Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where participants develop skills as a leader while having fun and making connections.
A Junior RYLA program (high school freshmen and sophomores) is occurring for the first time in Iowa and will be held at Grinnell College. The week long program will have 32 attendees attending, 19 girls and 13 boys.
The above picture, left to right, are Anne Sheeley (mother), Will Sheeley (attendee), Eli Gannon (attendee), Barb Gannon (mother), Betsy Kutter (grandmother to Eli, organizer and presenter).
This Junior RYLA program has occurred with other Rotary Clubs and the Johnston Rotary Club is excited to sponsor Will and Ely at this first year event.
Betsy Kutter was the speaker and spoke about the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). JMS Students Eli and Will were also in attendance, introduced themselves and shared their interests. Eli and Will - attending 8th grade next year at JMS - will be attending the middle school youth program July 23rd for 5 days. Katie (JHS student) and Adam (DC Grimes student) were not in attendance as they were attending the high school RYLA camp. As part of the application process, the students from JCSD all came highly recommended by their school principals. Betsy also shared that a former RYLA student sponsored by our Rotary Club is giving back by serving as a camp counselor this year. There are many RYLA programs across the country and world, they look different and are held for different lengths - day, weekend, weeklong. Betsy believes the longer programs create stronger staying power once the students complete the program. The program for middle school youth is like the high school program. The MS program has been three years in the making and is sometimes referred to as "RYLA lite".
The program came about as past participants shared feedback that they wished they had this experience earlier, and/or wished their younger siblings could have a similar experience. The Iowa RYLA program - which originated from Colorado - has been in existence for seven years, beginning with 37 students and now is serving 240. The middle school program is in its first year in Iowa and has 32 campers this summer - 19 girls and 13 boys. The middle school program is at the same location as the HS RYLA and experiences include meeting with district governors, learning the 4-way test, focusing on interests and youth exchanges, and other miscellaneous outdoor activities.
Some topics of the retreat include bullying, suicide, cutting, and helping others. Betsy describes it "as getting your first training wheels off and then your dad gives you the first steady push into high school." During the camp students make a life list (like a bucket list) and set goals. Rotarians can help by volunteering to serve as camp counselors. This is one week during the summer and Betsy guaranteed that it would be a fun experience!
The students that our Rotary is sponsoring - Eli, Will, Adam and Katie - will come back and share their RYLA experiences with us. President Bob also shared that he has arranged for a future speaker to share more about the "Interact" club, found in some high schools that focus on student volunteering and is hopeful that the students going to RYLA camp might be instrumental in starting such a program in Johnston soon.