Interact Conference 2025

OTHC hosted the inaugural Interact Conference recently, bringing students together from various schools to collaborate and exchange ideas. The event provided a platform for members of Interact Clubs to discuss community service initiatives, leadership development, and ways to create a meaningful impact in their communities. It was held in the school’s Marilyn Wales Auditorium with a strong turnout from 18 Interact Clubs across Auckland schools attending. Also attending the event, were District Governor 9920 Vidya Nand, District Governor Elect 9920 Kirsten Hawke, and a number of other Rotarians from sponsor clubs. Mr Owen Barwood, the Penrose Rotary Youth Director who leads the program at OTHC, expressed his joy at the success of the event, “The attendance was very gratifying, with 18 schools’ Interact Clubs being represented. This is very encouraging for the future of Interact in the Auckland Region. I would hope that we can build on this start over the next year.” He also summed up the conference by saying, “The good attendance and enthusiasm of the Interactors ensured that it succeeded beyond our expectations. Some lessons were learnt, of course, which will be used to make the next conference even better.” The conference was organized by the OTHC students with guidance from the teacher supervisors, Ms Scott and Ms Maher. One of the OTHC Co-leaders, Keiko Bruce, who helped lead the conference said, “Leading the conference was one of the most exciting projects I’ve undertaken so far.” She said that there were moments of doubt, but the support from the OTHC Interact Club helped her. “The experience reminded me that leadership isn’t about doing everything alone but about bringing out the strengths of those around you,” she added. Throughout the day, the event not only strengthened connections between different schools’ Interact clubs but also inspired students to take action within their communities. Another student mentioned, “I had a really great time at the conference considering it was the first time being in an Interact event, and I am so glad to have been a part of it. I got to meet different students from different schools, and we shared our ideas together and worked as a team to come up with new ways to further help our communities.” With such a promising start, there is an excitement for future conferences to continue promoting collaboration and impactful initiatives. Many thanks to Ms Scott, Ms Maher and Mr Owen Barwood for their help and guidance in setting up the conference. We will surely be looking forward to seeing our Interact Club continue this legacy in the future.

JERSEY CAMPO & ADDIE MAMAÑGUN - NEWS MEDIA TEAM