The Interact Club is a community service outreach club at Jupiter High which hosts events and drives to help students get involved in giving back to the community, making friends and enhancing their college applications. 

“We host and attend a variety of events such as supply drives and charity 5K walks. We have a partnership with a local senior living facility and Chasin a Dream Foundation,” Josephine Buscemi, advisor of the Interact Club and AP/Spanish III teacher, said.

The Interact Club hosts events at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, Jupiter Elementary School, and more places around the community. They also participate in fundraisers such as The Guatemala Tomorrow Fund, allowing students to sell chocolates to help raise money for children’s education in Guatemala.

“I sold so many [boxes of chocolates] but we were able to help people internationally and we were able to fund kids in Guatemala who don’t have enough money to go to school while earning community service,” Alex Velez, senior and vice president of the Interact Club, said. 

Not only does Interact Club allow members to earn community service hours and give back to the community, but it also allows members to make new friends and have a place where they can be worry-free.

“The Interact Club allows me to get out of the house and help out the community and other people,” Angelina Clark, senior and member of the Interact club, said. 

Jupiter High requires students to earn at least 25 hours of community service hours to graduate and the Interact Club is the perfect opportunity for students to gain more than the required amount.

“With community service being a graduation requirement, clubs like these make it easy for students to gain hours. They’ll love it because they can make friends and bring their own [to events and drives],” Jordyn Hartigan, senior and president of the Interact Club, said. 

The Interact Club makes a student’s college application stand out from others, allowing them to have future college benefits.

“It [the Interact Club] nurtures leadership skills, which is an important skill to have in college and in careers. Colleges are looking for students who are involved in civic organizations as relevant criteria for admission and it is often enhanced if you can list such a civic membership in your application,” John Kelley, a member of the Rotary of Jupiter-Tequesta and sponsor of the Interact Club, said.

The Interact Club is hosting a trick-or-treat party at the Madyson Assisted Living Facility on October 28 to help put a smile on our local senior citizens’ faces. Not only will they put a smile on their faces, but they will also earn four hours of community service for participating in this event. 

The Interact Club will be participating in a Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Oct. 29, at Dreher Park. Each member of the club that goes on this walk will help donate money to the Alzheimer’s Association. This will help provide support and care for those with the disease, while also raising awareness and more research to be done to prevent it. The members that attend will earn four hours of community service.

“It is our sole purpose as a club to be a community outreach program that gives back to society as a whole. Every event we hold is designed to help or support someone out there who could really use it,” Hartigan said.