President Aiesha Pradhan and Vice President Peyton Gillespie of the Maui Preparatory Academy/Rotary Club of Lahaina Interact Club have worked hard this year to collaboratively adapt their leadership and volunteer work to be pandemic-proof. Both seniors were members of the Rotary Interact Club since they began schooling at Maui Prep.

NAPILI — Maui Preparatory Academy’s Rotary Interact Club, affiliated with the Rotary Club of Lahaina, consists of 20 student members.

Their first project of the year was organizing a bake sale. The club raised over $300 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Next, MPA’s Rotary Interact Club teamed with the Maui Food Bank in the planning of a school-wide food drive, garnering 100 percent grade level participation and raising over $600 and 1,200 food items to help put food on the table for local families struggling with the pandemic.

As the MPA Rotary Interact Club was unable to continue their usual in-person volunteer work at the Lahaina Adult Day Care Center, Interact members adapted by writing letters and making cloth masks for the kupuna.

Throughout the school year, members of the MPA Rotary Interact Club continued to participate in quarterly beach cleanups hosted by the Rotary Club of Lahaina Community Service and Youth Service Committees, and were inspired to plan and host their own beach cleanup near the end of the year.

Finally, club President Aiesha Pradhan and Vice President Peyton Gillespie organized the planning of a school-wide book drive for their Interact Club to donate to the Maui Friends of the Library bookstore in Kahului in an effort to support Maui’s local businesses.

In spite of the Coronavirus pandemic, these two young leaders have worked tirelessly to adapt their club’s community service volunteer work and create a safe space for the members of the Maui Prep Rotary Interact Club to continue to positively contribute to their local and national community.

Rotary Club of Lahaina President Joe Park commented, “A special thank you to Keenan Reader for serving as MPA Rotary Interact Club advisor. Congratulations to all 20 members of the MPA Rotary Interact Club. Rotary Club of Lahaina is proud to be your club sponsor and look to an ongoing relationship with this fine group of self-directed, community-minded students.”