Grayslake Rotary Awards Local High School Scholars

Posted by Mike Kukulski 
on May 22, 2011
 

The Grayslake Rotary Club hosted the recipients of its high school graduate academic and Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) scholarships at its April 25th and May 2nd meetings. First to join the club for lunch were our RYLA attendees, Pravleen Bain and Natalie Wickencamp, who recounted the events, highlights, and lessons learned from their RYLA experience, and shared a video memoir of their weekend. 

 RYLA was established by Rotary International as a special award for young people of high school age who have displayed leadership skills, or the potential, as shown by their active participation in groups or services.  Each participant is from Rotary District 6440, and attended a three day program held at Edwards Camp & Conference Centerin East Troy Wisconsin.  The three day program includes motivational and educational speakers from around the United States. The program greatly enhanced leadership skills through lectures, hands on activities and recreational activities and interaction with other student leaders from around the District.  Every single participant (more than 1150 over the last seven years) has met and had fun with many of their peers. Yes, fun is an element of this experience! This is both an educational experience as well as a reward for leadership skills already demonstrated. 

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 Marissa Turturro addresses the Grayslake Rotary Club at the May 2nd Meeting  

Our academic award winners were Sandy Vien and Marissa Turturro.  Sandy will be attending Loyola University in pursuit of a career as a pediatrician.  Marissa will be studying Athletic Training & Physical Therapy at Northern Michigan, and hopes to follow that with a Doctorate in Physical therapy at Central Michigan.  Both of these young women were selected from a highly competitive field of very qualified applicants for our scholarship awards.  It was their hard work and standout excellence in academics, civic involvement, and leadership that earned them these scholarships.  We wish them the very best in their future endeavors.