Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)

Posted by Carol Kennard

Each spring, local Rotary Clubs partner with local school districts to select one or more High School sophomores and juniors (Award Winners) to attend a leadership development program known as RYLA, which stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. This camp is a terrific 48 hour Leadership training event for your Award Winners.

This Camp is part of Rotary’s New Generations initiative to engage Rotarians in the lives of developing youth. The Leadership Camp will feature several outdoor challenges, critical thinking exercises, and motivational speakers. They will need to come prepared for physical activity and be dressed appropriately (April weather can be challenging). They are also required to attend the ENTIRE camp. Please note: 100% of the cost of the camp is covered by your sponsoring Rotary Club. It is a special honor and opportunity for students who receive this RYLA award.

We have 50 Rotary Clubs within our District 6670 in southwest Ohio, so this program pulls a cross section of students from many school districts. Last year, over 70 Ohio High Schools were represented.

We will only accept 100 students for this program. It is an honor and privilege to be selected for this program. The important items to remember are:

 We only have 100 spots

 Students must arrive between 12:30 and 1:00pm on April 12, and should be picked up at 12 noon on April 14 (Closing Ceremony starts at 11:15am)

 Registration is due by March 1, 2013

 The students have to commit to attend the ENTIRE camp

 Students can be transported to and from Camp Kern by Rotarians, or family members, but are not permitted to drive themselves. No cars are allowed at Camp Kern for safety purposes

 The students need to dress appropriate for outdoor activities

 Cabins are separated by male/female and are supervised at all times by male and female Rotary Advisors

Please work with your Rotary contact to select your students and send their applications, health forms and waivers along with their fee (paid by Rotary) to the District Chair, Carol Hughes, at 810 Wildwood Court, Lebanon OH 45036, by March 1, 2013. Questions can also be answered by calling 937-251-3333 or emailing Carol at carolhughes6@gmail.com.

We also want you to check out our RYLA DVD from 2011, to give your committee and students some idea of what RYLA will be like in 2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbGsnIJd74M We are certainly looking forward to providing a meaningful leadership event in April 2013, to a select group of students of whom each Club in District 6670 can be proud.

We are counting on YOU to participate in order to make this camp a success. What a great way to invest in the future!

For the complete packet of information, look in the Downloads section of the website.

Sincerely

Carol Hughes

Earl Reeder

2013 RYLA Co-Chairs