Oftentimes, finding outlets for community service can be difficult for students. The Interact Club remedies this by allowing all grade levels to give back to the community. Every Tuesday at lunch, club members meet and participate in mini-projects in and out of school. Partnered with Rotary of Marin, a community service organization, the club receives funds for each project. 

Junior Ashley Ball, the Interact Club Co-President, is passionate about all the work that she does for the club.

“It makes me feel good to know that Redwood students want to help out in the community,” Ball said. “A lot of the time, students don’t know how to make a difference, and by giving them different projects each week, we’re able to give them that opportunity.”

Ball has an extensive background in volunteering, as she is also involved in the Marin chapter of the National Charity League (NCL), a charity organization for moms and daughters. Ball, the current council representative, was previously vice president of philanthropy during her sophomore year. She has connections with charities and organizations in the community that Interact Club can support.

“Last week, we [worked with] Pass The Bricks, an organization that builds Lego sets and uses donated Legos to build sets for underprivileged children. We [donated] two trash bags of Legos,” Ball said. “Next week, we’re making origami hearts with little notes for the Cedars [of Marin organization for adults with developmental disabilities].”

The philanthropies exhibited during the club range wide. Providing aid to people of all ages and backgrounds, the Interact Club focuses on a diverse set of organizations.

“We [make cards] for The Redwoods’ [a non-profit senior living community located in Mill Valley, CA, since] they like to hear from younger people. We also plan on making kits for St. Vincent’s, the homeless shelter. The kits are goodie bags with [items] like toothbrushes and deodorant,” Ball said.

The club functions primarily during lunch because being productive during school hours motivates members to participate. Junior Noa Berman is a club member and enjoys how she spends her Tuesday lunch period.

 “What I love about the club is that we get an hour of community service for every activity that we do during the meeting. It’s really nice because I have a super busy schedule, like a lot of other students,” Berman said.“[Because of Interact,] I am able to give back to the community when I don’t have much time outside of school.”

The club’s convenience and community spirit are why it attracts so many students. Meeting every week, the turnout is large, ranging from 20 to 30 people. Students appreciate the simplicity of having an extracurricular activity on campus during the school day.

“It’s amazing how much you can do for the community just in the classroom–without having to be a part of a huge charity organization,” Berman said.

Away from school, the club holds fundraising events to raise money for service organizations outside of the community. Expanding philanthropies from outside of Marin to international is a goal for the Interact Club. Ball has even dedicated part of the club routine to outside opportunities.

“We [host] bake sales to fundraise. Last year, we raised money for two international organizations that two of our club members were passionate about. It was Save the Children and Butterfly Space Malawi. We raised a little over $500 with a couple of bake sales,” Ball said.

Members of the club have a drive to show up at every meeting. Community service typically requires a lot of after-school hours, oftentimes tedious for those with busy schedules. Fortunately, the Interact Club opens up opportunities for students to participate in volunteer work in manageable increments and feel good about helping others in need.

The Interact Club meets every Tuesday in room 258 with Mrs. Norwood!