The Pope John Paul II High School Interact Club sponsored a Car Wash to collect funds for Rotary�s PolioPlus Program, visited the Sumner County Animal Shelter, and applied for a stretch of highway to clean under the Tennessee Adopt-A-Highway Program to mark its first semester in existence.
The Pope John Paul II (JP2) Interact Club formed on May 20th, 2003, under the leadership of President Jordan Rippy, Vice-President Catie Campbell, Treasurer Stephanie Vail, and Secretary Jennifer Mock. Interact is a high school community service organization that is sponsored by the Hendersonville Rotary Clubs. Mr. Lowell Miller, Mr. Chip Blackman, and Mr. Richard Tompkins serve as the Rotary Advisors while Mr. Paul Saboe, a History Teacher at Pope John Paul II High School, serves as the School Advisor.
�Interact is a service organization that allows young people the opportunity to benefit the community in a meaningful way,� explained JP2 Interact President Jordan Rippy. �I hope that we will live up the Rotary ideal of �Service above Self� in all that we do and achieve.�
�We are very excited to have an Interact Club at Pope John Paul II High School,� stated Mr. Paul Saboe, the School Advisor. �I was an Interact Club President in high school and am well aware of the positive benefits this activity offers students. Through Interact, JP2 students will be able to learn from Rotary mentors, business and professional leaders in our community, and have the unique opportunity to develop their leadership skills and fellowship through community service.�
Since its founding, the JP2 Interact Club has grown from 22 founding members to over 45. The club members meet during lunch every other Tuesday in Mr. Saboe�s classroom to plan community service and social activities. �Meetings are well organized and we have good officers,� said sophomore Gina Calvo. �We get things done.�
After sponsoring a Bake Sale on Wednesday, August 20th, 2003, to fund a club treasury, the JP2 Interact Club launched an ambitious community service program starting with a Car Wash on Tuesday, September 9th, 2003, to benefit PolioPlus. PolioPlus is a project launched by Rotary in 1985 that is working to protect children worldwide from the cruel and fatal consequences of polio. Since 1985, Rotary's efforts and those of partner agencies, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and governments around the world, have achieved a 99 percent reduction in the number of polio cases worldwide. Through the two hour Car Wash, 17 members of the JP2 Interact Club raised $172 for the Hendersonville Rotary Clubs for the PolioPlus Program.
�The Car Wash was a great way to get together and help the PolioPlus Program,� said sophomore Allison Erkman.
On Sunday, September 14th, 2003, JP2 Interact Club 11 members visited the Sumner County Animal Shelter to assist the staff and provide some needed attention to the animals. �I got pulled around by my dog while I was walking him, but it was fun,� stated sophomore Michael Zola. �I really enjoyed playing with the lab puppies though.� The JP2 Interact Club will visit the Sumner County Animal Shelter again on Sunday, October 12th, 2003 with a larger delegation.
In addition, to its current community service projects, the JP2 Interact Club has applied for a stretch of highway to clean under the Tennessee Adopt-A-Highway Program. The club expects to be assigned a one to two mile stretch of highway soon and to clean its area four times per academic year. After the assigned area is cleaned for the first time, the State Department of Transportation will provide signs marking the area as adopted by the �Pope John Paul II High School Interact Club�.
�The Adopt-A-Highway Program is an excellent idea,� commented Secretary Jennifer Mock. �It is a good way for the community to see how much we�re helping and participating in the community.�
�It is a good way to earn community service hours to meet JP2�s forty hour requirement,� stated sophomore Sam Hermann. �Plus, I enjoy helping others.�
Overall, the JP2 Interact Club has had an impressive start and looks forward to many more rewarding service projects in the future.