The Rotary Club of Lake Nona Lunch is proud to announce that Lake Nona High School Interact president Leah Laskowski and Interact advisor Mrs.Valerie Ledford received our club’s prestigious “Service Above Self” award for their dedicated service in 2017 to 2018.
The Lake Nona High School Interact Club (LNHSIC) brings together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of service above self. Laskowski led her team early in 2017 by planning the district conference held in August. Ledford worked tirelessly with Lake Nona High School administrators, District 6980 Governor’s staff, and Interactors to ensure a detailed organizational plan was created and carried out for the conference.
The District 6980 conference was held at Lake Nona High School and welcomed over 150 attendees from different Interact clubs around the district. The conference included guest speakers associated with motivational speaker Tony Robbins and author Steven Covey, workshops that provided Interactors the opportunity to explore different careers, and team-building games that allowed students to engage other students from visiting Interact clubs.
Another super addition to the LNHSIC was the inception of Intarconnect, a Rotary-Interact mentorship program. Our Interactors/mentees had the opportunity to meet and converse with Rotarians/mentors whose professions aligned with the student’s interests. Community partners volunteered to visit Lake Nona High School and provided in-depth knowledge about their respective careers at club meetings. Presenters included Tesla, Lake Nona’s Veterans Administration, Nemours, life coaches, and local entrepreneurs. This unique mentorship program provided an energized atmosphere for Interactors to discover their passions and gain experience as well as knowledge for their future careers.
Community partners have provided enthusiasm as well as financial support. Sam’s Club awarded the Lake Nona High School Interactors with a $2,000 grant, allowing seven Interactors to attend the life-changing Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, also known as Camp RYLA. RYLA is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where youth develop their skills as a leader while having fun and making connections. The many benefits of RYLA include the opportunity to connect with leaders in the community and around the world, build communication and problem-solving skills, discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in school or the community, learn from community leaders, meet inspirational speakers, learn from peer mentors, unlock potential to turn motivation into action, and to have fun and form lasting friendships. Students from across the district spent five days obtaining important leadership and life skills through various team-building activities and information sessions.
Laskowski stated, “There’s something about putting a group of students in a positive, judgment-free environment that instills confidence and brings out the best in them. Many students entered this camp as complete strangers and left as lifelong friends.”
Along with developing new members, Interactors took action in the community, demonstrating “Service Above Self.” They volunteered at World Polio Day, Pawsitive Action Foundation, the Lake Nona Pancake Run, Split Oak Forest, the Ronald McDonald House Share-A-Meal, the Little Free Library, and gathered hygiene items for National Giving Day. Interactors worked selflessly to raise funds to purchase and collect teddy bears for children suffering from traumatic incidents. The teddy bears were donated to the Orlando Police Department for officers to keep in their patrol cars for children in need. Interactors collected soap for Clean the World and even made holiday cards for veterans at the Orlando VA Medical Center in Lake Nona.
In closing, Laskowski congratulated the students and thanked all of the volunteers: “We would have never been able to accomplish these things without a wonderful sponsor and teacher like Mrs. Valerie Ledford and the amazing Lake Nona Rotary Club that was with us every step of the way. It has truly been a fantastic experience working with these adults to help impact the lives of the students in our club. Interact provides unparalleled opportunities, and every LNHS student is strongly encouraged to join.”
Special thanks to Sam’s Club, PBM Specialties, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Orlando VA Medical Center, Lake Nona High School Principal Mable Chang, Rotarians President-Elect Gem Micheo, Dr. Larry McKinney, Teresa Turner, and Dr. Tweet Coleman for their support, guidance, and commitment to our youth.
For additional information on Interact or the Rotary Club of Lake Nona Lunch, visit http://www.lakenonarotary.com or call (407) 733-6700. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 11:45 a.m. at the Ronald McDonald House, 13551 Nemours Pkwy., Orlando FL, 32827.
