This week’s Farmer Focus is on senior Naija Chinweze, the president of the Interact club. After moving up a position from historian, she hopes to cherish her time leading Interact.
SNAPSHOTS
If you could have a wild animal as a pet, what would it be: Panda
Best year of high school: Freshman year
Favorite childhood memory: No dress code for certain schools
Worst habit: Biting nails
Biggest pet peeve: Big silverware
ZOOMING IN
Q: What made you want to try out for the president position?
A: “What really encouraged me to try out was realizing how much potential Interact [would] have if there was a lot of effort and consistency to it. I’ve been in the club long enough to see what worked and what didn’t, and I felt like I could help elevate the club. I love the idea of bringing people together, organizing things better and making things bigger than myself. [The leadership role] has a lot of initiative within it, and I really like the fact that I can oversee a lot of things that may be difficult decisions for others. It’s a lot easier for me in my opinion, so I’m glad I have the role in [making] those hard decisions.”
Q: What are your primary roles?
A: “I make our officer meeting agendas. I make most of the hard decisions, and I make sure everyone is doing their task, [such as social media posts and community service being done]. Also, I make some of the slideshows.”
Q: Who has guided you while being in a leadership position, and how have they helped you?
A: “I’m basically keeping everything running behind the scenes. I plan meetings, communicate with officers, coordinate with our sponsor and make sure events are organized. I help people understand hours, keep track of what’s coming up and fix any problems. A lot of it is mainly communication and making sure everyone knows what they’re doing. All of my officers have helped and my vice president senior Yasin Seck is great because she’s always ready [for backup]. Also, our sponsor, Amanda Sick, is the best. She’s so organized and she helps everyone stay intact as well.”
Q: What is your favorite memory in Interact club?
A: “My favorite memory was last year when we had this cleanup where there were a whole lot of bugs and everyone was too scared to go to certain parts. Since we were the officers, we did it for the members. I thought it was funny, and we called it the ‘cricket cleanup.’”
Q: What community service events are you looking forward to this semester?
A: “We have our Thanksgiving potluck coming up soon, and I’m really looking forward to it because it’s a chance for all the members to hang out, play games and actually get to know each other outside of volunteering. We’re also starting to plan a Winter Drive, which I’m excited about because it gives members a way to keep earning hours during January and February when there aren’t a lot of service opportunities available.”
Q: What are some of your challenges as being a leader?
A: “[It’s making sure] everyone feels heard. Sometimes I think even if it’s not my voice, [it may be another officer trying to speak up about a topic they feel strongly about, yet some people might not feel the same]. Sometimes it’s three beats one, but one still needs their voice to be heard. Also, it’s a little hard for them to be seen by all of [the members], and I feel like that’s really my role to make sure that happens.”
Q: What will you miss the most about the Interact club after you graduate?
A: “I will miss the unity within the club and all of the games we have at our meetings. I’m definitely going to miss how fun it is, and it does make you want to have new friends.”
Q: What lessons have you learned that prepared you to become president, and what are your goals for the club this year?
A: “Leadership camp taught me about how to actually lead people, not just to hold the title position. At RYLA, we focused on building community and using teamwork to complete hard tasks. I learned I want Interact to feel more organized, welcoming and active. I want members to feel like their service means something, not just to gain regalia. I also hope we can have more hours submitted that are from a variety of events. Last year, I think Angel Tree dominated most of it, so I hope we have more service opportunities that are more diverse for the members to have things throughout the entirety of the year, not just December.”
Q: What advice would you give to next year’s Interact president?
A: “I would say to be loose. It’s not a role where you have to get in your head so much. You really have a support system around and you should utilize that. Don’t ever think it’s you having to make hard decisions. You have other voices around you that can help and be supported.”
