Travis Elementary School in San Marcos has begun its 13th year of offering Early Act, in partnership with the Rotary Club of San Marcos.
EarlyAct is a Rotary International sponsored youth program designed for elementary students from ages 5 to 13. It teaches and promotes positive character qualities such as friendliness, respect, discipline, and service. EarlyAct teaches such character qualities as caring, respect, empathy, responsibility, tolerance, citizenship, compassion and leadership. It is closely linked to the ideal of Rotary: “Service Above Self.” While last year was challenging for educators because of Covid, Early Act continued at Travis for both on campus and online students. Each year students who best exemplify the character virtues of the program receive awards at special ceremonies. Hundreds of Travis students have been recognized over the years. Rotary provides t-shirts and medals to awardees Rotarians were instrumental in facilitating a student-led Leadership Council at Travis. It is conducted like an actual Rotary business meeting with 30 students who help to implement campus awareness activities. In 2018 Rotary and Travis created a Travis Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a former Travis scholar who will be graduating from San Marcos High School and attending post-secondary education. Travis Elementary raises an average of $850 each fall, and Rotary added the necessary fund to offer a $1,500 scholarship. Duncan says the Travis students are proud to know they are helping someone who attended their school to continue their education, and this could be one of them some day. Scholarship winners give a presentation to the Travis student body about their Travis Elementary experience and how they took part and learned from the Early Act program. Last year a second Early Act program in San Marcos began at the San Marcos Academy.