Mid-Bay Rotary Club
P.O. Box 1182
Niceville, Florida 32588

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
District 6940
2004

Officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is one of the most significant and fastest-growing programs of Rotary service. Each year, thousands of young people take part in the program worldwide. The impact spreads further as the program influences other young people, and RYLA programs often lead to the formation or strengthening of Rotaract and Interact clubs.

RYLA is an intensive training program for community youth leaders. Young people chosen for their leadership potential attend an all-expenses-paid seminar, camp, or workshop to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice.

 RYLA AIMS:

1. Demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for youth

2.  Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders

3. Encourage leadership of youth by youth

4. Publicly recognize young people who are providing service to their communities

      RYLA Seminars:

Awardees attending the RYLA seminars can expect to further develop their personal and leadership skills in the following key areas:

1. Communication Skills: Participants will have the opportunity to: develop interpersonal skills; communicate, listen and write more effectively; engage in some form of public speaking in a warm, supportive environment

2.  Personal Qualities: Participants will have the opportunities to:  identify the various types of personality; help people to get along with each other; manage their own time more effectively; avoid stressful situations; plan for healthier living

3. Leadership: Participants will have the opportunity to:  identify the characteristics of effective leaders; become aware of the various styles of leadership; observe effective leaders operating in a meeting situation

4. Problem Solving Strategies: Participants will have the opportunity to:  brainstorm and think creatively; engage in practical problem solving and decision making activities; use a problem solving model in a practical situation

 About RYLA Seminars:

During the seminar, keynote speakers from various professions and industries take time out from their normal duties to address the participants on issues that are particularly relevant to the development of strong personal and leadership qualities. Typical issues covered are: - the growth and development of self esteem - personal development - stress and self management - personal motivation - non verbal communication - time management and goal setting - leadership styles. These and other issues are covered in lectures, workshops, small and large group discussions as well as physical team building and personally challenging activities as exemplified by the “Challenge Ropes Course”, a popular, nationally certified, set of activities used by many corporations. There is also 'time out" for team recreational activities and time to get to know other awardees. As one of a previous year's awardees stated "it was an experience of a life time, and an opportunity not to be missed.' The whole seminar is coordinated and organized by an active committee comprised of a number of District 6940 Rotarians and past RYLA awardees.

 RYLA's Core Curriculum:

Every RYLA includes the following topics:

1.  Fundamentals of leadership

2. Personal and team challenges

3.  Ethics of positive leadership

4. Importance of communication skills in effective leadership

5. Problem-solving and conflict management

6. Rotary's purpose and service to the community

7.  Building self confidence and self-esteem

8.  Elements of community and global citizenship

 Organizing the Next RYLA Event:

District 6940 will be conducting a RYLA Camp for 10^th grade students March 26-28 2004 at Adventures Unlimited in Milton, FL. (It is possible that we will begin at about 8:00 PM on March 25. Last year’s students requested more time.) Fifty students had a very successful experience in 2003. Five students who attended RYLA in 2002 from one school in Pensacola requested that one of the Rotary clubs help them form an Interact club at their school. The club now has about 40 members. In 2004 we will invite about 100 students from all over the district. The program cannot succeed with out help from individual Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in the district. We are requesting that your club consider participating in the seminar for 2004.  We ask that you do the following:

1. RYLA Chair for the club:  Appoint a club RYLA chair. If you sponsor an Interact club, the Interact Chair might be a good choice. The duties of the chair may include helping to plan the seminar as a member of the organizing committee and will include coordinating the selection of student participants by the club.

2. Financial Support: Pledge and budget financial support for the program. The cost of the seminar should be on the order of $225 per participant. Each club will be asked to support its own participants.

3. Rotarian Participation: Help obtain volunteers for the program. Rotarians from the individual clubs are needed to become facilitators, chaperones, and organizers.

4. Come Observe:  Send a representative to this year’s RYLA to observe and help.

Information for Clubs Interested in Participating:

RYLA has a website, http://www.rotaryryla.com, which contains information about RYLA programs in many other districts.

For further information, please contact Bill Halpern: PHONE: (850) 433-3846, EMAIL: whalpern@uwf.edu. I am the RYLA Chair for 2004. I am willing to come and talk to groups of clubs which might be interested in joining and helping to plan next year’s program.