Summertime in District 6900 mean it’s time for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, better known as RYLA!!  RYLA is designed for young adults with proven leadership ability and a commitment to community service. The District 6900 RYLA camp was hosted by the Rotary Club of Americus and held June 8-12 on the campus of Georgia Southwestern State University and included 95 students sponsored by over 30 clubs.

RYLA brings together these young people from different backgrounds - home, educational, religious, and lifestyle – for the opportunity to challenge themselves through small team activities, large group activities, and candid, round-table discussions. RYLA programming includes individual personality profiles, conflict resolution styles, and ropes course activities in a schedule designed to encourage each student’s growth in the areas of teamwork, communication, and trust.

Included once again was the opportunity to participate in a service project which allows the students to experience the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” firsthand – and this year it was actually two service projects! The first was to help the Meriwether Rotary Club by packing their “It’s a Girl Thing” kits for them. The second was graciously funded by the Americus Rotary Club and allowed RYLA to partner with Rise Against Hunger in order to package 10,152 meals that will be sent overseas to less fortunate countries with inadequate food supplies. Most all students were thrilled to give back in such a small way and this activity received the highest ratings on our survey.

One of the recurring themes of RYLA is the student who accomplishes a feat he/she would have never dared to imagine before coming to camp.  The most memorable of these culminating events are always the board break, which allows students to break through their fears to reach their goals, and the Trust Fall from a 5-foot platform into the waiting arms of teammates.  And just as always, most of the students who were very hesitant to spend the weekend with over 100 strangers became the friends who did not want to part ways at the end.  This speaks volumes to the benefit of RYLA and the positive changes it can create in young lives.

Even more telling of the long-lasting influence of RYLA is the fact that 90% of the counselors were once RYLA participants themselves – they believe in it enough to commit the time and energy to make RYLA the best experience possible.  Over 70 Rotary members assisted with RYLA in some capacity, with most contributing on the club level with the nomination and selection of student participants while others provided transportation to and from RYLA, and the brave few who agreed to serve as chaperones in the dorms.  Special shout out to new chaperones   Once again this year we had the honor of welcoming many district leaders, among them DG Andre Marria, DGE Gordon Owens, DGN Steve Ivory, DGND Cynthia Edwards, PDG Raymond Ray, PDG George Granade who joined us for several days volunteering as Chaperones and spending time with the student teams. DGE Gordon Owens even volunteered the whole week as a counselor and survived – maybe he’ll do it again next year!

If you want to change the life of a young student, send them to RYLA. They will discover their potential and develop the skills needed to be leaders in their communities, careers, and everyday lives.  And they achieve these goals while having fun, building friendships, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.