Signal Hill Rotary begins auxiliary for local youth

[aesop_image imgwidth=”500px” img=”http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Screen-Shot-2016-03-11-at-10.16.52-AM.png” credit=”Cory Bilicko | Signal Tribune” align=”left” lightbox=”on” caption=”Nelson Academy students (far left) wait in line to have their names called to receive certificates and T-shirts designating their membership into the inaugural Interact Club. The youth were initiated into the organization, which is a subsidiary of the local Rotary Club chapter, Thursday morning at Curley’s restaurant in Signal Hill.” captionposition=”left”] At the Rotary Club of Signal Hill’s weekly meeting on the morning of March 10, students from Jessie Elwin Nelson Academy were inducted into the club’s new auxiliary for youth— Interact Club.
Julie Hammerness, Nelson Academy science teacher, is serving as the Interact Club liaison.
“The purpose [of the club] is to have students learn about how service in the community helps themselves and the community at the same time,” Hammerness said, “and it also teaches them leadership skills.”
Signal Hill Vice Mayor Lori Woods, who is a Rotary Club member, said the new youth organization will provide a great opportunity for the City to work with students.
“We can coordinate efforts to serve the community better,” Woods said. “Right now, the Rotary Club is serving the senior food distribution program every other week. That’s something the Interact Club can participate in. The Interact Club will give them an opportunity throughout the year to come and visit us at City Hall, come to city functions, get a better idea of how their local government works, and how they can be part of it.”
Woods explained that Rotary has three clubs: Interact, for youth roughly 12 to 18 years old; Rotaract, for college students; and Rotary itself, for adults in the community.
“It’s kind of Rotary’s way of bringing students, residents and the community together early on with service in mind,” Woods said.