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Interact is Inter-action
Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: March-2022
For Highlands Rotarian Tracy Franklin, connecting with students is the key to healthy communities.
Mental health counselor Tracy Franklin is involved in Rotary Club of Highlands partly because of its involvement with area students and support of schools.
Her father, Tom Stribling, is a long-time member and Tracy knew that Rotarians were highly involved in the community. When she joined, she and her father became the club’s first father/daughter duo.
What quickly became near and dear to her heart four years ago is the Interact Club at Highlands High School. She is the board liaison between Rotary Club of Highlands and Interact, which is essentially the high school arm of Rotary – giving around 20 students an opportunity to learn early the importance of Rotary and of serving their community.
Rotary Club of Highlands donates $1,000 annually to Interact, and involved students are provided college
scholarship opportunities.
“We’re very supportive of students in this area,” said Franklin. “We’ve provided iPads, dictionaries, books, and more – whatever the schools inform us that the students need, we try to make it happen.”
But on the flip side, the Interact students are giving back. Franklin commented on community projects:
Fall Book Fair: “We buy book fair books for children who weren’t able to afford them.”
Halloween Candy Distribution: “Interact members gather candy at the Highlands Chamber of Commerce and disseminate it to each store/restaurant/office on Main Street.”
Halloween Hotdog Distribution
Shop with a Cop: “Interact students works with officers and helped kids pick the gifts they wanted.”
Alumni Distribution: “Interact sends a care package of peppermint bark to the previous year’s seniors.”
In February, Interact cleared and cleaned the Rotary/Boy Scout attic space in the Community Building. “And this spring we are planning to help at Highlands/Cashiers Humane Society and to help either the Greenway or Land Trust with some trail maintenance.”
For its annual international-related project, Franklin pointed out that Interact club has chosen to donate $500 to Team Trees/Team Seas, which supports tree plantings as well as sea cleanup globally.
Noted Highlands High School junior Anna Stiehler, the 2021-22 Interact president, “Interact Club is a good way to become involved in not only our school, but community as well. We have built many relationships and new knowledge, all based around this group.”
by Deena Bouknight
