Carbon County Career & Technical Institute’s Interact Rotary Club was established in 2016, and is the high school branch of Rotary International. Sponsored by the Jim Thorpe Rotary, the Interact Club adheres to RI’s motto - “Service Above Self.” The Interact name derives from International plus Action; clubs are dedicated to community and international service.

Margaret Kalogerakis has been the adviser since the CCTI Interact Club’s inception.

Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of service to others. The club is composed of 20 students from across grade levels 9-12 and from all five sending districts.

There are many benefits to an Interact Rotary Club. Through IRCs, students take action to make a difference in their school and community, discover new cultures and promote international understanding, become leaders in school and community, have fun and make new friends.

The Carbon Career & Technical Institute’s Interact Rotary Club is off to a productive start.

CCTI’s first IRC meeting for the 2021-22 school was attended by members of the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club, Dr. Clem McGinley and Sharon Alexander.

McGinley presented details regarding the Rotary Club’s endeavors and their involvement in the community and around the world and the significance of the Motto “Service above Self.”

Interact’s past accomplishments and future projects were discussed. In previous years, the club supported multiple community projects, including local food banks and needy families, and participated in a water purification project for Honduras and PolioPlus eradication project. This year the club has completed collections for the local cat shelter, which will be repeated in the future; and will collect food for CCTI families during the month of November.

Upcoming projects include selling beverages during lunch such as hot apple cider, hot chocolate and root beer floats, all according to season to promote the club; preparing a lunch or dinner and donating it to the Palmerton Veteran Organization to thank them for their service; assisting Dimmick Library with story time - individual students will videotape a reading session (pre-K story book) to be posted on the library’s website; have volunteers be present in the library for their upcoming STEM projects starting in January; host a March Madness hat day fundraising event; host the annual egg hunt in the spring; collect needed items for the local pet shelters and food pantry; and design cards and prepare a gift basket for the children in the hospital at Lehigh Valley Health Network during the Christmas season.

Club officers elected in January 2022 are: President, Elizabeth Rex; Vice President, Montanna Costenbader; Secretary, Jordyn Drumbore; and Treasurer, Haley Kuehner. Montanna Costenbader and Elizabeth Costenbader have been Interact members for two or more years. Other Interact Club members are: Angelina Aurisano, Tahlulah Bravo, Cynthia Cintron, Frangil German, Caryn Gottfried, Gracie Heintzelman, Daisy Lutte, Sapphira Marcozzi, Kelsey Mehlig, Makenna Montefour, Kierstyn Norman, Jada Saldukas, Katelyn Schlier, Jordyn Welsh, Montanna Costenbader, Elizabeth Rex, Autumn Benedict, Jordyn Drumbore, Heather Herbott and Haley Kuehner.