North’s Interact Club aims to provide students with opportunities to engage in meaningful service and volunteering projects both locally and globally this year.

Affiliated with the International Rotary Organization, Interact Clubs bring together 12 to 18-year-olds to plan and execute two annual service projects: one focused on supporting the local community, and another addressing a global issue, according to the organization’s website. North’s chapter meets Mondays after school, with additional activities organized outside of school.

“I personally didn’t identify with any other service clubs at North, and I really wanted a club where students could do work to help others that didn’t have to be specifically for one cause, and that we could go local and international in various aspects. So I decided to create one,” said senior Nayana Levin, who founded the Interact club.

As of November, there are 14,911 Interact clubs spanning across 145 countries. Levin hopes to collaborate with an Interact Club in Brazil to help with the relief of Brazilians suffering from severe floods.

According to freshman Emma Cogen, a club member, “Interact club is unique from other volunteer clubs at North because we pinpoint very specific issues that we get to choose in our community, and we get to actively see the results of the work we do.”

North’s Interact club is in the process of meeting with organizations in Newton to evaluate the City’s current needs and plan how the club can help out, according to history teacher Peter Turner, the club adviser.

Cogen said, “I’m really excited to do work to make changes on topics that I want to address while having a fun time with friends.”

According to Turner, the club is just getting off the ground, and it’s important that members feel empowered to take the club in the direction that they want to.

“One of Nayana’s great strengths is passionately committing to what she cares about, which will inspire other students to see the power that comes with serving others,” said Turner.