Making better choices will improve our lives individually as well as the world around us.

That was the message Tuesday during a joint meeting of the Wynford High School Interact Club and the Bucyrus Rotary.

The reminder for the adults and the lesson for the students was delivered by Cindy Wallis, executive director of Community Counseling Services.

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She talked about how everyone's actions are perceived from the public to potential employers — even social media activity can change a person's life forever.

"Your character means a ton," Wallis said. "Be very, very careful."

Tuesday's meeting at the Wynford Community Center was the first dual meeting held between Rotary and Wynford Interact.

Interact is a youth organization affiliated with Rotary International, according to Julie Rexroad, the club's adviser and a teacher at Wynford High School.

"We have been a club since 2015," Rexroad said. "We have been around for seven years."

There are 45 Wynford students in the club. They meet Fridays, and membership is open to all high school students.

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Although it was the first time the two clubs had held a joint meeting, it wasn't the first time they had worked together.

Just last year the organizations collected diapers to donate to local families, and the high schoolers had visited Rotary meetings several times in the past.

"This was the first time they had ever been to one of our meetings, though," Rexroad said. "That was kind of neat."

The students in the club were excited for another opportunity to meet with their mentors, and even show off how they run meetings.

Daniel Kurek, president of Interact, has been in the club all four years of high school, and was glad the Rotary members could attend.

"It was really great seeing everyone," he said. "This meeting was a great celebration of both clubs."

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Kurek is graduating this spring and is going to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The meeting Tuesday was his last one as a member of Interact.

"It definitely ended on a high note," he said.

But there's a bright future ahead for him — he plans to be a fighter pilot, then someday a Rotarian.

He leaves for the military June 23.

"It's a pretty short summer," Kurek said. "A little over a month after graduation."

The ambitious high school senior was a prime example of what Interact clubs are all about, according to Kevin Myers, president of the Bucyrus Rotary.

He actually joined Rotary five years ago after an interaction he had five years ago while working with the Wynford Band Boosters. Returning to Wynford to facilitate Tuesday's meeting helped remind him of those beginnings not long ago.

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"I can't say enough how proud I am of this group of kids," Myers said. "They've rejuvenated our club. They've given us a new desire to do things... it's refreshing to see the youth care."

Wallis' message was perfect for the event, and helped members of both organizations remember the goals they have for their core values.

"So often you give a message to kids that we as adults need to hear anyway," Myers said. "Her message being delivered to the kids resonated just as much with us adults. She did a marvelous job of speaking to both groups simultaneously."

Rotary meets every Tuesday and, like Interact, always welcomes anyone interested in joining.

"You really have to be able to attend our noon meetings," Myers said. "Maybe you work in Bucyrus but you live in another community... we're a group of like-minded people that share a common goal."

Although the organization helps beautify downtown Bucyrus and donates money to help eradicate polio worldwide, there are many other smaller causes the members support each year.

"There's a lot that we do that you will never know about," Myers said. "We sent a $5,000 check to Ukraine. We've partnered with the Salvation Army to send coloring books to the kids in Ukraine. We sent some money to Bowling Green, Kentucky, when they had their tornado last year. So we help people whenever and however we can."

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That's a practice Rotarians hope to instill within high school students through the Interact clubs.

So far, Wynford has the only Interact Club in Crawford County, but that will change at the beginning of the next school year when one is formed at Bucyrus High School.

Like at Wynford, the Bucyrus club will be open to all high school students.

"To help them get going, we'd like to do some type of Wynford-Bucyrus competition," Rexroad said. "Maybe a kickoff event. Maybe some community service activities together."