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What is RYLA?
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a district-organized program that facilitates club service to youth in the community by providing a leadership training retreat for young people selected and sponsored by your club. The process starts by your club soliciting nominations and interviewing local students - this brings Rotarians together with youth in your community. The core of the program is an intense, professionally led, four-day leadership training retreat. After the weekend students return to apply the lessons they learned in their schools and community groups and to make a presentation to your club about their experience.
What Happens at the Leadership Retreat Weekend? The RYLA Retreat Weekend provides a series of professionally developed presentations and activities which lead participants through a process of assessing their personal leadership characteristics, understanding the ethics of leadership, and setting personal goals. It then teaches leadership though interpersonal skills, working effectively with diverse peers in conflict resolution and consensus building, as well as recognizing and working with support networks.
Where and When is the RYLA Retreat? The Retreat Weekend is held at the Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley Campus located near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. This is one of the most central locations in the district. The retreat will begin the evening of Friday June 14th, and end at noon on Monday June 17th, 2013.
How much does RYLA Cost? RYLA does not cost students anything. The “Awards” in the RYLA name refers to the scholarships that are awarded by Rotary and/or co-sponsors. Each student scholarship is $350.
How are students selected to participate? Students are selected by a local Rotary Club in the district. The Club RYLA committee or chair interviews students and selects the recipients of the awards based on their own criteria. Most communities sponsor three awards each year.
Who should attend RYLA? RYLA is designed to work with students that are starting to show signs of leadership, or the potential for leadership, in their communities. Successful applicants are in good standing at school and are actively involved with clubs, sports teams, or community groups – but the idea is to find students that have not previously had leadership training experiences. Ideally, the students should be going into 10th or 11th grade, although some strong 9th grade students attend successfully. The program is not intended for anyone that has already graduated high school.
What else is RYLA? The RYLA program is an opportunity to meet and build friendships with fellow student leaders from around the state, as well as, getting to know the Rotarian leaders in your community. Rotary is based on the premise that Fellowship opens opportunities for service which will make our communities better places to live, and promote peace and better understanding throughout the world. An important part of RYLA is building these relationships both between student leaders and the Rotarians that Sponsor them.