Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is Rotary's leadership training program for young people. RYLA emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth, and aims to: demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for youth, provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders, encourage leadership of youth by youth and recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.  Students from all over District 6220 including Rotary Youth Exchange students participated in the conference from Friday, October 3 – Sunday, October 5 at the YMCA camp at Lake Manitowish in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin.  Our Club sponsored 6 students – 2 from Appleton East, Appleton North and Appleton West High Schools.  These students were selected by school administrators and members of the RYLA Committee. Today, the students were awarded a framed certificate in recognition of successful completion of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards curriculum. 

 

Keith Jerusalem, from Appleton North, said it was an amazing experience.  He met a lot of new friends while attending the RYLA training program.  He said he saw faces of joy and happiness when learning to expand leadership skills and fellow students getting out of their comfort zone.  When he left he asked himself what leadership meant to him.  What he learned from the program was that you need to inspire people to become a leader.  Everyone’s a leader and they just need to believe in themselves.

 

Steven Turner, from Appleton West, said it was an influential experience. What was taught to him at the training program stuck more in his head.  He said he was definitely thrown out of his comfort zone with the team building exercises and the climbing wall but he learned great leadership skills and though it was a great and influential program.

 

Lexii Wolff, from Appleton West, never saw herself as a leader before.  She felt truly honored that she was recognized for this amazing program. On the last day she was getting frustrated with a project and learned something about herself, she was a control freak.  She learned that she needed to take a breath and that there are other ways to do things.  She realized she learned that from the program and that she is a leader.

 

Julissa Barraza, from Appleton East, was skeptical at first.  When they arrived to Lake Manitowish immediately they were put in to groups and she was thrown out of her comfort zone.  They played games like Swedish Fish and Bippity Boppity Boo.  Her favorite experience was where they made tea from natural resources.  By doing this exercise she learned that you need to work together as a team and listen to others and you don’t have to be in charge all the time.  She is taking what she learned from this experience and using it in her everyday life now.

 

Jeffrey Thao, from Appleton East, also stated how as soon as they arrived they were put into groups to play games to break the ice.  He thought it went well and was very inspiring.  He enjoyed his time and met a lot of great people that are now friends.  He also mentioned his facilitator and how one quote really inspired him and he even read it to the club.  He had a very positive experience while attending the leadership program.

 

Mickenzie Ewer, from Appleton North, was unable to attend the meeting.

 

Thanks to the RYLA Committee for planning this for the students: Gary Hermsen, Marta Weldon, Shannon Full, Rosie Cannizzo, Jon Kester, Martin Rudd and Mary Downs. A big Thank you to Tom Berkedal for driving the students to camp and for providing them with McDonalds!