Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is one of the most successful Rotary programs run by Rotary clubs around the world.

Each year, thousands of young people take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program worldwide. Young people are chosen for their leadership potential to attend an all-expenses-paid camp to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice.

Rotary Club of Marlin selected Cornesia Shaw and Shawna Suiters as awardees to be RYLA 2024 Campers. Soon they will be on their way to a teen residential leadership camp RYLA 2024 to be held at the superb educational retreat at the Twin Lakes Family YMCA, in Cedar Park on June 30 thru July 5. There, Miss Suiters and Miss Shaw will attend a fun and intensive training program designed to encourage the development of their teamwork and leadership skills. They have the potential to be future community professionals and business leaders.

RYLA allows the awardee also the opportunity to build his/her problem-solving and communication skills, discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in his/her school or community, explore career paths, share ideas and experiences with peers, coordinate youth activities and community service projects and discuss creative approaches for resolving family, social, and professional conflicts.

And how does this happen?

Upon arrival, Miss Shaw and Miss Suiters will be assigned to a team. Each team will consist of a random selection of campers, an assistant counselor and a counselor. Each will be one of the many diverse student leaders representing high schools from throughout Central Texas. Misses Shaw and Suiters’ teamwork, communication, and consensus building skills will develop as their team and their brother and sister cabins work together to face the week’s challenges.

Camp RYLA provides Miss Suiters and Miss Shaw with an opportunity to exchange ideas, opinions, and beliefs with other students, in a relaxed, retreat style setting. They will be encouraged to tear down the walls by trying new things and exploring new roles. They will develop new friendships and become a more effective role model, team player, and leader. Camp capacity is limited to 44 girls and 44 boys.

Miss Shaw and Miss Suiters will start each morning with aerobic exercises to get their minds and bodies going. The days are non-stop with team building activities, ropes courses, the RYLA Olympics, and community service projects. Evenings highlight social activities (talent show, camp night hike) and they end the day with daily wrap-ups and team bonding with brother and sister cabins.

Camp is always memorable. The unique qualities of each camper Miss Suiters and Miss Shaw meet makes all the difference in the type of memories they will make.

RYLA builds future Rotarians with the primary motto “Service Above Self.” Through RYLA, Rotary Club of Marlin is committed to: 1) Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders; 2) Encourage leadership of youth by youth; 3) Encourage youth to make a difference in their communities through volunteer work and social responsibility; and 4) Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth.

RYLA participants often go on to become Youth Exchange students or Ambassadorial Scholars.

For more information about RYLA in Marlin, contact the local Rotary Club which meets every Wednesday at 12:00 noon, at The Chicken Place, Marlin.