Rotary Youth Leadership Awards: Building confidence and values

Posted on Jun 03, 2018
leadership
District 7540 has been sponsoring Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) for more than 30 years. In this program, RYLA alumna and new E-Club member Wrenna Dorrer shares some memories about the 2018 event. 
 
 

This Week’s Meeting

Week beginning June 3, 2018

Presiding today is Diana Martinelli, President

Ding! We’re now in session.

Welcome all – Visitors, fellow Rotarians and guests alike to the E-Club meeting for the week of May 20, 2018!

Remember the smiling pot. Donations to our E-Club help support our service projects.

We’d like to respectfully remind all visitors that if they would like to contribute the normal cost of a meal for your makeup, we would be grateful. These funds go directly to support service projects locally and around the world. You can make a contribution in the Donation box on your left. Or you can write a check to:  Rotary E-Club of District 7530 and mail it to Treasurer MSRE, 213 Crosswinds Dr., Fairmont, WV 26554.

Four-Way Test

At the beginning of each meeting we remind ourselves of the The Four-Way Test.  Therefore, please remember to ask yourself always . . .

Of the things we think, say or do:

  1. Is it the TRUTH?
  2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
  3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
  4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

RYLA Reflective Moments (from http://www.ryla9640.org/testimonials/ )

"I believe RYLA is the best decision I have made in my life so far in terms of professional development and social skill building. The change that I have experienced in my life since RYLA has been astronomical, and the skills that I learnt during my week there have helped me to embrace the good change, and accept the bad. I have made some amazing new friendships through RYLA and I know that the network that I am now a part of will help me through the trials of life." 
 ~ Jarrad Cartmill, RYLA 2015
           
"My experience at RYLA was one that will never be forgotten. Words can’t really describe how amazing it was, it is something you need to find out for yourself. Not only are the motivational speakers incredible, you also meet some of the most amazing people who will experience the RYLA journey with you. RYLA is all about being yourself and believing in yourself. RYLA for me has made me more confident, determined and has helped me to become a more positive person. RYLA is definitely worth a try and I guarantee you will get something out of it."
 ~ Tayla Mercer, RYLA 2015

 

Light Moments 

Now that our District RYLA gathering is over, some of the participants may want to explore going to a summer camp. According to a Reader's Digest article, here are some camp options you may not have known were available: 

1) Explosives Camp, where high schoolers get the chance to gain hands-on experience with such things as detonators, demolition, fireworks displays, rock blasting and other high-level explosives. (Not for the faint of heart or nervous Nellie's!) Held at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO.

2) Etiquette Camp, held where else, but the South--in Palms, SC, to be exact. (Personally, I love this idea and also the name: Civil Savvy Camp, where students learn how to properly shake hands, extend and accept invitations, hold a fork, telephone manners, and much more!)

3) Ninja Warrior Camp, where students learn about swords, blow guns, camouflage, hand-to-hand combat, and stealth, among other skills. It's located in Otisville, NY. 

4) Learn all about North Korea Camp, a South Korean-sponsored and -located gathering called Unification Leaders Camp. The hope is that peace will ultimately prevail and the two Koreas will reunite; activities are focused around that theme and creating a music video and attending lectures by North Korean defectors. 

(from https://www.rd.com/funny-stuff/outrageous-summer-camps/)

Member Spotlight: Wrenna Dorrer

Wrenna is a college student, pursuing a B.A in International Studies – Development, with minors in political science and German at West Virginia University. She began her adventure with Rotary back in 2013, when she attended her first RYLA, and she has been hooked on RYLA ever since, returning six times to help out with the weekend events and with anything else involving Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). (During the 2014-2015 school year, Wrenna was a RYE student in Vienna, Austria!)
 
Wrenna also is involved in service at WVU, as secretary of the German Club, as an active member of Delta Phi Alpha (German Language Fraternity), and as a university Student Ambassador. After graduating with her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Wrenna plans to join the Peace Corps Prep-Program and volunteer in Southeast Asia. Outside of school and Rotary, Wrenna enjoys cooking and kayaking (although not at the same time!), and on nice days often can be found hiking in Coopers Rock State Forest.
 

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards: Building confidence and values

In the presentation slides below, E-Club member Wrenna Dorrer shares information and photographs about the recent RYLA weekend in Jackson’s Mill, WV—a program our District has been holding for more than 30 years for 9th graders. Wrenna helped lead RYLA again this year (her sixth straight). Thank you, Wrenna, for your leadership and for serving as a positive RYLA role model!
 
Before you view Wrenna’s slides, you may also want to watch the short video (link below) to get a better idea of the types of activities these young people take part in at RYLA events around the world!
 
 
Now please access Wrenna's recap presentation below:
 
 

Thank you for attending today's program and for your membership in Rotary, the world's largest service organization! Please feel free to comment or to leave a note for Wrenna or our other members below.