Breckenridge Texan

By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge High School is set to embark on a new chapter of community involvement with the establishment of its Interact Club, the high school version of the Rotary Club, assisted by teacher Mandi Farmer.

The initiative, which aims to foster student leadership and service beyond the school walls, was set into motion when BHS Principal Paul Armstrong proposed the idea of collaborating with the local Rotary Club to establish a high school chapter of the organization. Farmer was interested in the concept and talked to some students to get their input.

Breckenridge Rotary Club member Cat Brazile, right, Interact Club faculty sponsor Mandi Farmer and several Breckenridge High School students enjoy a pizza party celebrating the club’s official charter. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

“A few of the kids and I got to looking at it online, and we were really interested,” Farmer said. “Because…NHS (National Honor Society) is kind of about leadership…and student council is kind of about service for the school … Interact is about getting kids involved in the community and getting them to … focus on service … like leadership within their classes, but also just giving back to the people who are giving to them … beyond the boundaries (of school). And so they decided that they wanted to do it.”

After finding interest among students to start a chapter, Farmer contacted representatives from the Breckenridge Chapter of the Rotary Club to find out more. After meeting with them and learning more about the club’s objectives, she stepped up as the club’s faculty sponsor.

Farmer held a sign-up day and saw an overwhelming response, with 32 students initially joining the club. She anticipates further growth, especially with plans to include incoming freshmen next year.

The students held officer elections last semester and selected juniors Joni Jackson as president and Antley Rodgers as president. The club’s operation will be guided by the Interact constitution, requiring bi-monthly meetings. Farmer, along with the club’s elected president and vice president, will collaborate to finalize meeting schedules and address any logistical concerns.

Farmer said the focus this year was to get the chapter set up and organized and next year they will begin working on their projects. She recently received the club’s charter certificate, making it an official Interact Club, and the club members celebrated with a pizza party.

“We’re excited to see what projects they decide to take on, because it’s completely student-led, completely student-driven,” she said.

The students come up with ideas for the projects they want to take on and then propose their ideas to the local Rotary Club, which will provide guidance and funding for the community projects.

Farmer is excited about being the club’s sponsor because she had been the school’s student council sponsor for 12 years, but decided to turn it over to someone else when she had to have surgery in 2017. “I missed it a lot more than I thought I would,” she said.

Cutline, top photo: Members of Breckenridge High School’s newly chartered Interact Club, a student version of the Rotary Club, gathered for a group photo earlier this week after receiving their official charter certificate. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)