INTERACT News

VSK Treadmill Challenge!👨‍🦽🏃‍♀️ 🚴‍♀️

On Sunday 10 September, Interact participated in the Treadmill Challenge, a community fundraiser for a very special charity called Very Special Kids.  Very Special Kids provides hospice care to families with children in need, and they do really wonderful work. 

Find out more about VSK here, and check out the students’ fundraising page here or via the QR code!

For some happy snaps from last year’s Treadmill Challenge, see below! 

Stav, please include the VSK 2022 images here in a tile/ribbon format (rather than a stack).

Follow Us 🤳 📲

To keep up to date with Interact’s achievements in real time, follow Frankston High School on Facebook and Instagram. Better yet, both do that and follow Interact on our new social media channels through this link https://linktr.ee/fhs.interact or via the blue QR codes below!

MUNA 2023 🇺🇳 🇯🇵

On Saturday 19 Aug, SLC and Interact students, Jude Katsianis and Amy Staunton represented Frankston High School with distinction as the delegates for Japan at Rotary’s Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA). MUNA is a conference for Year 10, 11 and 12 students who are tasked with researching a particular nation and then debating other participants representing other nations on matters of global importance. Congratulations to these students!

Smile Drive Wrap-up – SLC and Interact Visit the ASRC ❤️ 😃

From SLC and Interact students, Eliza Patston, Ella Paganoni, Charlotte Warrior, Archie Frew and Tilly Scott:

“On Tuesday 22 August, we had the immense privilege of visiting the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Dandenong with Mrs Sarah Bahramis and Mr Jon Christie. The purpose of our trip was to deliver the proceeds of this year’s Smile Drive, where the FHS community fundraised $600 and donated more than $2,000 worth of toothpaste and toothbrushes. 

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the dedicated staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to support and advocate for those seeking asylum. They shared with us some of the valuable work they do in supporting refugees in need, from legal advice to food banks and educational support. We saw firsthand the profound difference these services make in the lives of many. 

It was an incredible experience, which allowed us to leave the centre with a renewed sense of gratitude for the life we lead and a deepened appreciation for the struggles faced by asylum seekers. However, perhaps most of all, we were impressed by the dedication of the people working at the ASRC, who demonstrate how important it is to derive meaning in our lives from work that improves the lives of others.”

Rotary Club of Mount Martha Presentation 🎤

On Monday 14 August, Interact students Jude Katsianis, Amy Staunton and Eliza Patston alongside Mr Jon Christie presented to the Rotary Club of Mount Martha on Interact’s achievements since its inception. Interact at Frankston High School is seen as a major success story across the Peninsula Rotary community, and so the Rotarians here wanted to learn more about how they can launch an Interact Club of their own at another school. The students provided advice to the Rotarians on what makes a club successful from their point of view, and Jon explained the Rotarian and teacher perspective. 

Feedback on the presentation has been glowing, with Club President Anne Shaw publishing the following on the Rotary bulletin:

Bulletin Entry from President Anne Shaw, Rotary Club of Mount Martha

It was wonderful to be joined by Frankston High School teacher Jon Christie, and students Amy, Jude and Eliza last Monday from the Frankston High School Interact. Such an enthusiastic presentation and what did we learn? There are 340,000 Interactors in 145 countries worldwide. This Interact club was set up by Rotary Frankston Sunrise.

The students saw Interact as an opportunity to display and develop leadership skills, a place to make real change on a local and international level.

Some of their activities have included raising $5,000 for the International Sky Hydrant Project, contributing to other initiatives including the Kananook Creek Duck Derby, Clean Up Australia Day, Bunnings BBQs, and ANZAC RSL breakfasts. This year, they have also collaborated with their local Student Leadership Council to raise funds and materials the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

Future plans involve the Solar School Initiative, the Very Special Kids Treadmill Challenge and Wheelchairs for Kids.

2024 is the Centenary year for Frankston High School so they will use this as an opportunity.

The messages were: what you put in is what you get out! A fun environment is important, passionate teachers, students and Rotarians, ultimately led by students, to minimise the bureaucracy. Rotarians need to realise that students 13-18 years old have views and talents and we can learn as much from them as they from us. Since April 2021 they have fundraised over $35,000.

What next for Interact? 🌄

As hinted in Anne Shaw’s write up above, Interact have more projects on their way to delivery in 2023. Details to come. As always, watch this space (remember to follow the Team’s Instagram and, if you can, to donate to the team’s VSK Treadmill Challenge page here), and thank you everyone for your support of these students!

Mr Jon Christie

Interact Coordinator