RYLA Students Share Experience

 
On June 26, four high school sophomores arrived at Worcester State University and they didn’t leave until, mid-afternoon on June 28. After a long process that began in February, they had earned the privilege to attend a special Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference as guest of the Milford Rotary Club. The honor to attend was earned by completing an essay style application and surviving a personal interview by Rotarians.
 
They joined at WSU by 200 other sophomores, who were sponsored by the other 51 Rotary Club’s in the Central Mass District. They arrived as strangers and departed with new friends. Here and overseas.
 
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive training program for community youth leaders. High School sophomore’s chosen by Rotary for their leadership potential are awarded the opportunity to attend an all-expenses-paid day three conference to discuss leadership skills and to enhance those skills through practice. The days are long but the rewards are many.
 
This week, students and their parents joined Rotarians at a luncheon to share their experience and to relate how the conference helped them grow as a person, as a leader and as a friend to others. One thing became very clear during their presentation, they got a lot out of the conference and Rotary can be very proud of the candidates selected.
 
During the conference Cassidy was voted as the RYLAN to “Most Likely Change The World”.
 
 Left to right: Mike Kaplan, Rotarian and RYLA Chairman; Cassidy Rodrigues, Hopedale High School; Grace Lemire, Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School; and Emily DuQuette, Milford High School. Sean Kelliher, Nipmuc Regional High School also attended but was unable to attend the meeting.