Guest Speaker Beth Keegan-June, 7, 2016
Posted by Al Anile
Guest Speaker Beth Keegan (above), spoke about her recent RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) experience.
This past April our club sent Beth Keegan (the daughter of club member Deb Keegan) to RYLA, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and according to Beth, it was an amazing experience. The three-day program was held at Edwards Camp in East Troy Wisconsin. The weekend included motivational and educational speakers from around the United States.
"The program greatly enhanced my leadership skills through lectures, hands-on activities and recreational activities and interactions with other student leaders from around the area" Beth said. "I met teens from various Illinois schools, and I was the only one attending from my school. The camp was so fantastic that I absolutely want to go back and experience it all over again. The amazing people I met, awesome leadership activities, inspiring speakers, the group skits, and the dance party, was all incredible.
RYLA taught me how we can work together to accomplish something amazing. I discovered things about myself and others in ways I never could have imagined.
The team building exercises were not only fun, but brought my group of strangers together. I learned so much about different types of leaders within a group and different ways to approach challenges while making sure everyone is involved and happy. Team building activities taught me to ask questions and think outside of the box.
Being in a group with strangers pushed me to interact with more participants and get to know almost everyone. The weekend I was there was one of the biggest groups they have had at the camp, over 300 teens, but I still got to know almost everyone. Many of my new RYLA friends have stayed connected with me through social media. My overall experience gave me the courage to be myself and taught me that with the right people and thoughts, I can achieve everything I set my mind to.
Another take away from RYLA is that leaders come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes the best way to lead is just to listen to someone else.
One thing I took out of the program was learning to be not only a leader, but a positive force in others' lives. I learned how just speaking to someone one time can make them feel good, and how being a role model for others can lead a whole group into positivity".
"Overall RYLA was a great experience for me!" Beth concluded.
RYLA taught me how we can work together to accomplish something amazing. I discovered things about myself and others in ways I never could have imagined.
The team building exercises were not only fun, but brought my group of strangers together. I learned so much about different types of leaders within a group and different ways to approach challenges while making sure everyone is involved and happy. Team building activities taught me to ask questions and think outside of the box.
Being in a group with strangers pushed me to interact with more participants and get to know almost everyone. The weekend I was there was one of the biggest groups they have had at the camp, over 300 teens, but I still got to know almost everyone. Many of my new RYLA friends have stayed connected with me through social media. My overall experience gave me the courage to be myself and taught me that with the right people and thoughts, I can achieve everything I set my mind to.
Another take away from RYLA is that leaders come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes the best way to lead is just to listen to someone else.
One thing I took out of the program was learning to be not only a leader, but a positive force in others' lives. I learned how just speaking to someone one time can make them feel good, and how being a role model for others can lead a whole group into positivity".
"Overall RYLA was a great experience for me!" Beth concluded.