What does it mean to be part of RYLA?

At our meeting tonight, members of the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza had the opportunity to explore that question through the experiences of four people who have been involved with RYLA in very different ways.

RYLA, the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, is much more than a six-day leadership program. For many participants, it can be the beginning of a much longer journey of leadership, service and connection with their community.

Our first speaker, Keshian, shared his experience as a RYLA leader. His story highlighted the significant commitment that goes into the program, including the months of preparation required to create a meaningful experience for participants.

Alyssa then shared her experience as a RYLA participant. She spoke about her personal journey throughout the six-day program and the skills, insights and confidence she gained from the experience.

We were particularly pleased to hear from our own Rotarian, Chloe, who was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mt Eliza to attend RYLA earlier this year. Her reflections provided a valuable insight into the experience from a participant's perspective and demonstrated the impact that Rotary's investment in young people can have.

Our final speaker, Suzanne, demonstrated how a RYLA experience can become the beginning of something much bigger. Having participated in RYLA herself, Suzanne went on to become involved with Rotaract before progressing into Rotary. Her journey is a wonderful example of how one youth leadership experience can develop into a lifelong commitment to leadership and community service.

The evening explored many important themes, including what it means to serve our community, different approaches to leadership and the opportunities Rotary provides to develop the next generation of community leaders.

For Rotary, supporting young people is about more than sponsoring a program. It is about creating opportunities for young people to discover their strengths, develop leadership skills, build connections and find their own pathway to making a difference.

Tonight was a wonderful celebration of the many people who contribute to RYLA and the lasting impact the program can have.

We are proud to have supported Chloe's RYLA journey and look forward to seeing where it takes her next.

A sincere thank you to Keshian, Alyssa, Chloe and Suzanne for sharing their stories and helping us understand the many different dimensions of the RYLA experience.

The Rotary Club of Mt Eliza is delighted to welcome John Anderson as our newest member.

John brings a fascinating life story, a wealth of professional experience and, most importantly, a strong commitment to volunteering and community service.