Introducing Interact
Junior Ella Harrison on NAHS’s newest club
March 16, 2018
Though junior Ella Harrison founded the Interact Club this school year, members have already begun making a difference in the community.
“I’ve always loved helping out in the community, but this club lets me inspire peers to get involved as well. Together we’re making a really big impact,” Harrison said.
Harrison was previously in Key Club but decided to start her own service-based club that is separate from Key Club.
“We are sponsored by the Rotary Club which means we attend luncheons and dinners to check in with Rotary where they evaluate what we have been doing and been involved in,” Harrison said. “It’s a really good way to keep us motivated.”
Service is very important for Harrison; she says she strives for at least 80 hours per year.
“Without helping the people around us, our community will go nowhere,” Harrison said. “It’s important that our generation knows how to help those in need so as we become the future we can take it on together.”
The club is still in its beginning stages and has a long way to go according to Harrison.
“We have close to ten members, but for it being our first year we’re really proud of how things are turning out but we are always welcoming to more helping hands,” Harrison said.
Despite its youth, Interact has already completed a plethora of community service.
“The most recent project we’ve been involved in is working with Habitat for Humanity,” Harrson said. “We’re helping build a house on South Street for a single mom of two kids to get back on her feet. After Hurricane Irma, I reached out to the interact club in Key Largo and Key West to see what we could do to help. They gave us a family that we could raise money for to make sure that they had a Christmas. The family was working on rebuilding their house so we were able to buy the parents gift cards to Home Depot and to Lowes; meanwhile we were able to get the kids some clothes to replace his ruined ones and a few toys as well.”
The club has tried to gain more members and hope they can gain notoriety through their actions.
We hope that people can see the difference that a small group of teenagers are making and want to get involved to make a even bigger difference. — Junior Ella Harrison
“We hope that people can see the difference that a small group of teenagers are making and want to get involved to make a even bigger difference,” Harrison said.
Harrison has spent a lot of time developing the club and has a very specific idea of the club’s main goals.
“We try to live by the butterfly effect,” Harrison said. “As our groups helps our community, our nation, and our world we hope to reach people along the way who will be motivated to help as well and the cycle will confíe exponentially.”
Harrison urges anyone with an interest in serving others to consider joining Interact.
“Interact club is a great way to stay involved throughout the year,” Harrison said. “We are consistently doing new exciting projects. No matter what we’re doing, we stay motivated and positive and we stay determined to make a difference and inspire people along the way. Also, we are sponsored by rotary which means seniors who walk at graduation get a medallion to wear saying they were involved in Interact. We always love when people inquire about joining and want to get involved.”
