CAMBRIDGE — Members of the Cambridge-South Dorchester High School Interact Club and the North Dorchester High School Key Club completed their first joint venture with the support of the Cambridge Rotary Club. In February, 10 Dorchester County students went to RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Conference) sponsored by the Rotary District 7630. Eight students were from C-SDHS with the other two from NDHS.

While there, they decided they wanted to complete a project between the schools and their Clubs. At the Conference, they came up with a program they called “Kid’s Best Friend.” The project would provide a place where children who didn’t have pets could go and socialize with an animal.

The young people contacted Baywater Animal Rescue about their idea and began working on plans. While visiting them, Baywater made them aware of a program they had underway, “A slightly used shoe drive.” The students decided, while working on the project plans, they would go back to their schools and begin their shoe drive to help Baywater Animal Rescue and the animals they house.

The C-SDHS students went to their Interact Club (high school age Rotarians) and the Rotary Club of Cambridge, which is their sponsoring Club, with their idea. The NDHS students talked to their Key Club about the idea, also.

Several weeks later, the two clubs had collected five garbage bags of a variety of shoes. The shoes were delivered to Baywater, completing the first project between the schools.

The 10 students attending the RYLA Conference were Natalie Anderson, Emily Bloodsworth, Keysha Torres, Carrie Price, Connor McCroy, Katelyn Hagan, Jordan LeCompte, Devon Tyler, Jenna Usilton and Madison Rolf.