2013 RYLA Press Release

HACKENSACK –  This past week Rotary District 7490 held its annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference (RYLA) at Indian Head Camp in Honesdale Pennsylvania.  Every May local Rotary clubs from District 7490 (Bergen, Hudson and Passaic Counties) sponsor High School Juniors for this all expense paid six day conference focusing on leadership, team building, professional development and community service ethics.  This year, 108 students were selected to attend including seven students from Hackensack, of which three candidates were sponsored by the Hackensack Rotary Club.

The RYLA program is executed by college-aged students and young professionals ranging from 19 to 26, all of whom are alumni of the program.  The program currently has three counselors who are HHS alumni including both of the program’s facilitators- Katie Zoch and Steve Gelber.

Through the course of the week the RYLA candidates took part in team building exercises that challenged them to face their fears, break through barriers, build strong team skills and ultimately bring their teams to a greater sense of community.

The RYLA candidates also had the opportunity to hear from a diverse group of presenters such as Doug O’Brien, a Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP as well as Jay Jay French, the founder, manager and guitarist for the heavy metal rock band Twisted Sister.  These presenters showed them the tools to reframe their state of mind, break through fears as well as learn persistence overcoming resistance.

The RYLAteers also heard from a number of Rotarians and former RYLA Facilitators about the ideals of servant leadership, Rotary’s avenues of service and initiatives of both their local Rotary clubs and Rotary International. 

Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

Anyone interested in joining is encouraged to contact Amanda Missey @  phone: 201-489-9454 x 119    or  email:  amissey@bergenvolunteers.org.

Photo:  The 2013 RYLA Team