.: Interact club raises money for clean water

Friday, April 8, 2011

Interact club raises money for clean water

    By:Skylar Mabe

       The interact club at Western Guilford High School, home of the yellow jackets, is buzzing a tune many around the world can understand.
       According to http://www.rotary.org/, Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people ages 12 to 18. Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting.
       Almost 200,000 young people in 109 countries are involved in Interact.
       The Rotary club of Guilford county was asked to support one high school interact club and WGHS was chosen.
       Each year the Interact club at WGHS completes two community service projects, one local and one international. This year, with the help of president, Matt Bouton and secretary, Claire Basitsa, the interact club has chosen to support the Blood: water mission which helps African villages get clean water wells. The students were asked to find five sponsors who were able to donate $1 a day for 21 days. If the students succeeded in finding sponsors, they could raise a total of $105.
        Students were asked to drink only water for the month of March. Rotary member Ron Pierce said he asked the students to give up their soft drinks and juice because he wanted the students to realize what the people in Africa were going through.
       “Some people in Africa don’t even have water much less clean water. Once the kids knew what it was like to only have water for a month it motivated them to raise more money,” said Pierce.
       Most students were able to make it the whole month with water alone but some were only able to make it a few days without the sweet drinks they’re used to.
       Interact member, Makayla Tencer, who raised a total of $325, a club record, invoked the help of her family to complete her challenge.
     “It was really hard, I was addicted to coffee so I told my friends and familiy to stop me whenever I started thinking about drinking anything but water,” said Tencer. “I had headaches for the first week but eventually they went away.”
      In support of the students, Rotary member Pierce and Jennifer Austin, the teacher who conducts the club meetings also went a month on water only.
     “I can't tell you how many Starbucks I passed and I thought, man this just ain’t right. And I don’t even drink coffee that often,” said Pierce.
       At their celebration meeting, Pierce and Austin provided students with pizza, and yes, soft drinks; however, some students skipped the sweet soda and headed straight to the water bottles.
       "Now that I've started drinking water so often my body wants more of it. Why stop a good thing?" said Basitsa.
       WGHS has until the end of May to complete their goal of $750 towards putting water wells in Africa. With a month to go, the club has raised well over $500.

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Education: love to hate it

Education, never again, I hope.

It’s the second day of class and I get assigned the education beat. No big deal, most newspapers follow their local schools, story ideas abundant and kids offer great interviews. What I didn’t realize is with education comes the 3 Ps…permission, patience, and parents.

The permission part seemed easy. We (Alyssa and I) email a question to a principle, a manager or a public relations representative, asking if we can film, interview or interrogate. They, whomever they might be, would (in an ideal world), email with a response: permission granted or permission denied.

This is where the patience come in, and I’m not talking about hospital patients wearing backless robes. I’m referring to that virtue, the one we grow up practicing everyday but never quite master. Yes, that kind of Patience.

I know reporting is not and I repeat not about sitting and waiting for information. However, when it comes to minors, there isn’t much of a choice.

Alyssa and I were planning on attending local Student Government meeting at the high school level. We thought it might spark an idea for a story. Well, if you like being happy, I suggest you never check the email setting box for a “read receipt.

The moment I checked that box was the moment I brought anxiety, stress, and frustration to my front door.

I sent out an email to every high school in Guilford County... there are 26 high schools in case you were wondering. Out of 26 emails sent, 100 percent were read. How do I know that? That little box I so cleverly checked... well it sent me a "read receipt" every time someone opened the email I sent.

That ladies and gentlemen, was my downfall. Out of 100 percent read emails I received five responses. Talk about learning to be patient. I waited… and waited… and waited. It’s been four weeks since I sent the original email. I’ve only received five back.

On to my last “P,” parents. They can be helpful and they can be hurtful. Thank goodness most of the run-ins I’ve had thus far have been helpful. However… I have a feeling down the road I’ll run into someone I wish I hadn’t. When I talk to parents I have to remember these children I’m trying to observe their babies. I must tread lightly and quickly. The parents’ portion of my three Ps has only begun. I’ve been treading very lightly but I feel the urge to stomp is just around the corner…