The Rotary Youth Leadership Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA - http://www.ryla5150.org) is a free, one-week intensive, youth leadership camp for high school students to learn about leadership styles and participate in team-building activities in small groups led by adult facilitators and young alumni.
Students also choose workshops to attend on issues such as climate change, LGBTQ+, and the unhoused, with the option to work as a team to implement a project in subsequent months to address the topic. There are also sessions on managing finances, college/career preparation, and wellness as part of their personal development as young leaders.
Nestled in the beauty of the redwoods near Santa Cruz, students also have down time for activities like swimming, hiking, sports, and arts, as well as nightly campfires. Students stay in group cabins with all meals in a dining hall over five days and four nights.
RYLA will be held Monday July 31st to Friday, August 4th at the Redwood Glen and Conference Center. Rotary provides complimentary coaches to and from the camp, with several pick-up/drop-off locations.
RYLA is free, open to all current freshmen, sophomores and juniors living or studying in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties. RYLA is held throughout the country, with this RYLA camp supported by the Rotary Clubs of District 5150 within these three counties.
Many students say the camp is transformative, empowering, and the best experience of their lives. Students come from a wide diversity of backgrounds in the Bay Area.
Student applications are open until April 1st at http://www.ryla5150.org.
RYLA does not require interviews, references, or leadership experience to apply. RYLA is about unleashing students’ full potential, taking action, and having fun along the way.