Interact Club
Melbourne Girls' College Interact Club Rings in a Successful Year of Service and Celebration.
On Friday 24th of November, the Melbourne Girls' College (MGC) Interact Club gathered to celebrate a year of impactful service. The event, attended by over 30 enthusiastic Interactors, also welcomed a couple of new students eager to join this prestigious student club. This club is recognized by Rotary International at the secondary school level around the world. The MGC Interact Club has been a beacon of service and leadership since it charted in 2016. We also celebrated international week of Interact Clubs since their founding in 1962.
President Nia Holdenson from the Rotary Club of Richmond attended the lunchtime meeting along with Rotarians Maria Makris and Shaunagh O'Connell also an MGC teacher. Co-Presidents Leanne Leong and Shreya Nair of the MGC Interact Club led the festivities, commending everyone for their unwavering dedication and outstanding service throughout the year.
President Nia Holdenson bestowed the Interact Club with the 2022-2023 Rotary Citation for helping imagine Rotary in the lives of people around the world. The citation was signed by Jennifer Jones, President, Rotary International. Our MGC Interact Club earned the Rotary Citation for achieving 15 goals in their year of service that strengthened Rotary and their club. President Nia Holdenson, alongside with Co-Presidents Leanne and Shreya, presented the Interactors with certificates of participation, acknowledging their significant contributions throughout the year.
We applaud the contribution of service above self to the following MGC students who attended or participated in club meetings, leadership roles or to humanitarian projects of the Interact Club. They are Cobie Ahmed, Alexandria Arzanas, Emily Carroll, Jamia Dun, Eleanore Duranddeslongrais, Iris Edwards, Sarah Fox, Lucy Gao, Bianca Garrod, Ashmin Ghuman, Vanessa Ha, Dorothea Lam, Vianna Law, Leanne Leong, Mackenzie Loch, Shreya Nair, Grace Skariah, Sunia Sun, Chevina Vinay, Sanduli Wijesinghe, Linaya Kurukulaarachchige, Kalie Walkley, Matilda Smith, Mietta Valent, Holly Fenton, Stella Powell, Olive Dekretser-Newell, Indie Phillips, Rebekka Simcox, Madeleine Parker and Amelia Kelly.
Adding a festive touch to the celebration, the event embraced a Christmas theme. As the year draws to a close, the MGC Interact Club expressed gratitude to everyone for their collective efforts, making 2023 a resounding success for the Melbourne Girls' College Interact Club. The event not only marked the culmination of a successful year of service but also symbolized the strong bonds and camaraderie within this dynamic student community.
Maria Makris,
Youth Services Chair,
Rotary Club of Richmond and MGC Interact Rotarian Liaison
Empowering Leadership: MGC Shines at Multi-District Interact Conference
Melbourne Girls' College (MGC) Interact Club takes pride in its commitment to leadership and community service, and this commitment was exemplified on Monday, the 27th of November at the Multi-District Interact Conference held at Camberwell Grammar in Kew.
The driving force behind this impactful event was none other than Leanne Leong, President of the MGC Interact Club and the Secretary of District 9800's Interact District Council. Leanne, along with her dedicated District 9800 Interact District Council team, played a pivotal role in organizing the conference, making it a resounding success.
The conference served as a convergence point for Interactors from four districts and ten high schools. These young leaders came together to sharpen their leadership skills, exchange ideas, and formulate action plans for the upcoming year. The collaborative spirit that permeated the event showcased the dedication of these Interactors to making a positive impact in their communities.
Leanne Leong, at the forefront of this empowering initiative, led the MGC Interact team with the support of her co-president. Their leadership was not only evident in the organization of the conference but also in the enthusiastic participation of the MGC Interact team throughout the event.
Among the eleven outstanding Interactors who represented MGC at the conference were Vianna Law, Bianca Garrod, Jamia Dun, Shreya Nair, Sanduli Wijesinghe, Alexandria Arzanas, Yuejiao (Lucy) Gao, Grace Skariah, Cobie Ahmed and Eleanore Duranddeslongrais. Their presence and active engagement highlighted the strong commitment of MGC to developing leadership skills and fostering a sense of community responsibility.
Teacher Brittany Weatherspoon played a crucial role in supervising and supporting the MGC Interactors during the second semester. Her guidance ensured the students received the necessary support to excel in their endeavours.
Looking ahead to 2024, Leanne Leong is set to take on the role of President of the District 9800 Interact Council, with Shreya Nair as her Secretary. Emily Caroll will also join the Interact Council, representing MGC and contributing to the broader Interact community.
In an effort to broaden their impact, the MGC Interactors have made plans to collaborate with Collingwood College. Fruitful discussions during the conference with Mackenzie and Ashanti from Collingwood College have paved the way for exciting joint initiatives in the coming year.
The Interactors also engaged in discussions with Chloe and Kai Xunn from Mac Robertson High School, exploring opportunities to expand their resources and strengthen their collective efforts in community service.
The MGC Interactors extend their heartfelt thanks to teachers Ms. Shaunagh O'Connell and Ms. Brittany Weatherspoon for their unwavering support. Additionally, gratitude is extended to Maria Makris from the Rotary Club of Richmond for her role as the MGC Interact Rotarian Liaison, further connecting the club with the broader Rotary community.
As we reflect on this enriching experience, it is evident that the Multi-District Interact Conference has fuelled the passion of our Interact Club members. They return to MGC with a renewed sense of purpose, armed with new ideas and strategies to implement in their school's action plan for 2024.
The success of this conference underscores the dedication of MGC Interact Club and its leaders to not only excel within the school community but also to actively contribute to the broader Interact and to the movement. We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and impact of the MGC Interact Club in the coming year.
Maria Makris, MGC Interact Liaison, Rotary Club of Richmond.