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Emporia Middle School students describe Interact Club, project-based World Studies
Summary
Students and teacher Andy Hawley presented the Emporia Middle School Interact Club and a project-based World Studies class at the Emporia Board of Education meeting, describing local service projects, global fundraisers and a student-run website used to publish writing.
Emporia Middle School students and their teacher outlined the Interact Club’s local and global service projects and described a project-based World Studies class during a program highlight at the Emporia Board of Education meeting.
The Interact Club, a student branch of the Emporia Rotary Club, funds and runs at least three projects each year, students said. “Each year we do at least three projects. The students get picked the issue that they wanna address and they design a project and come up with the marketing to address those concerns,” student Lincoln Holly said.
The club’s school-focused projects include anti-bullying campaigns, campus beautification and programs to support positive student culture, student Gus Osterhout said. Student Harry Henrickson listed community partners the club has supported, including Kansas Children’s Service League, Abundant Harvest, the Salvation Army, TFI and SOS. Student Jalen Ortiz described global fundraisers such as “Popsicles Against Poverty,” whose proceeds went to Heifer International, The Water Project, UNICEF and vaccine and refugee efforts.
Teacher Andy Hawley told the board Interact is an after-school service organization sponsored by the Emporia Rotary Club and supported by the junior Spartan after‑school program for snacks and transportation. Hawley said the club has been active for about 15 years and often presents to the Rotary Club; he credited students’ fundraising and service over time. “No matter what you’ve heard on the news, our future really is bright,” Hawley said.
Several former World Studies students described that class as project-based work combining social studies and ELA, with a strong emphasis on writing. Former student Lucia Hernandez said the class allowed students to extend social‑studies themes, write stories for a student website called the EMS Sound and develop “soft skills” through student-directed projects.
The board and district administrators praised the teacher and students. Superintendent Lisonbee Harder and others thanked staff and students for the presentation and for presenting at community venues such as the Rotary Club.
The program highlight was presented as item 4a on the meeting agenda; no board action was taken on the Interact Club or World Studies during the meeting.
