Guidelines for Ideal Candidates

Participants may NOT have attended previous a RYLA.

It is important to identify students we sponsor for RYLA who will truly benefit from the experience and will be leaders on their return to school. Students that are selected to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards should be well prepared for the experience, and be aware of the sponsoring organization.

Policies regarding the eligibility and selection of student participants have evolved over the years.

All high school sophomore students are welcome! The best candidates are members of Interact Clubs but do hope that non-interact members will join Interact or start an Interact Club after their RYLA experience.

SOPHOMORES

Sophomores make great candidates because they have plenty of time to benefit from their Leadership skills learned at RYLA. The lessons they learn at RYLA include goal setting, team builting, ethics and leadership fundamentals.  They are developing socially into young adults that can benefit from the trajectory that RYLA can place them on.

District 6940 highly recommends that you send your Interact President-Elect to RYLA if they are sophomores. This practice has greatly grown and improved our District’s Interact clubs recently. The RYLA program has proven to be a driving force in founding new Interact Clubs. Participation by Non-Interact members, especially in schools without Interact Clubs, will prove beneficial in growing Interact membership.

Ideal candidates should include a potential for leadership (they don’t have to currently be in leadership but is fine if they are, most import is that they have shown a potential for it), and a bend for service is helpful. RYLA includes ropes courses and intensive leadership games. Ideal candidates should have a good headspace for dealing with problem solving and working in teams as well as have a moderate level of physical activity.

The key element to look for are students who show the potential for leadership. 

Students must agree to a code of conduct and can be sent home for inappropriate behavior.  

To make student selections, please follow the six simple tasks found in Step 3 of the Step-By-Step Process