Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School Inducts New Interact Club Members

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton inducted 38 new members to the Interact Club, which serves as the youth chapter of the Bradenton Rotary Club.

On hand to induct the new student-members were Bradenton Rotary Club President Cheryl Houghtby, Bradenton Rotary Club member and Interact Club advisor and liaison Major Dwayne Durham, and Bradenton Rotary Club District Governor Tim Mulligan.

“This is my first year advising the Interact members at Saint Stephen’s, and right away, I was impressed by the students’ confidence, quick wit, and their enthusiasm for learning and community service,” said Major Dwayne Durham, Interact Club advisor and liaison. “The students here are not only mindful of including everyone within the club and their fellow students, but they are caring communicators. My hope is that they will stay involved and connected with the Rotary club and take advantage of the great opportunities that being a member provides,” he said.

Since the Interact Club was started at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School three years ago, there has been a large growth in student involvement. Students and staff involved take part in many philanthropic endeavors each year. The first year, the club partnered with Southeastern Guide Dogs to sponsor a puppy, and last year they raised awareness and $1,500 for the American Cancer Society. This year, the school-wide project is a partnership with the Children’s Academy of Southwest Florida, a non-profit organization that provides childcare for low-income families and offers children a quality, developmentally appropriate, and challenging environment for a solid foundation for lifelong success.

“At Saint Stephen’s, we are firm in our belief that students become contributing members of their community. We not only want to teach them about the value of helping others, but we want to show them,” said Dr. Janet Pullen, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Head of School. “The Rotary Club has set a great example of community service and helping others, and we are thankful for the Interact Chapter, the Rotary Club volunteers, and the valuable lessons our students learn through their involvement,” said Pullen.

Cheryl Houghtby, Bradenton Rotary Club president, said the partnership between the Rotary Club and Saint Stephen’s is one she values. “I have seen firsthand that the ethical standards of the students at Saint Stephen’s match those of the Rotary Club. These students see a purpose in life beyond themselves. They care about others, they respect others, and you can feel it,” stated Houghtby. “We take the leadership skills that the students already exhibit, and we foster those abilities,” she said.

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School is a private, independent, co-educational, college preparatory school in Bradenton, FL. Saint Stephen’s delivers world-class education, excellent extracurricular experiences and exciting programs like AP course work, the iPad initiative, a band/strings program, a global education program, K-12 daily foreign language program and our Marine Science Initiative, to name a few.

Saint Stephen's sits on a gated, 35-acre campus, which includes a state of the art athletic center that hosts the school’s athletic events including football, track and field, lacrosse, baseball, softball, tennis, and cheerleading. At every level, from PK3 through grade 12, students are nurtured in small classes and encouraged and supported in their academic pursuits. Students benefit from programs and educational models that have proven successful by Saint Stephen’s students who are excelling today in colleges and universities around the country. Saint Stephen's is proud of its rich academic offerings that go hand-in-hand with a strong college counseling program, a wide variety of competitive sports teams, a creative fine arts program, and many service learning opportunities. For more information about our school, please visit www.saintstephens.org.