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By Ryan Hyland
To help promote the growth of Interact, the RI Board has agreed to
lower the age of eligibility for Interactors from 14 to 12.
“This is another opportunity to expand the family of Rotary,” says
J.R. Thompson, a member of the RI Interact Committee and the Rotary
Club of Rocky Ford, Colorado, USA. “In my personal experience
working with young people, they will put out the effort to reach a
reasonable level of expectations. I found this is just as true of a
12-year-old as it is of a 14-year-old.”
The Council on Legislation, which met 25-30 April in Chicago, was
also poised to consider a pair of proposals to lower the minimum age
for Interact, but withdrew them because of the January action by the
Board. District 2750 (Guam; Japan; Micronesia; Northern Marianas;
Palau), which proposed one of the resolutions, argued in its
statement of support that the mental and physical development of
young people today is more advanced than when the Standard Interact
Club Constitution was launched.
The Council approved creating a permanent committee of RI for
Interact and establishing a fifth Avenue of Service, New Generations
Service, to recognize the positive change brought about by young
adults involved in leadership activities.
Each year, Interact clubs are asked to complete at least two
community service projects, one of which should further
international understanding and goodwill. Through these efforts,
Interactors develop a network of friendships with local and overseas
clubs.
The Board’s policy for Interact states that the sponsor Rotary club
must cooperate with school authorities in supervising the Interact
club, and that the Interact club is subject to all the regulations
that apply to other student organizations and extracurricular
activities at the school.
If the school where an Interact club is based includes students
younger than age 12 or older than 18, they may also be members, the
policy states. So, if a school serves students ages 10-13,
10-year-olds could also be members.
“In smaller communities, it is not unusual for secondary schools to
be combined with junior and senior high schools,” says Thompson. “In
fact, this is a growing trend in the U.S., where the mean age of the
population continues to move up.”
The Board also agreed to set these priorities for the program:
“Strong clubs -- whether they are Interact, Rotaract, or Rotary --
are always looking for more good people willing to put their minds,
backs, and hearts into Service Above Self,” says Thompson. |
RI
Board lowers Interact age