Interact is the junior version of Rotary and provides high school students from years seven to 12 the chance to lead, brainstorm and create positive change to the benefit of the region.
The group from P12 College was formed two months ago and is supported by the Central Murray Sunrise Rotary.
Each week, during school lunchtimes, the 19 members meet to brainstorm ideas about how they can unite, celebrate and give back to their community.
President Toni McClounan said the group's main objective was to create engaging community events to bring people closer together.
“A colourful fun-run is in mind right now, but we are still in the early stages of planning,” Tony said.
The group is keen to get underway with their first project; a colourful improvement of the mural at the kiosk on the Lake Mulwala foreshore.
Toni said the idea behind painting the kiosk, was for people to not only remember how beautiful the lake was, but also how the people who live there are much the same.
“When people think of Yarrawonga, we want the kiosk to be in their minds also,” she said.
“So that they think of not only the lake, but of how nice our community is.
“Hopefully it will happen over the summer, or just before school holidays, that's the goal.”
Embodied in the program’s name, Rising represents growth, progress, and forward motion, while Tides connects the group to Lake Mulwala and symbolises fluidity, adaptability, and the power of change.
Toni said the Central Murray Sunrise Rotary Club had helped Rising Tides establish a deeper presence throughout the community.
“Rotary supervises and assists us with questions and ideas and help us with finding contacts and grants,” she said.
Moving forward the group hopes to become sustainable once they start doing projects and get their name out there, to develop leadership skills, give back to the community, make meaningful changes and grow.
