Interact Takeover by Maria, Hawaii, Esmeralda, Deisy, and Other Members of the Interact Club of Elsie Allen High School
Our very special “speakers” for February 20, 2025, are members of the Elsie Allen Interact Club. In fact, our Elsie Allen Interactors led the meeting and provided us with a summary of their many accomplishments this year. The Interactor president, Maria, presided over the meeting, introduced us to the other members of the executive team, and was generally Sunrise President-for-the Day. Maria is a senior at Elsie Allen and was sent by our club to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Association (RYLA) last year. Santa Rosa Sunrise has long been an ardent supporter of the Elsie Allen Interact Club and the school itself. We have provided notable mentors for the club, attended their meetings and events, helped provide them with scholarships through our scholarship program, and rooted for them in many ways. The club’s teacher/advisor is Richard Molloy, who also attended the meeting and provided us with information about the club’s activities. Willie Billeter is the current Sunrise advisor to Interact, and Merle Hayes is Willie’s backup. Merle and Carolyn Anderson are also members of the board of directors of the Elsie Allen High School Foundation.
Maria did an amazing job presiding over the meeting and taking on the President’s usual role. She is articulate, poised, funny, organized, and dedicated to Elsie Allen. She introduced Hawaii (Vice President), Deisy (media guru), and Esmeralda (Past President), who each described the Interact event they liked the most during the 2024 school year. Maria’s favorite was the cemetery clean-up. Hawaii and Esmeralda loved Christmas shopping for the Valley of the Moon Children’s Center. They love to shop and are good at it! Esmeralda noted that shopping for the kids at the shelter helps you realize how good you have it and makes you want to help others. Deisy enjoyed the Thanksgiving meal service project. She likes connecting with others and coming together to help people in need.
The Interact club has engaged in 8 service projects since the beginning of the current school year. 18 students have participated, including 8 seniors and 10 juniors. They have amassed 221 service hours on those events! Their project list is below:
Our thanks to Maria for presiding over the meeting, to Hawaii, Esmeralda, and Deisy for presenting their favorite events and supporting Maria, and to the other members of the Interact club who attended the meeting. You guys are beyond amazing, and we are proud to work with you!
