STAGS are proud to announce our Rotary Interact Club has received the highest Award within Rotary International, the Presidential Citation Award. The award was presented to Year 11 student Aaliyah Jalil STAGS club President, by Roger Phillips the Youth Chair of the local Rotary District for Beds, Bucks and Herts. This award was given for the club’s commitment to making a difference to the lives of those in both their community and also around the world. Youth mentor Lavinia Hale looks back over the last 12 months and explains how STAGS achieved this prestigious award: In order to be eligible for a Presidential Citation five categories had to be successfully completed within the year, 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. STAGS exceeded those requirements by carrying out key activities to promote international understanding of fighting disease and supporting education both at home and abroad. Here are some of the main highlights of the year: Supporting Education Internationally Firstly they successfully organised and promoted a Disco for Year 7 students to raise funds for the Red Rubber Ball charity. Thy raised an amazing £800 which supports a young boy in a Kenyan School. STAGS are proud to be financially supporting Phelix who is now in his second year. Stags Rotary Club also collected funds to enable them to send school boxes to UNICEF for distribution in Africa. Raising Awareness of the Fight to Beat Global Disease One of the clubs biggest Rotary projects in the last 12 months was to encourage the whole school to engage with the ‘End Polio Now’ campaign. Purple crocuses were planted on the front lawn at the school and when they flowered in March, this was celebrated by a full week of activities. This included, displaying an actual child’s iron lung in the school foyer, assemblies for all year groups, sales of crocus badges, a name the bear competition, a ‘wear something purple day’ and setting up a stall that served delicious cream teas. All in all these activities raised money to purcahse vaccines to help eradicate the world from polio. Supporting education in the local community STAGS arranged a talk to inform its Rotary members of the amazing opportunities on offer in the Rotary Exchange Programme which is open to young leaders. Youth mentor Ken Scott was invited to Club to make a lunchtime presentation. In addition, STAGS Rotarians participated in a career day with Year 11 students. Local Rotarians from all three St Albans clubs played the role of employers, by holding formal job interviews and giving valuable feedback to the students to help them develop key employment skills. To sum up, the last 12 months have provided enjoyment and fun for the Rotary Interactors as well as a fundraising pot of £3,000 + to benefit local charities – Keech Hospice, PHAB, Open Door and the afore mentioned International Charities. To receive a Presidential Citation from Rotary International is an accolad and I can confirm it is well deserved by all the members of the STAGS Rotary Interact Club.