Shawn Braswell is a member of the Southport Rotary Club and is a district governor nominee expected to be elected for the year 2026 to 2027. Braswell was diagnosed with a chronic illness, which led to major depression and self-isolation. Braswell decided to join the Rotary Club as a support process. “It gave me a purpose and a support group. The service work was fulfilling. Creating hope for others gave me hope again. Now I feel like it is my time to pay it forward.”

Rotary is an international organization consisting of 1.2 million members who are dedicated to improving their community one step at a time. There are 44,000 clubs around the globe. Our district alone is home to 50 of these clubs. According to Shawn Braswell, the Rotary organization focuses on seven different areas: “Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water, Saving Mothers & Children, Supporting Education, Growing Local Economies, and Supporting the Environment.”

In addition to the Rotary Club, there is also the Interact Club which is specifically for members whose ages range from 12 to 18. The Interact Club is used to maintain a leadership and service mindset in the adolescent community.

Rotary Club has a program specifically for juniors in high school to develop a leadership role. The program is a retreat called RYLA also known as the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. Braswell states “The RYLA Conference is a three-day, two-night retreat providing an intensive leadership experience where you will develop your skills as a leader and have fun while doing it with your peers.” This retreat is a way for teens to work alongside their peers to build a better leadership mindset while also being able to work collaboratively with their peers.

The Rotary organization provides many opportunities for teens to participate in their school rotary clubs. For instance, senior members of the clubs have the chance to apply for scholarships that range from 250 to 2,500 dollars depending on the student. Teens who are 15 to 18 years old have an opportunity to study abroad. Students will get a chance to explore different cultures, experience different languages and become globalized citizens.

People 18 to 30 years old still have the chance to develop their leadership skills, interact with diverse people in their community and have fun while serving other people. They still have a chance to go through college and prepare for life on their own.

To accomplish the goals of the Rotary Club, they must have organization. Each club has its own officers and board of directors. All clubs meet either in person or online on certain days of the week to keep their club regulated.

There is also an annual writing contest that is open to students from seventh and eighth grade who may find a passion in literature. Contestants are given a prompt regarding the “four-way test” This four-way test entails four different components. “Is this the truth?” “Is it fair to all concerned?” “Will it build goodwill and better friendships?” and “Is it beneficial to all concerned?” These four pillars of the contest are used to create a prompt like last year’s  prompt “The four-way test and what it means to me.”

There are various prizes for each winner going from 500 dollars to both the student and teacher of that student for first place, second place is 300 dollars, and third place is 200 dollars. This contest reaches district-wide so that even the students who win locally are often given prizes from the sponsors of the Rotary Club.

Rotary is a global organization that is used to help communities around the world and the people who live there. It is an organization that focuses on leadership and working together with others to create a better environment.