Following two years of inactivity due to the pandemic, the Coatesville Area Senior High School Interact Club has re-formed and already is making a difference to fellow students, the school district and many of those residing in the Coatesville community.

The Coatesville Interact Club, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Coatesville, had been active for years. The former adviser, William Brosius, a retired Coatesville Area School District (CASD) biology teacher, was instrumental in helping the club take part in many local activities, including food drives, roadside cleanups and efforts to learn about other cultures in nations around the world. Past efforts by the club have included sponsoring a collection of books destined for Africa, which eventually was the inspiration for the building of a library there.

Michelle Wolf, a teacher with 28 years' experience within the CASD, is the new adviser for the Interact Club, which currently has 21 members.

Coatesville Rotary has two members associated with Interact - Renee Fairconeture and Martha Skiadas, a former Coatesville teacher. Together with Brosius and Wolf, they have been helping the students to develop leadership skills, as well as awareness and respect for people in need, while developing and implementing the ideals of Rotary's motto, "Service Above Self."

One of the club's most recent efforts was to raise funds to help the victims of Hurricane Ida, which severely affected many of Coatesville's families. This past holiday season, members participated in ringing the bell for the Salvation Army at the Parkesburg Walmart.

The idea behind Interact began in the early 1950s when Rotary Clubs were searching for ways to strengthen their efforts through inspiring youths. The name Interact is a combination of the words, "international" and "action."

The plan was to generate clubs directed toward students ages 12 to 18. It was hoped that the idea of "Service Above Self" would interest enough students to model Rotary's goals and look for ways to help others both locally and around the world. The idea was approved in the early 1960s. The general theme was to promote positive change in the schools and community. While Interact clubs are under the guidance of the Rotary members, the clubs are student-run.

For more information about the Rotary Club of Coatesville, visit http://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofcoatesville or http://www.coatesvillerotary.org.