The Rotary Club of Potsdam is seeking 15- to 17-year-old high school students from the Potsdam area who are interested in being part of the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), May 27-29, at RKY Camp on Eagle Lake, one hour north of Kingston, Ontario. Potsdam Rotary is sponsoring up to two students who will incur no costs of their own to attend the camp, other than their personal transportation.
RYLA is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts around the world. It is entirely volunteer-run with many organizers and counselors being past RYLA delegates themselves.
Student participants will learn valuable leadership and communication skills, conflict resolution, business ethics, and how to plan and manage a project, while learning about Rotary youth programs -- and meet other young people and have fun as well.
Students attend RYLA with the financial support of a local Rotary club that "awards" youths a chance to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Students are selected by the club based on the demonstration of leadership potential and a desire to be of service to their local and global communities. After RYLA, participants are required to present to their sponsor club based on their experience.
Every precaution will be undertaken to ensure the health and safety of the young people attending. Rotary will adhere rigorously to public health protocols, institute rapid testing onsite and practice appropriate social distancing and mandate masking where social distancing is not possible. All participants must be fully vaccinated in order to attend RYLA. In the event that RYLA cannot be hosted safely in person, the program will go online.
Students who wish to apply for RYLA should email Potsdam Rotary at ryla@potsdamrotary.org with their name, contact information and a few paragraphs on why they should be selected to attend. If they have a resume, they may attach that as well. All students attending must have a valid passport. They can also contact Mary Sue Foster at 315-265-0623 with any questions.
The deadline to apply to Potsdam Rotary is March 20.
More details can be found at https://www.rotary7040.com/Stories/rotary-youth-leadership-academy-(ryla).