Interact Clubs are a vital branch of Rotary’s youth programs, offering students valuable opportunities to develop leadership skills while embracing Rotary’s credo of “Service Above Self.”
Many high schools across the United States and worldwide have their own Interact Club chapters, allowing students to collaborate on various community service projects and initiatives.
Each school year, Interact Clubs dedicate their time and energy to at least two community service projects—one focused on benefiting the local school or community, and the other aimed at promoting greater international understanding to foster a more unified and peaceful global community.
Some of the advantages of participating in an Interact Club at your high school include the following:
- You discover new cultures as you promote a greater sense of international understanding
- You develop key leadership skills in your school and community
- You make new friends both in your own community at home as well as communities across the world
- You encourage and practice thoughtfulness and helpfulness toward others
- You create an awareness of the importance of home and family
- You help build respect for the rights of all people
- You emphasize acceptance of individual responsibility as the basis of personal success, community improvement, and group achievement
- You develop important life skills that include self-development, time management, and personal finances
- You recognize the dignity of all useful jobs and opportunities that work towards making society better
- You open pathways of personal and group action leading to the advancement of international understanding and goodwill towards the whole of humanity
What Does an Interact Club Do?
Every year, Interact Clubs around the world organize at least two projects. One project focuses on supporting the local school or community, while the other aims to promote greater international connection and understanding.
Some of the global impacts of Interact Club allows you to get involved in projects such as:
- World Interact Week
- Interact Video Awards
- Rotary Youth Day at the United Nations
- Global Youth Service Day
Examples of Interact Club programs
In the United States, members of an Interact Club, in partnership with their sponsor Rotary Club, teamed up with the One World Play Project to bring durable soccer balls to children in Vietnam.
In Nepal, members of an Interact Club developed an innovative and self-sustaining method to fund a handwashing and personal hygiene campaign, helping to keep children healthy and safe.
To combat a deadly online game, an Interactor from Brazil creates a game that promotes peace and self-esteem.
These are just some of the programs that Interact Club has done over the years. These programs usually center around youth empowerment, sanitation, and safety, as well as proper nutrition and health.
How to Join an Interact Club
Joining an existing Interact Club at your school is a straightforward process.
First, check with your school or contact a local Rotary Club to find out if there’s an Interact Club in your area. Once you’ve located a club, simply reach out to them to learn how to join the next meeting, service project, or community event. Following Interact Club on social media is also a great way to stay updated on their activities locally and globally.
But what if there’s no Interact Club at your school or in your community? Fortunately, starting your own club is easy with the support of the program.
If you’re interested in starting an Interact Club, contact your local Rotary Club to get started. You can find all the information you need to organize, certify, and manage your club in the Interact Guide for Rotary Club Sponsors and Advisors.
How to Start an Interact Club
Here are the steps to establishing an Interact Club:
- Determine that there is sufficient interest among youth to form a club.
- Talk with school administrators to see if they would agree to a school-based Interact club. [If not, then the club will have to be a community-based club.]
- Hold an organizational meeting of prospective Interactors: elect officers and determine when club meetings will be held.
- Download and adapt the standard Interact Constitution and By-Laws.
- Download and complete the Interact Club Certification Form.
- Get the signature of the president of the sponsor Rotary club, and ask the president to obtain the signature of the district governor.
- Send copies of the signed club certification form to the sponsor Rotary club, the district governor, and the district Interact chair.
- Submit a copy of the signed certification form to the Rotary International office: [email protected]. After processing, Rotary will send a certificate to the sponsor Rotary club president to present to the new Interact club.
Does Joining an Interact Club Help with College Admissions?
Yes. Here’s an important point to consider when it comes to joining or starting an Interact Club: You might worry that starting a new club could be seen as less impressive to college admissions officers compared to joining an established one. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, college admissions officers value leadership and impact in extracurricular activities. Starting an Interact Club demonstrates initiative and a commitment to making a difference—qualities that are highly regarded in the admissions process.
While you might think it’s beneficial to participate in as many extracurricular activities as possible, college admissions officers focus more on the quality of your involvement rather than the quantity. Leadership and meaningful contributions are what truly stand out.
What do college admissions officers look for in high school extracurriculars?
Admissions officers will first and foremost assess your test scores and grades to determine if you’re a good fit for a particular school, but don’t underestimate the importance of extracurricular activities.
In fact, because many applicants to highly competitive and prestigious schools often have similar GPAs and standardized test scores, factors like letters of recommendation, personal essays, and extracurricular activities can be what sets you apart.
When it comes to extracurriculars, there are countless opportunities available based on your interests and passions. However, it’s important to remember that college admissions officers prioritize quality over quantity. They are far more impressed by a student who has dedicated years to deeply engaging in a particular program, team, or group than by one who has briefly participated in numerous clubs.
Simply put, a long list of extracurriculars isn’t what impresses admissions officers—meaningful involvement is.
Here are what college admissions officers look for most when they are evaluating a student’s extracurricular activities:
- Colleges admissions officers want to see that the time spent on involvement has led to growth and meaningful experiences. You should:
- Strive to make a difference in the group and greater community
- Complete and contribute to a worthwhile product or cause
- Learn something or develop a new skill or talent as a result of your involvement
- Accomplish major goals or be recognized for your contributions
- College admissions officers are always looking for students to portray leadership qualities and abilities through their engagement and extracurricular activities. You should:
- Seek to earn a role within the groups and programs that you are involved in
- Serve as a captain of an athletic team, be a member of a team that wins a state for the regional championship, or is recognized on an individual basis for your own achievements
- Progress from a regular member status early in their involvement to a leadership role over the course of your high school years
- Play a role in major and positive organizational changes that make it a more positive or more effective program
- Go beyond what is expected of you in order to have a great impact on the program or community as a whole
- College admissions officers also look for outside recognition. You should:
- Attempt to earn awards, honors, press, rankings, or letters of acknowledgment and gratitude for your role in the program
- Be able to explain and identify your own personal sense of achievement that you got out of your involvement even if you were not striving for material awards and recognition
This is a great way to begin thinking about extracurricular activities. Even if you’re unsure of your interests as you start high school, make an effort in the early months of your freshman year to explore different clubs and groups at your school and in your community. This will help you discover what you might be most passionate about.
Freshman year is the perfect time to test the waters and focus on quantity over quality. As you gain experience, you can narrow down your involvement to the two to five groups or programs that interest you the most. Ideally, each year, you’ll deepen your commitment and play a more significant role in shaping the direction of those groups, programs, teams, or clubs.
Should You Join an Interact Club?
Yes! Interact Club allows you to engage with multiple communities simultaneously. Each year, the projects they participate in aim to positively impact the local and school communities, as well as the global community. Through this involvement, you will gain valuable insights into different cultures and experiences, leading to your personal growth and development.
College admissions officers consistently look for evidence that a student will be a positive influence on their campus. If you’ve spent years contributing to your local and global communities, admissions officers are likely to see you as someone who will bring that same positive energy to their college campus.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How often do Interact Clubs meet?
The frequency of Interact Club meetings varies depending on the specific club, but most clubs meet once or twice a month.
While time commitment can vary, students are encouraged to stay actively involved and contribute as much as they can. The club is designed to be flexible, allowing students to balance their involvement with other academic and extracurricular responsibilities.
2. Can students hold leadership positions in the Interact Club?
Yes, students can hold leadership positions in Interact Club, such as president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Leadership roles offer students the opportunity to develop further their organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
3. What is the election process for Interact Clubs?
Interact Club elections are typically held annually, and all club members are eligible to run for office. The process usually involves campaigning and a vote by the club’s members.
Takeaways
- Interact Clubs are a vital branch of Rotary’s youth programs, offering students valuable opportunities to develop leadership skills.
- Interact Clubs dedicate their time and energy to at least two community service projects—one focused on benefiting the local school or community, and the other aimed at promoting greater international understanding
- Joining or starting an Interact Club helps with the admissions process. It shows initiative and commitment to making a difference which could impress admissions officers.
- Want to know how to include your Interact Club membership in your college application? Don’t worry! AdmissionSight is here to help. We will guide you by offering academic guidance, essay-writing tips, and extracurricular choices to help you achieve your goals.
