What is Interact?
It is a Rotary-sponsored service club for youth ages fourteen to eighteen. Interact allows youth an opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and initiative. Through service activities, youth also demonstrate helpfulness, respect for others, understanding the value of hard work and responsibility as a group and individual as well as advancing international understanding and goodwill. The first Interact club was formed in 1962, in Melbourne, Flordia, USA.
Interact stands for "international action" and presently nearly 200,000 youth in more than 110 countries belong to about 8,700 clubs.

How does Interact fit into Rotary?
Rotary has more than 1.2 million members in over 31,000 clubs. Interact clubs are self-supporting and governing; however, they receive guidance from a sponsoring Rotary club.

What does an Interact club do?
The goal is to encourage and foster the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world of friendship of youth united in the ideal of service. Clubs organize a variety of projects and activities depending on the interests of the members of the club. All Interact clubs undertake activities to enhance leadership skills, serve the community and expand international understanding.
Service Above Self is the Rotary guiding principle. Service projects by Interact members are designed to improve the quality of life at home and abroad. Projects often address critical issues of today such as violence, drug abuse, AIDS, hunger, the environment and illiteracy.
Each Interact club is required to complete at least two major service projects annually, one serving the community and another to promote international understanding.

Why organize an Interact club?
Interact clubs allow today's youth to gain the toolss and skills necessary to develop into responsible, productive members of society. The club allows members to gain life skills that can be shared with others for generations to come.

Structure
Interact members plan fundraisers, service projects and social events under the leadership of their club president. The board of directors reviews and approves those plans. The board consists of the following officers: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer as well as any additional officers determined by the size of the club. The board is the club's governing body and meets at least once a month.

Roles and Responsibilities of Club Officers

Note: These are just guidelines.

• President
  The president works to ensure that the club's activities and service projects are successfully promoted and completed. They preside over all meetings of the club and the board of directors, appoints all standing and special committees (with board approval) and serves as an ex-offcio member of all committees. The president should develop a talent for identifying members' skills and interests and put them to work in the club projects.
  
• Vice President
  The vice president presides over meetings when the president is absent, serves as a member of the board of directors and may handle special assignments for the president. They should keep up to date on all of the club's goals and ongoing activities. The president and vice president work together as a team.
  
• Secretary
  The secretary maintains all club records such as taking minutes at all meetings. It is suggested that minutes cover:
  1. the type of meeting
     
  2. date, time and place
  3. presiding officer
  4. attendance
  5. approval and correction of last meeting's minutes
  6. treasurer's statement
  7. summary of reports from officers and committees
  8. summary of actions taken and of the agenda
  9. announcements
  10. adjournment
• Treasurer
  The treasurer works with the secretary to maintain accurate financial records. They prepare and administer the budget of the club as well as monthly reports that show the money on hand at the beginning and end of the month, receipts with the sources clearly indicated and payments. A report on the year's operation is also done by the treasurer.
  
• Committees
  Committees should meet at least once and month to discuss plans and activities and share them with the president. All committee activities and expenses are subject to board approval. Typically, there are four committees, the club committee, finance committee, service committee and international understanding committee; however, more committees can be added as required.