You are currently viewing our "Welcome to Interact" landing page which will help you learn more about Interact and explore the ways Interactors make a difference in the world.
Explore Interact Resources For Your Club
We also have another website which contains resources to help operate your Interact club. Resources include downloads, handbooks & guides, logos, forms, and links to help Interact members, Teacher/Faculty Advisors, and Rotary Sponsors manage their Interact club.
From leading service projects in their school and community to driving international understanding, these
young changemakers prove that you can have a global impact at any age.
Watch how they’re making the world better, one project at a time.
Rotary International filmed the following video featuring Interactors in Peru and India sharing why they love Interact.
342,953 INTERACTORS...
Together, we're CHANGEMAKERS!
IN 14,922 INTERACT CLUBS...
Together, we IMPACT the world!
IN 145 COUNTRIES!
Together, we TRANSFORM LIVES!
Interact District 5890 E-Mail:
 Tom Kelchner
2025-26 District Governor
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 Pamela Hunt (Click to email)
New Generation/Youth Service District Treasurer
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 Frank Parrilla (Click to email)
Chief of Staff-Youth Services
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 Interact Committee Co-Chair
Emi Abiera-Chemat
Email: emichemat.rotary@gmail.com
Cell: 1-346-732-2628
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OUR 2025-2026 INTERACT DISTRICT 5890 OFFICERS:
Interact District Governor: Mathapelo Thomas
Interact Lieutenant Governor: Maria Tico
Co-Secretary: Maxwell Yu
Co-Secretary: Abigail Davis
Committee Chairs & Communication Officers:
Communications Coordinator: Abigail Moreno
Volunteer Coordinator: Annalise Eble
Engagement Coordinator: Christopher TranZone Coordinator: David Argueta
WHAT IS INTERACT?
iNTERACTORS Take action, build international understanding, and make new friends around the world.
Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Find out how serious leadership can be seriously fun.
What are the benefits?
Connect with leaders in your community and around the world to:
- Take action to make a difference in your school and community
- Discover new cultures and promote international understanding
- Become a leader in your school and community
- Have fun and make new friends from around the world
What’s involved?
Interact clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary club sponsors mentor and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills.
INTERACT CLUBS EXIST IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD!
Achieve international understanding projects and make new friends by connecting with Interact clubs from different cultures.
Start connecting with one of over 15,000 global Interact clubs:
Start connecting with one of over 15,000 global Interact clubs:
- Ask your district Interact chair to make an introduction through their global network of Interact chairs.
- Reach out to Interact clubs on their websites and social media accounts.
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A GLOBAL CONNECTION! FOLLOW "ROTARY PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG LEADERS" ON INSTAGRAM
Rotary Programs for Young Leaders now has an Instagram channel. Follow us for all things RYLA, Interact and Rotary Youth Exchange on Instagram at @RotaryYoungLeaders and invite your Interactors and alumni to follow too.
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Visit Interact's Official YouTube Channel!
Click here to visit Interact's Official
YouTube Channel to watch Interactors around the globe share their stories about service!
Create a "My Rotary" Account on Rotary.org
To Access Some of the Interact Resources and Links, You Will Need To Create A "My Rotary" Account.
Join Rotary District Governor Tom Kelchner on Saturday, February 14th from 9 AM to Noon at the Books For The World Project!
This project couldn't happen without our remarkable volunteers, and donors! Rotarians, Rotaractors, high school Interact club members and community volunteers. The donated books are separated by volunteers into categories (school textbooks, children's books, reference books, etc.), placed in boxes. Warehouse employees then stack the books on export pallets for shipment via 40-foot ocean freight used containers that Books for the World has purchased. Our containers are shipped from the Port of Houston to Rotary clubs in over 25 countries.
When they arrive overseas, the Rotarians unload the containers, sort the books and then donate these books to their local schools, libraries, colleges,and other educational institutions. The 40-foot containers, which Books for the World purchased here in Houston, are then converted into school libraries, health/medical clinics, and community centers.
A Rotarian operated trucking company, Clark Freight, plus a Rotarian owned international freight forwarding company, Seven Seas Consultants, Inc., have donated their shipping services to this project for 25-years.
For many students and schools, our books are the first books they've ever had.
Want more details about volunteering or donating books or volunteering?
2025-2026 School Year Interact District 5890 Events
Mark your calendars and Save The Dates!
Your Interact club will receive an email about each event including details, links, contact info, etc!
Scroll down to see our 2025-2026 School Year Interact Calendar of Events at the bottom of this webpage for dates, flyers and links!
2025-2026 Interact Zones
Hey, District 5890 Interactors! Click below to find discover your Zone.
Click here to watch the November 6, 2025 recording of the
World Interact Week webinar and learn more about the 2025 Interact Awards!
Interact clubs from around the world are invited to submit their entries for the 2025 Interact Awards!
Submissions should be in English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, or Spanish and are due 1 December.
Interact clubs in District 5890, this is a great opportunity to show how our middle and high school students are changing their world one project at a time.
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Watch the 2024 Interact Award winning videos!
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Interact Club of Khensani's Collection, South Africa
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Interact Club of Naparima College 1,
Trinidad and Tobago
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Interact Club of Valmiki, Nepal
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interactors are leaders that take action, build international understanding, and make new friends around the world.Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Find out how serious leadership can be seriously fun. Today’s Interactors are channeling enthusiasm and ideas into projects of remarkable impact. These young people offer more than just volunteer numbers for a Rotary club’s service projects. They’re key collaborators from start to finish. And in some cases, they’re leading the way. READ THE ARTICLES BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE OF INTERACT! |
Interact Club Handbooks, downloads, logos, forms, links, resources, events & Activities for 2024-2025
2025-2026 INTERACT FORMS, LINKS & RESOURCES WEBPAGE
For the 2025-2026 School Year, click here to visit our "Interact Club Downloads, Logos, Forms, Links & Resources" Webpage to find: Important resources and guides for Interact including Interact Guide for Rotary Sponsors and Advisors, Recommended Interact Club ByLaws & Constitution, How to Promote Interact, Opportunities for Interactors, Licensed Merchandise Vendors, Important Dates & More!
The 2025-2026 Interact Handbook a Guide for Interactors provides tools for Interactors to create a club that reflects their goals while having fun! Built with input from Interactors from around the globe, this handbook offers key information and workbook pages to guide Interactors to...
- Start an Interact Club
- Build a dynamic club
- Promote your club's work to your community and the Rotary world.
This guide is designed to help adults empower youth and provide a meaningful and fun experience for young leaders and adults. Our goal is to meet needs of adults serving as: Interact Rotary Club Sponsors, co- sponsors (Rotary clubs or Rotaract clubs), Interact advisers and those considering these roles.
Want To Charter A NEW Interact Club At A Public or Private Middle School or High School?
We're Here to Help!
If you need help finding a sponsoring Rotary or Rotaract club located within your school district or have other questions, please contact our Interact Committee Co-Chairs: Erica Alderete (click for email) or Emi Abiera-Chemat (Click for email)
Starting a new Interact club is a great way to engage with young leaders in your community! The "Interact Handbook: A Guide for Rotary Club Sponsors & Advisers" includes step-by-step instructions to charter a new Interact club at your local middle or high school.
Ready to Learn More or Charter A New Interact Club?
Click here meet with your local Rotary or Rotaract club and review pages 1-10 of the "Interact Handbook: A Guide for Sponsor Clubs and Advisers" about the requirements and the process. The Handbook also explains the responsibilities of the Sponsoring Rotary Club and Teacher/Faculty Adviser. Once you are ready, meet with your sponsoring Rotary or Rotaract club to complete online the .."Interact Club Certification Form".
Click here to visit the Interact page on Rotary.org
HEY, INTERACTORS!
WANT TO BE A 2026 CAMP RYLA SCHOLAR?
Our 2026 Camp RYLA will be Friday, February 6th at 8 PM thru Sunday afternoon, February 8, 2026.
Get the Student RYLA Camp Application and learn more about this once-in-a-lifetime scholarship opportunity:
attend our Upcoming 2025 Zoom Information Meetings about Studying Abroad as A Rotary YOuth Exchange Student!
Who should attend?
Students, Parents, Teachers, School Counselors, Host Parents and Rotarians!
Applications to study abroad as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student during the 2026-2027 school are DUE BY November, 14, 2025, so attend one of the following Information Meetings via ZOOM to have all your questions answered by our experienced Rotary District 5890 Rotary Youth Exchange Committee members.
2025 ZOOM Meeting Dates & Times:
Select a date that is convenient for your schedule! Information Zoom Meeting dates are:
- September 18th, 21st and 24th
- October 6th, 15th and 23rd
Time: Each Zoom meeting is 6 PM to 7:30 PM
Click here to Register - Note: Your Zoom meeting link will be sent to you once you have registered.
Interact District 5890 P.E.T.S. Handbook for 2025-2026
Coming Soon!
The year of being the president of an Interact club can be exciting...and a little overwhelming if the president isn't prepared. While Interact needs to be FUN, it is also supposed to be "Serious Fun" because of all the live-saving and life-changing service projects that the Interactors get accomplished.
Our 2024-2025 Interact District 5890 P.E.T.S. Handbook will help boost the leadership skills of the Interact presidents, Teacher Advisers, and Rotary Sponsors and help them prepare in advance for a successful leadership year.
Link to Download Is Coming Soon!
ROTARY YOUTH PROTECTION GUIDE - A MUST READ for interactors, faculty advisers, and rotary clubs!
Click here to download the Rotary Youth Protection Guide which is a comprehensive manual to providing a safe and secure environment for all young people involved in Rotary programs and activities. All club and district leaders involved in Interact, RYLA, or Rotary Youth Exchange should review this guide.
Learn more...
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Visit Rotary International's Youth Project FAQ Webpage - Click here (My Rotary login required)
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Take Rotary's On-Line "Protecting Youth Program Participants 2024-25" in The Learning Center - Click here (My Rotary login required)
By June 30th each year, the Rotarian serving as your Club Advisor of your Interact club is required to report an advisor to maintain your club's "Active Status" and to continue receiving resources from Rotary International. Advisors can be a member of the sponsoring Rotary club, a school administrator or faculty member, or community volunteer to serve as an adult contact to the Interact club. Update the contact information.
Find your voice and change the world with service-learning, Rotary’s new approach to youth service! Interactive courses and downloadable workbooks are available now in Rotary’s Learning Center for adult advisors and youth program participants ages 16 and older. Get started on your service-learning journey today at rotary.org/learn.
(Note: You'll need to create a "My Rotary" Account at Rotary.org. Click here for step-by-step instructions.)
Learn how your District 5890 Rotary Resource Leaders/Network, Rotary Action Groups and Rotary Community Corps can help your club projects with access to professional expertise and local resources.
Rotary Action Groups are independent, Rotary-affiliated groups made up of people from around the world who are experts in a particular field, such as economic development, peace, addiction prevention, the environment, or water. Action groups offer their technical expertise and support to help clubs plan and implement projects to increase our impact, one of Rotary's strategic priorities.
A Rotary Community Corps (RCC) is a group of non-Rotarians who share our commitment to changing the world through service projects. RCC members plan and carry out projects in their communities in collaboration with local Rotary clubs. Sponsored by a Rotary club, an RCC leverages Rotary’s network, brand, and mentorship by partnering with clubs to plan and implement service projects.
the "books for the world project" is four-Projects-in-one: International - Literacy - Vocational - & Environmental!
2025-2026 School Year Project Dates: Saturday (2025): Dec 6 & Dec 20,
Saturday (2026): Jan 3, Jan 24, Feb 14, Mar 7, Mar 28, Apr 18, May 9, May 30, June 20, and July 11
Click here to learn more about this ongoing project started here in Rotary District 5890.
The Books for the World Project has earned support from multiple Rotary districts around the globe.
Photo on left is of students in Kenya receiving books that our Houston-area Interact students sorted and palletized then were shipped via ocean freight export container to Kenya.
Books for the World sortings will be held again during the 2025-2026 school year at their new warehouse (Cubework) at 3401 Navigation Blvd. in Houston, Texas 77003.
A HUGE thanks to you for supporting this project! Without our Interactors in District 5890...this project couldn't happen! Our District 5890 Interactors are vital to the success of this project since the volunteer at the monthly book sortings to help palletize the books.
Since 2002. we've shipped 17.6 MILLION pounds of books (that's 17.1 MILLION books) shipped FREE of CHARGE to 25 countries at a value of USD17,655,106! Rotarians in those countries then give the books...free of charge...to teachers, schools, libraries, and universities.
We purchase the 40-foot, steel shipping container used to transport the books and it is also donated to the communities! These containers are converted into community libraries, medical clinics, Polio vaccine centers, community centers, and more!
Above: A 40-foot container that had been loaded here in District 5890 arrives at a school in Kenya and students help unload the books that our greater Houston area District 5890 Interactors had packed.
Below: This 40-foot, steel shipping container has been converted into a community library in Africa.
The game changer
Meet your 2026-27 Rotary president, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola
Indian developer donates US$50 million to The Rotary Foundation
Ravishankar Dakoju pledged that he and his wife and fellow club member, Paola Dakoju, would donate approximately US$50 million (4.5 billion Indian rupees) to The Rotary Foundation.
Olayinka H. Babalola urges members of Rotary to Create Lasting Impact
Rotary International president-elect emphasizes effective action and ‘embracing the world with open arms’
Nanotechnology brings safer water to the Ganges Delta
Nanotechnology brings safer water to the Ganges Delta
Care for the emotional wounds
A husband-and-wife team came up with first aid for mental health on a dog walk. They want you — yes, you — to join this global movement
Malaysia makes strides to improve mental health
In Malaysia, Rotary members’ vision of a country that embraces mental well-being is beginning to blossom with government support
