INTERACT News

Term 2 is done, but Term 3 has plenty in store for Interact! Read on for updates and news regarding what’s coming up next.

Bunnings BBQs 2023: $2,720.75 Raised 🌭🥤☀️ 

The number speaks for itself! A huge thanks to the Rotarians (Mr Peter Cracknell, Mr Ross Luxford and Mr Peter Stacey), to all staff who swung by (including Mr Heath Booth, Ms Alarna Summers and Ms Cindy Bryant), to School Captain Kai Malcolm (Year 12) who spontaneously came along to show his support (he originally meant to drop in for 30 minutes, but stayed for three hours!), and of course to the great and glorious Frankston High School Interact alum Oli Craig (Class of 2022) for PTing it out from the city to bring his tunes and trademark energy to the hotplate. (Oh, and also, thanks to the BOM for holding off and providing such wonderful weather for us, too!)

Among other causes, Interact will be donating to the World of Difference initiative, which Anneliese Newton (Year 12) will be undertaking after she completes her VCE studies. More information on World of Difference, including Anneliese's fundraising page, is shared below.

From Mr Peter Cracknell, the key liaison from the Rotary Club of Frankston Sunrise:

The Interactors worked alongside our Rotarians at Bunnings during the day and as in the past, made a great impression on the Rotarians they were working with. Here’s just some of the feedback I received from our club members following that day:

I was at the Bunnings BBQ yesterday between 2pm-5pm and had the pleasure of meeting and working with Kian and Grace from Frankston High School's Interact Group. They were two of the nicest young people you could wish to meet, a credit to themselves, their parents and the school. They were constantly looking for tasks to do and engaged with customers in a very confident and respectful manner, if I was still a retailer I would certainly had offered them a job. I can't speak about the other interactors on other shifts as I wasn't there, but if they were anything like Kian and Grace then our club has a wonderful source of potential volunteers from which we can draw in the future – Peter Stacey 

Agreed, Stace. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this feedback, that's awesome. Yes all the kids were equally fantastic. Very keen to help and eager to learn. Kian and Grace even thanked us after their shift for the opportunity to learn!! We had Jude and Alex on first who did a great job and Maggie and Toby equally as helpful and engaged. They are all a credit to themselves, their families and their school – Dave Wilton 

You’re absolutely spot on Peter, they are a fantastic bunch of young adults. Very respectful, friendly, keen to learn, love hanging out with a motley crew like us 😊 – Kim Michod

World of Difference 🌏

Hello parents, teachers and students! My name is Anneliese Newton and I’m a Year 12 student here at FHS. As a charity member of the Victoria Police Legacy, I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to volunteer for a few weeks in Cambodia alongside the Rotary Club in the ‘World of Difference Project’. This decade long initiative provides developmental aid, with a focus on improving sanitation and safe water access to Cambodia’s rural communities. More than 70% of communities in rural Cambodia lack access to basic sanitation and clean water, so many villages are overwhelmed with diseases such as typhoid and cholera that we wouldn’t even think about twice here in Australia! As such, many children end up very sick or dying, and are thus unable to go to school and receive an education that would break the cycle of poverty. 

Since 2011, ‘World of Difference’ has involved 14 Rotary Clubs and has helped improve Cambodia by raising over $300,000 in donations, providing hundreds of toilets, building a school and clearing dams to ensure access to clean water; and so much more. The project also employs locals to help build infrastructure and decide what support is needed most, and involves continual revisits to these communities every few months, to further build upon the living conditions and ensure a self-sustaining community.

As I am half Cambodian myself, this opportunity has taken on a whole new level of meaning for me, being a unique chance to give back to my community. What’s even more amazing was that the FHS Interact club was able to support my fundraising efforts, holding a Bunnings sausage sizzle to help raise donations! I can’t thank the amazing students at Interact enough, especially Mr Christie for helping organise this! 

Despite the progress made, there is still a long way to go in making a true difference to Cambodia. This is why any donations, no matter how big or small would be greatly appreciated. 100% of the proceedings donated to the Victoria Police Legacy World of Difference GoFundMe page are fully tax deductible and will go directly towards improving the villages, primarily through the construction of washrooms for each family. This greatly prevents the spread of diseases linked to open sanitation and provides a safe space for women and children to bathe themselves with dignity, instead of in the open. 

Furthermore, anything that the Victoria Police Legacy raises will be matched by the Rotary Club of Hawthorn! We are very fortunate to receive a quality education at Frankston High School, yet this opportunity should extend to every child, no matter the circumstances of life. Your support would not only have a life changing impact on these communities, but also help build a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Donate here: https://makingadifference.gofundraise.com.au/page/VPAL-Cambodia

Very Special Kids Treadmill Challenge👨‍🦽🏃‍♀️🚴‍♀️

On Sunday, 10 Sep 2023, Interact will be participating 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 them here, and check out the students’ fundraising page here or via the QR code below!

Follow us 🤳

To keep up to date, follow the Frankston High School on Facebook and Instagram, and follow Interact on our new social media channels through this link https://linktr.ee/fhs.interact or via the blue QR code below!

What next for Interact?🌄

Interact have more projects on their way to delivery in 2023. Details to come. As always, watch this space, and thank you everyone for your support of these students!

Mr Jon Christie

Interact Coordinator