The arc of the school year is the way to really embrace the Youth Calendar for it is immense and incredibly rewarding.  Whether you volunteer for 1 or several youth-focused programs/projects, we see the impact the Rotarians as much as we do in the students, the staff and the world at large.  Having been mentored by Rotarian Greats like Dave Schmidt, Sid Disher and Becky Stone, Michael Schoppenhorst and I became active members fairly immediately in the Roswell Rotary Youth activities. 

Interact is the year long program that serves really as the foundation for almost all of the rest of the programs or events.  Always the over-achiever, Roswell Rotary currently sponsors 14 clubs in 13 private and public schools located in Roswell.  Why 14 in 13 schools?  Well, we have a middle school and a high school in The Cottage School.  Each Interact Club reflects the student body in the school because it is a student-led organization with no GPA or service hours requirements.  With this freedom, each club really represents the scope of the student body from areas of interest, demographics and ages.  Furthermore, we actually sponsor clubs in almost all of the elementary schools for the 4th & 5th graders.  Rotary International endorses clubs in middle school and high schools.  Our elementary schools have their own curriculum which dovetail into the middle school jargon and suggestions.  

Some standout examples from our clubs:

• Mimosa Elementary/ 2025-26 Rotary Liaison Gabriel Prado – This Title 1 school renewed their Interact Club since COVID shut it down.  They collected 3 boxes of sneakers for impoverished communities through the www.RecycledShoeProject.com, over 300 pairs of glasses for the RRC trip to Costa Rica AND they planted 5 trees on their campus!  
• Elkins Middle School/2025-26 Rotary Liaison Michael Schoppenhorst – Highly active Interact Club they start their school year with an annual Sale of Takies to raise funds for their service projects, they also sponsored and installed 2 Peace Poles! 
• Centennial High School started this year with no committed Rotary liaison but great substitutes, a teacher sponsor learning on the go, a supportive principal and exactly 2 students. They ended up sponsoring the Coaches Hospitality Suite for a Track & Field Spring event and sent 2 different student to RYLA!  Watch out 2025-26

For your reference: 

• Elementary School Clubs meet once a month, receive a $250 SEED check and are required to complete at least 1 service project due per semester. 
• Middle School Clubs meet 2x a month, receive a $500 SEED check and are required to complete at least 2 service projects per semester. 
• High School Clubs meet 2x a month, receive a $1,000 SEED check and are required to complete at least 2 service projects per semester.

We need Rotary Liaisons for 2025-26… The yellow highlighted clubs are our focus… 

• Blessed Trinity – Bill Swank needs a 2nd liaison to partner with him
• Centennial HS – Needs 2 Liaisons
• Cottage School HS – Ron Cowan needs a 2nd liaison to partner with him
• Cottage School MS – Needs 2 Liaisons with Sid Disher being their Advisor
• Elkins Pointe MS – Michael Schoppenhorst needs a 2nd liaison to partner with him
• Mimosa ES – Gabriel Prado needs a 2nd liaison to partner with him
• Mt Park ES – Priya Crumpton needs a 2nd liaison to partner with her
• Roswell North ES – Vivian Bankston needs a 2nd liaison to partner with her
• Sweet Apple ES – Needs 2 liaisons
• Vickery Mill ES – Stacy Perlman needs a 2nd liaison to partner with her

Roswell Youth Council will launch the 2025-26 academic year as a partnership between the City of Roswell and Roswell Rotary Club.  Coordinated by Becky Nelson (who is looking for another Rotarian to lead), the RYC will be no more than 16 sophomore or juniors from the public and private high school Interact Clubs who want to learn more about how to make an impact in their city.  They will nominate themselves for a position by August 30th for the selections to be made by September 15th which will include an endorsement by the Interact Teacher liaison.  RYC participants will meet 5x in the academic year which will include:

• Late September & 1st Saturday of October to be an Ambassador to a City Council member or the Roswell Mayor for the Youth Day Parade, 
• Mid-November to explore their personal leadership style and learn how to work with other leadership styles, 
• Mid-February to tour key City Departments, meet the leadership and learn how their role in the resident’s daily lives
• Mid-March to tour the city gems including the historic homes, the parks and other landmarks that make the City of Roswell a special place to be from while exploring careers and services of being a public servant.  
• April to choose the theme for the 2026 Youth Day Parade and celebrate the year.  

Rotary Youth Exchange is truly a stand-above the rest Rotary International program offering scholarships to high school students to study abroad for one school year living with 3 host families to make an incredibly immersive experience. The Rotarians work with the area high school counselors as well as through the Interact Clubs to promote the application to their students for the outgoing portion while also recruiting 3 local families for the incoming student.  Roswell Rotarian Alesia Booth aided by Vivian Bankston and Lynne Lindsey have been leading this program for several years but they are looking for new leadership to mentor. 

Float for the Roswell Youth Day Parade, coordinated by Roswell Rotarians Jack Wyche and Joe Gillespie as well as RHS Construction Teacher Kevin Squires, a design is decided and building the float begins with students from the area Middle School and High School Interact Clubs.  Jack registers for the parade, provides the truck & trailer then makes sure we have enough candy to throw to the crowd.  The parade is the first Saturday of October for all Interact members to walk along. 

RHS Career Day, coordinated by Kadijah Vickers and Carrie Weatherford in conjunction with the CTAE teachers, Roswell Rotarians are asked to sign up to talk about certain career-focused topics and/or their own career path.  Talks begin in September to determine the best date for the academic year. 

Student & Teacher of the Year Awards, Roswell Rotarian James Stone is point person, reaching out to the 16 private and public schools in September, November and December, to have them sign up for one of 4 slots the 3^rd Thursday of January, February, March & April.

Skipper Hoke Football Banquet, Roswell Rotarian Michael Curling is point person looking for a 2^nd to shadow in 2026, recognizes the football player from the football programs at Blessed Trinity, Fellowship and Roswell High School who best exemplifies the Rotary Motto of Service Above Self.  Traditionally held the first Thursday of February (after signing season), the featured speaker is one that talks through the trials of football leadership.

Leadership 20/20, coordinated by Roswell Rotarians Becky Nelson & Frederick Levy, invites evolving student leaders who have been nominated by a Roswell HS teacher or staff.  Historically the last Thursday of February, each student can only attend once allowing more to experience the 1-day leadership workshop.  The morning is exploring their own leadership style and how to work with other leadership styles.  The afternoon offers breakout groups on topics suggested by the RHS counselors. 

Read Across America, coordinated by Roswell Rotarian Kadijah Vickers with Carrie Weatherford, where Roswell Rotarians & friends spread out to read the same Dr Seuss book the first Friday of March to each kindergarten class in our public and private schools.  The classes get to keep the book! 

Roswell Relays, coordinated by Becky Nelson, Michael Curling, Mindy Jones, James Stone & Shannon Harrison, is the middle Saturday in March for the oldest and largest Track & Field meet in Georgia boasting 27 teams.  Split into two committees:  Mindy & Shannon host the best coach’s hospitality suite in the southeast while Michael & James coordinate hundred+ volunteers through the parking, set-up, events and clean-up. 

Laws of Life Essay, coordinated by Roswell Rotarian Vivian Bankston looking for a 2^nd to shadow her for 2026, this District 6900 essay contest encourages high school students to write about a true experience that exemplified a life lesson.  The winners of each Roswell participating school are invited to ready their essay to a Rotary meeting typically the last Thursday of April. 

High School Graduating Senior Scholarships, coordinated by Roswell Rotarian Angela Medley, awards 5 scholarships that exemplifies different pillars of the Rotary motto of Service Above Self, Power of One and the Patsy Wolff Female leadership.  The applications are gathered by end of March so the winners can be announced by the end of April.

RYLA – Rotary Youth Leadership Award is typically the first full weekend of June.  Roswell Rotary sponsors 6 rising sophomores or juniors from the high school Interact Clubs to be impactful leaders the following year.