On Saturday, Hugh Munroe (Drury Rotary) and I headed over to Macleans College to represent our southern clubs at this year’s Interact Conference. We couldn't have asked for a better backdrop—it was a brilliantly fine day overlooking the pristine Hauraki Gulf.
While the setting was beautiful, I have to be honest about the turnout from our fellow Rotarians. The Rotary presence overall was quite poor. However, a massive shoutout must go to the host club, Half Moon Bay, who turned up in force. Several of their members were on hand to assist and support the young Interactors in running what turned out to be a truly wonderful event.
Energy, Electricity, and Human Bingo
The conference brought together 130 Year 11 and 12 students from over 20 schools across Auckland. From the very start, Hugh and I were incredibly impressed by how skillfully the student leaders managed the crowd.
They kicked things off with a fantastic Ice Breaker activity and a game called "Human Bingo"—a simple, highly effective way to get everyone relaxed and talking. They did a brilliant job of mixing the students up to network, before seamlessly transitioning them back into their school groups for the final presentations.
Shaping the Leaders of Tomorrow
The core focus of the day was turning ideas into action and planning how to engage with helping others. The discussions were incredibly sharp, leading to some lively debate. You could practically feel the electricity in the room.
Experiencing that energy left absolutely no doubt in my mind that these young people are the leaders of tomorrow. So, to all our older members: you can sit back and relax, because the future is going to be in very good hands!
A Thriving Youth Program
Interact is alive, well, and kicking. This is in huge thanks to Ainie Kwok from the District Youth Team, alongside the incredible influence of the RYLA alumni. These alumni are growing in capability with every single event, and their impact was obvious as they shared their experiences with this younger audience.
It was a thoroughly worthwhile experience and a powerful reminder of why we support youth avenue of service.