Rotarians – District 5580 Camp RYLA


2024 Poster	2024 Info Packet	Promo Video	Instagram Link

RYLA 101

Camp RYLA Purpose & Objectives

Rotary International District 5580's RYLA Camp strives to help high school seniors identify, understand, and develop their personal leadership qualities. We help campers understand the fundamentals and challenges of being a leader and introduce and refine leadership skills.

5 Key RYLA Chairperson duties

Confirm number of students club has agreed to sponsor.
Promote RYLA and recruit students.
Select students based on clubs own process and communicate with district leadership.
Plan transportation arrangements with students.
Connect with student to speak at club after attendance.

1. CONFIRM

Budget for RYLA each year. There is no limit to the number of students your club can send to camp. We are limited to 134 total students.

Payments can be sent between January 1 – April 30 to reserve spots for your club to the district treasurer. No refunds after April 30.

Check made out to District 5580, indicate in RYLA in memo. Mail to: Elaine Hansen, Treasurer District 5580 Rotary, 133 Summit St, Apt. 401, Duluth, MN 55803.

2024 Camper Fee:

$600

2. PROMOTE

Start recruitment process by January. Partner with individuals who can help identify the best candidates for RYLA. Meet with high school principals, counselors and coaches to explain the purpose of Camp RYLA and the ideal candidate. As you identify high-quality potential applicants, meet with them individually or host an informational session to explain the purpose of Camp RYLA.

Watch this video to learn about what makes RYLA special and how to talk about it with potential campers.

Recruiting Sources

Previous RYLA campers (often, your best source!)
School principals and counselors
Coaches
Music Directors
Forensic coaches (speech, theater, etc.)
Rotarians (sons and daughters of Rotarians may attend Camp RYLA)
Youth leaders (club advisers, church youth leaders)

Once students complete the online application, they'll receive an email like the sample below with their application information in an attached PDF.

Application Process:
1. Interested Student applies online at district5580ryla.org
2. Student receives email with PDF of their application
3. Applications should be submitted to your club! You will have a complete list of applied students when submitting the form below.
4. You (your club) makes the final student selection
5. Complete the club application LINK TO BE ADDED.

3. SELECT

We want potential leaders in your community to attend Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA).

Use the following as a guide for your club selection:

Good academic record
Involvement in school activities such as varsity sports, intramural sports, honor societies, academic clubs, band, debate, choir, drama and other activities
Work experience such as after school jobs and summer jobs
Other significant achievements and honors

Students who show leadership potential get the most out of RYLA. They don’t need to be sports captains or running a club, but they should be eager to learn and grow as an individual. As a rule, try to send well rounded individuals who have shown leadership qualities.

The camp attendees can only be juniors (11th) or seniors (12th) for the upcoming academic year. Most campers will be seniors beginning in September after camp.

If you have an influx of students, interviews can be conducted to select applicants.

Your local Rotary club selects the students who will be attending. The District does not participate in the selection. A student's application should help your club make the final selections.

Important: Select your allotted camper(s) and one or more alternates. Selected campers sometimes need to withdraw from attending RYLA and alternates must be prepared to take their place. Keep alternates informed of all details regarding camp up to the start of Camp RYLA.

Submit all selected campers by April 30. No exceptions.

2024 Rotary Selected Campers

4. PLAN

Please work with the student to arrange transportation. Some area clubs will work together on ensuring students can arrive between 11:00am - 12:00 pm on Sunday and be picked up by 11:00am the following Saturday. We do not recommend students driving themselves.

5. CONNECT

Celebrating this student! They have put themselves out there and prioritized personal growth. Please invite the student after camp to speak at your club about their experience. Presenting also gives them practice with public speaking.

And it doesn’t have to stop there – invite the student (and their parent/guardians) to your service activities. Start building the relationship with the young leaders of District 5580.

	President: Budget for next year’s camp and decide how many campers you will be sponsoring. President: Appoint a RYLA chairperson for next year if you don’t already have one.
	Chairperson: Contact returning campers to coordinate a RYLA program for your club. Remind campers to help recruit for next year’s RYLA Camp.
	Chairperson: Begin advertising about RYLA and recruiting potential applicants.
	Chairperson: Remind club treasurer to send check to the District Treasurer for the campers you plan to send. Deposits for campers need to be received no later than April 30. Checks can be sent in early to reserve camper spots.
	Chairperson: Complete RYLA interviews (if applicable) for RYLA applicants. Select candidates and 1 to 4 alternates. Notify the District RYLA Committee of selected applicants and ensure check has been sent to District Treasurer.
	Chairperson: Arrange transportation to and from Camp RYLA for your club’s camper(s). Drop off is between 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Sunday July 9. Pick up is at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 15.