Ciella Mupenda, the Empowering Women in Rotary candidate for RYLA this year, was nominated by the Independence Rotary Club. Ciella, a student at Van Horn High School, took time to write about her RYLA experience.
It's a great honor to be a student ambassador; an opportunity I respected and am still learning from. Outside student ambassadoring membership I would have never got the opportunity to attend RYLA; and through RYLA I am believing in more greater opportunities. As a refugee from the east part of Africa, there are things that automatically define the type of life I have indored, and the life I am thriving for. The first day was kind of nervousing, due to my cultural background and my accent [with English being my 5th language]. I loved working with my group on the second day, it was not awkward as the first. It was scary getting to build a trusting relationship within a day and half. In order to accomplish anything as a team; everybody has to bring something on the table. My team respected our different contributions! It boosted the confidence as a team and as individuals. In my team there were people I looked up to in torm of how they would keep working on our team powerpoint during free time, and pay attention to ideas before trying to only express theirs. I am away from them and I do miss them. Day by day I remind myself to step up now that I am at school where there are all sorts of struggles. I am trying to use what I am gifted to change my school and mostly the world. If you would ask me how? As an example I am taking basic photography, I am planning on applying what I’ll learn to my youtube channels; and create beautiful music and inspiring videos (background, focus, quality, lighting, Images, editing, etc..). Few students at my school are already struggling with not doing their work. I need to figure out ways I can motivate them. Which I think It would be a one on one conversation of getting to know those students first. Actually, I am good at doing that! Overall, right after RYLA I thought about the student exchange program; how I can take advantage of other opportunities out there. I am in the process of writing a thank you letter to “Empowering Women” the club that sponsored me or maybe go in person. I loved everything about RYLA; team building, general session, and the small group. Thank you for the wonderful experience! I can only imagine how many refugees would want to have the opportunity but it is impossible due to their country's environment.