Posted on Nov 01, 2018
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or RYLA
Madison Atwell, 16, attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or RYLA, program sponsored by the Mount Clemens Rotary Club.  It was there she learned about Rotary's high school Interact clubs and she and her best friend Lauren Greshak decided to start one at their school, the International Academy of Macomb High School. The juniors, both 16, became co-presidents of the IAM Interact Club. 
 
 
Wine Tasting Social Event
The Mount Clemens Rotary Club recently held a wine tasting social event at the Anton Art Center in downtown Mount Clemens. Organizer Gloria Murray said there were about 50 people in attendance who were friends and acquaintances of Rotarians,
 
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Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or RYLA
Madison Atwell, 16, attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or RYLA, program sponsored by the Mount Clemens Rotary Club.  It was there she learned about Rotary's high school Interact clubs and she and her best friend Lauren Greshak decided to start one at their school, the International Academy of Macomb High School. The juniors, both 16, became co-presidents of the IAM Interact Club.
"When I went to RYLA I heard about Interact and thought it was a pretty cool way to get young people involved in making the community and the world a better place so I thought we would try it and see how it goes," Madison said.
Interact club activities can potentially satisfy 20 hours of community service required from one school program and 150 hours from another program, so the club grew to 35 students in only two months.
The co-presidents recently spoke to Mount Clemens Rotarians about their RYLA-to-Interact journey.
"This club will help me grow as a leader and help my community," Madison said. "When I heard about the Interact club, I knew I wanted to bring it back to my school. It was an excellent way to get my school involved in community activities and make a difference in the world around us. It's also a way to complete community service hours."
Madison’s aunt, Valerie Miller, is the secretary of the Mount Clemens Rotary Club. Miller helped the teenagers establish the club through Rotary International.
Their teacher-adviser – an important person in establishing a club and keeping it going -- is Andrea Cook.
"When Madison came back from RYLA, she talked and talked about how much she loved it and wanted to start an Interact club," Valerie said. "Madison contacted her counselor at the academy and he okayed it. Once she had the okay, she took the ball and ran with it, making her own fliers and presented them to the students – and all because we (the Mount Clemens Rotary Club) sponsored her at RYLA. The students fell in love with what Rotary stands for. They are go-getters and are truly achievers."
Valerie said they meet each month. They have discussed helping the adult club with bell ringing for The Salvation Army, decorating a Rotary float for the Nov. 18 Santa Parade in Mount Clemens, and participating in the county road cleanup program.
Madison said she would like to go on some mission trips and experience life in other countries.
"It's the same for Lauren," she said. "We want to help our communities and make a global impact. Outside of school, there are people who have to deal with things daily that I don't have to struggle with. I don't have to look for where my next meal is coming from."
She would like to see the club provide care packages for shelters or work at a food bank in addition to the MCREST program for homeless people at churches.
When asked if she plans to join a Rotary club in the future she answered "definitely."
"Rotary has really helped us get off the ground and given us their support to be able to do what we are doing," she said.
This is not the pair's first encounter with Rotary generosity. The Mount Clemens club provided money for coloring books and crayons for a program Lauren was involved in at Children's Hospital of Michigan.
"She met kids, like the ones who had cancer, who were stuck in the hospital for a long time and wanted to make a difference for them," Madison said.
"They are learning to become community leaders. They are amazing kids," Valerie said.
 
Photo: Madison Atwell, left, and Lauren Greshak, right, are co-presidents of the new International Academy of Macomb High School Interact Club sponsored by the Mount Clemens Rotary Club. Guided by Rotary's "The Four-Way Test" on the screen, the teens are planning a wealth of community service projects.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wine Tasting Social Event
The Mount Clemens Rotary Club recently held a wine tasting social event at the Anton Art Center in downtown Mount Clemens. Organizer Gloria Murray said there were about 50 people in attendance who were friends and acquaintances of Rotarians, elected officials, or people who happen to hear about the event and were curious about Rotary. Some had never visited the art center before, and two women said they wanted to come to a Rotary meeting to learn more about Rotary’s mission. Wine tasting photos by Julie Miller