Congratulations to all our RYLead campers and staffers--we wrapped up our virtual camp RYLA this last month, and we have so much to celebrate! All students who were selected to attend the in-person Camp RYLA were invited to participate, and in the end, about 90 students participated in our first virtual camp, RYLead.
We learned so much--in each module, students were given a framework to further their understanding of leadership, which we defined as "the ability to influence others-with or without authority." We then dug into the essential elements of effective leadership--ability, awareness, and commitment. Each module focused on a specific topic, from decision making to personal development, conflict management to diversity and inclusion.
We had a “heck of a lot of fun”--just like our in-person camp, we grouped students into cabins, and those groups were challenged to work together throughout the 8-month program. Cabins compete for the coveted Camp Cup, and our first-ever RYLead winner was Cabin 9!
We also awarded cash scholarships to 5 campers--these students had excellent attendance, stellar applications, and incredible interviews. Each of the following students earned a one-thousand dollar scholarship:
Emma Edwards, John Paul II High School, Plano Metro Rotary Club
Julia Lin, Plano Senior High School, Plano Rotary Club
Kevin Utz, Jesuit High School, Addison Midday Rotary Club
Madison Lea Courtney, Melissa High School, Melissa Rotary Club
Patricia Villarreal Martinez, Anna High School, Hurricane Creek Rotary Club
Upcoming deadlines for RYLA 2021: Fees are due by March 31, and student applications are due April 1st. Club chairpersons, please look on page 5 of the RYLA Application Guide to make sure you're on track with upcoming deadlines! More information at www.RYLA5810.org