ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS (RYLA) in Rotary District 6940 is a 4 day leadership retreat held in Milton every late March or early April. The event is managed and taught by Rotarians who volunteer their time and talents to benefit high school students who attend schools within the boundaries of District 6940. The event starts on a Thursday and ends on a Sunday and the Students are required to stay the entire time. The goal of the retreat is to educate, empower and motivate students to be constructive and contributory in their schools, future careers and communities.
RYLA is an international event that takes place in many different formats. The curriculum, time, age groups and locations are unique to the district that participates. In District 6940 we have adopted the current model after careful consideration and years of modification. The staff continually looks for opportunities for improvement in the curriculum, facilities and staff.
Curriculum
The curriculum is geared around teaching leadership skills through: Public Speaking, Team Building, Goal Setting, Leading a Meeting, Character & Ethics, Facilitation, Motivation, and building good habits.
Safety Policy
Every volunteer or overnight guest must agree to and pass a background check that looks for any criminal activity in Florida or any state that person has lived in. Select staff members have walkie-talkies 24 hours a day to make communication easy and effective.
Accommodations
Your son or daughter will be supervised during the entire retreat. All students will be assigned to a cabin and an adult cabin counselor of the same gender upon arrival. All students will be sleeping in cabins with other students and at least one adult of the same gender. All students will be sharing bathrooms and showers with other students and at least one adult counselor of the same gender. We have a nurse who stays onsite the entire period of RYLA along with extra EMS support during ropes activities. No member of the opposite gender (including staff) is allowed in the cabins whether they are occupied or not. Every cabin has bunk beds with mattresses but no pillows. Please see List of what to bring and what not to bring.
Classrooms and Activities
Each student is given a country assignment. Each continent is comprised of girls and boys. All students will be asked to participate in indoor classroom setting activities and physical teambuilding activities, which may or may not be outdoors. If a Student has a physical disability, they will be allowed to participate to the best of their ability or not at all. Students will also be offered extracurricular activities such as a ropes course.
Focus on RYLA
The curriculum is based on leadership fundamentals and teambuilding. This is why students must be there from the beginning and stay until the culmination of the weekend. . The groups are systematically assembled so that students from the same school or town are not together. Part of the growth experience includes the courage to approach people that one might not otherwise be compelled to.
Medication
Students / Parents / Guardians must notify RYLA contacts if the student will possess and/or need medication of any kind during the retreat. Any medication not registered will be considered a violation of the RYLA Code of Conduct.
Unless the staff has otherwise been directed an adult member of the RYLA staff may allow a student to take over-the-counter pain relievers according to the manufacturers recommended dosages. If it is deemed that other medical treatment may be needed every attempt will be made to contact the parent or legal guardian for advisement or direction. If a guardian is not available then the staff will seek immediate attention from any doctor or any hospital. Parents must notify RYLA staff of any and all health issues that may affect their son or daughter’s stay at RYLA.
Code of Conduct
All students must sign a the Code of Conduct when registering for RYLA. This code is strictly enforced and includes a dress code. We expect that all students dress appropriately at all times. We expect that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. You can view the Code of Conduct here.
Emergencies
We are very accessible with cell phones carried at all times by the retreat leaders and Adventures Unlimited can be reached on land lines. Students can leave for family emergencies but they must be picked up by an authorized person. If Students have personal emergencies the staff will make the best determination for dealing with the situation.
PARENTS
Parents have pulled their kids out of RYLA in the past because they didn’t understand how important the event was. We are committed to answering all of your questions prior to this commitment. Once a student is committed, we would like the support of everyone to ensure that nothing gets in the way of this amazing opportunity. We have seen parents pull their students out as a form of punishment to their kids and we can assure you that if your student is not “doing what is right”, this event is perfect for any kid who needs a positive shift in their trajectory.
All parents can assure that their kids get the most out of the RYLA experience by helping to support their commitment to attending with a great attitude.
Parents should know the following information before helping their students complete this registration:
- The exact name of the Rotary Club that is sponsoring your child
- The student’s medical history, allergies, doctor’s contact information, medication, medical insurance information.
- The parent/guardian must be present to also digitally sign the student’s online application.
- The best way to reach RYLA Staff is by e-mail at [email protected].
- After completing the online registration, a parent/guardian must sign and have notarized a RYLA Medical Release Form and then email it to [email protected].