About 100 kids from Wyandotte Pre-K Center in Baton Rouge visited with 35 members of Zachary High School's Interact Club for the 'Yes, I Can Read' literacy awareness program held in May.

"We try to encourage students to read, especially during the summertime, when most young kids tend to regress," said Kim Littles, ZHS Interact sponsor. "We try to show them the joy of reading while incorporating other activities."

Interact is Rotary at the high school level, and illiteracy is one of the problems the clubs are trying to eradicate.

This year's 'Yes, I can Read' campaign had a theme: 'Learning About Animals Through Reading.'

Usually, guest speakers visit Interact's program, but this year Littles said they tried a new reading program called Tumble Books, which has an interactive component.

Littles and the ZHS Interact Club invited Bubbles the Clown to read from some of the tumble books and perform a magic show for the pre-schoolers.

In 1985, Rotary declared basic literacy to be a pre-condition to the development of peace. Through this organizational emphasis, more than half the world's 34,000 Rotary clubs address the full range of literacy. Therefore, as an Interact club, Littles said her members are obligated to conduct literacy programs to assist Rotary in their goal.

Interact participated in over 24 service activities last school year.

About 10 Interact students had more than 60 service hours by the end of the 2011-12 school year.