Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where teens develop their skills as leaders while having fun and making connections. Our rotary district invites teens in their sophomore year to apply for a RYLA scholarship. This year our club sent three teens, Eloise Durant, Thomas Mathon and Abigail Usher, all of Williston, to Lyndon campus of Vermont State University for the weekend district-wide convention that included students from Vermont, New Hampshire and Quebec.
On July 20th the three of them came to our weekly club meeting to tell us about their experience. The common theme among the three was that they had lots of fun and made deep connections. They also talked of the value of learning their leadership styles and the insight it gives them in communicating and being a community member. Two of them were more adaptable “off the cuff” leaders while the other preferred to have a plan in place. While there they were involved in making hundreds of meals for those in need. They also experienced a ropes course, various trust and confidence building activities, and the weekend culminated with a talent show. Having them come speak made for such a fun meeting. They were generous with their impressions, answered our many questions thoughtfully and were excited to recommend RYLA to next year’s potential applicants.
