Have you ever wondered about stepping out of your relaxing yet peaceful comfort zone, and aiming to become a leader that you’ve always wanted to be? Well, if you’re someone like me… that’s a hard task to take on, especially when you’re not used to social situations and going out as often.

During my first year as a Gunderson high school student, my friends had introduced me to the interact club and it really intrigued me. This is one of the two clubs that provide the important essentials: community service hours within fun events and building each individual’s leadership. This club provides opportunities to volunteer at events such as the ‘Light the Night Walk’ and ‘Cans for Second Harvest Food Bank.’

As stated on the Rotary website, its primary motto is “service over self ”, which was very evident by how hardworking the members were wherever I heard stories of them joining fundraising events and things that seemed really entertaining and fun, especially when you’re trapped in this comfort zone that you created for yourself.

Out of curiosity, I had sought out the club’s advisor, Ms. Evans, towards her overall opinions and asked some detailed questions about the club itself… of course, I felt very nervous and stuttered my way through a easy way of interviewing her, but it ended up being alright, though it still feels that I should’ve tried harder to get my words through. During one GLC session on the same day that I straightforwardly asked her to get asked about her certain role in that club, gathering my mental thoughts and prepared to say some questions.

When we sat across from each other, I took a deep breath and asked Ms. Evans one of the more complex questions that I’ve written down before the basic ones, but it went well in the end. She calmly told her answers when explaining the reasons behind her supervising role.

Evans said, “the previous teacher had left six years ago and the same amount of students wanted to hang out at lunch.”

Instantly claiming her assigned yet cherished role until this present day. Some other questions were pretty basic and standard to my own standards, including what is interact or even the subtle differences between Interact and Key Club.

I was oblivious enough to think that Rotary only started organizations and events towards community service, and when told that “Key Club was founded by Kiwanis”… I ended up doing some massive research on both clubs, yet resolved at the same thing that Ms. Evans had solely told me, “Key Club and Interact are the same, just founded by two different organizations devoted to commission service” and advised me that “[you] could also be a member of both clubs”, but I’m still thinking about it.

What really stunned me was that someone’s actual life was impacted by Interact — when I asked her about how the [Interact] club impacted someone’s life.

Evans said, “there was one associate that was distraught from a close family member dying from cancer, as community service and the club itself had helped him feel much better and [it] impacted so many others into doing more community service.”

It’s slowly inspiring me to do something similar, though my own social anxiety isn’t leading me anywhere at the moment.

Hearing that the club was student-run with its own president and council members to back them up with plans for events or organizations, Ms. Evans also included some major changes regarding the people that lead Interact. Still, think about it. You’re earning required community service, having fun and also learning how to become a great leader. In my own opinion, I’d happily suggest this club or Key Club, but joining both equals a win-win resolution.