Rotary Youth Leadership Awards 2017

On March 9th, high school students from throughout South Alabama visited Camp ASCCA for the annual leadership conference, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. Each year, more than 50 rotary clubs sponsor a few students from their areas to represent their communities and grow in their leadership abilities. The students and their leaders stay onsite at Camp ASCCA for three nights and spend each day completing team-building activities and learning more about what life is like after high school.

This year, I had the opportunity to meet some of the students and chat with them as they completed different activities each day. They were divided randomly into six different groups and given a team color. Many of them did not know each other, but it was only a matter of time before each group seemed like best friends. As leaders, it is important to know how to unite your team, and these students were doing just that as they motivated and encouraged each other through every program.

Throughout the weekend, students were challenged by ASCCA staff during group element activities like the Zip Tower, and they also spent time hearing from some of their very own rotary club members who taught them activities like “How to Write a Thank You Card” and “How to Buy a Car.”

During each of these events, the students were encouraged to ask the following four core questions of the Rotary Four Way Test:

1. Is It The Truth?
2. Is It Fair To All Concerned?
3. Will It Build Good Will And Better Friendships?
4. Will It Be Beneficial To All Concerned?

After spending time with this year’s RYLA groups, I feel confident that their everyday motivation and goals are driven by truth, fair treatment, good will, great friendships, and the benefit of others.

Click here to see more pictures from this past weekend on our Flickr page, and don’t forget to follow us on social media for updates on all of our upcoming events!

Kasey Langley
Social Media Specialist
RYLA 2017