Making a Difference

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DISTRICT 5500
12 - 15 January
2007
Making a Difference!
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RYLA Workshop Theme
Boy Starfish Making a Difference Based on the
story by Loren Eisley I awoke early, as I often
did, just before sunrise to walk by the ocean's
edge. As I moved through the misty dawn, I
focused on a faint, far away motion. I saw a
youth, bending and reaching and flailing arms,
dancing on the beach, no doubt in celebration of
the perfect day soon to begin. As I approached, I
sadly realized that the youth bending to sift
through the debris left by the night's tide,
stopping now and then to pick up a starfish and
then standing, to heave it back into the sea. I
asked the youth the purpose of the effort. "The
tide has washed the starfish onto the beach and
they cannot return to the sea by themselves," the
youth replied. "When the sun rises, they will
die, unless I throw them back to the sea." As the
youth explained, I surveyed the vast expanse of
beach, stretching in both directions beyond my
sight. Starfish littered the shore in numbers
beyond calculation. The hopelessness of the
youth's plan became clear to me and I countered,
"But there are more starfish on this beach than
you can ever save before the sun is up. Surely
you cannot expect to make a difference." The
youth paused briefly to consider my words, bent
to pick up a starfish and threw it as far as
possible. Turning to me he simply said, "I made
a difference to that one." I spent the rest of
the day helping the boy throw starfish in to the
sea.
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5Ws of RYLA

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why

• Rotarians and Students
• RYLA Workshop
• January 12-15, 2007
• Chapel Rock in Prescott, Arizona
• To share and exercise leadership skills with youth

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RYLA History
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Why RYLA?

• Investment Opportunity - spending time and
  developing youth leadership
• Community Service - promoting closer
  relationships between youth and adults
• Providing Understanding - bring youth from across
  Southern Arizona and other countries to share
  ideas and experiences
• Inspiring Youth - creating a forum where together
  youth discuss, work, and learn about problems
  facing their generation
• Making a Difference - exposing them to and
  refining leadership skills and techniques

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Pathway to Rotary
14 18 year olds Applying Skills
14 18 year olds
18 31 year olds Mentoring Young Leaders
Service Above Self
14 18 year olds Developing Skills
Its about sharing with and mentoring our youth
and developing tomorrows leaders.
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District 5500 RYLA Aims

• Demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for
  youth
• Provide an effective training experience for
  selected youth and potential leaders
• Encourage leadership of youth by youth
• Recognize publicly young people who are
  rendering service to their communities

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RYLA Opportunity

• Develop and exercise leadership skills
• Increase Self Confidence
• Gain exposure to a variety of issues and people
• Make new friends
• Obtain career information and skills
• Meet community leaders and mentors

Development of future leaders is more important
than ever Rotarys emphasis is on helping
youth, we want to seize the opportunity to help
shape and inspire the lives of future generations
by taking an active role in the development of
their leaders. RYLA is that opportunity.
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Exposure To Values
Ethical behavior
Delegates are exposed to values that Rotarians
deem essential for those who hold leadership
positions
Integrity of character
Commitment to community service
Pressure on youth is increasing.. Standards and
values are being challenged from every corner.
More than ever, young people need strong,
effective leadership.
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RYLA Core Curriculum

• Fundamentals of leadership
• Ethics of positive leadership
• Importance of communication skills in effective
  leadership
• Problem-solving and conflict management
• Rotary's purpose and service to the community
• Building self confidence and self-esteem
• Elements of community and global citizenship
• High ropes
• Leadership Confidence Course

Meeting the requirements of the Four-Way Test and
not forgetting fun.
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Selecting Delegates

• Sponsoring club review applications and conduct
  interviews
• Children of Rotarians
• Exchange students
• Demonstrated leadership potential in community,
  schools, and service organizations
• No previous RYLA attendance
• Sponsoring clubs submit up to 2 primary and 2
  alternate candidates
• Clubs may choose to submit a second year RYLArian
  as a Junior Counselor
• 9 will be selected by the District RYLA Selection
  Committee
• Looking for exceptional RYLArians to be role
  models and catalysts

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RYLA Selection Criteria
Leadership Potential Does the applicant possess
the qualities required of an effective
leader? Leadership Experience Does he/she
have experience in a leadership (e.g. class
officer, team captain, school club officer)
Academic Ability Do they seriously pursues
his/her studies to the best of their
ability? Extracurricular Activities Does the
individual participate in after-school
activities? Intellectual Curiosity Do they
question what they experience or do they simply
accept it? Articulation Does the applicant
express thoughts and feelings clearly and
effectively? Relationship with Peers How
easily does the individual get along with
others? Openness to RYLA Experience Are they
willing and eager to participate in a new
experience, with a new group of
peers? Diversity Does the
candidate reflect the cultural diversity of your
community? Commitment Will the applicant
dedicate themselves to fully participate for the
entire workshop?
Rotary is looking for sincere, interested and
well-rounded students for the RYLA Workshop.
Club assistance and
cooperation is very important in making this a
quality experience for all.
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RYLA Facts

• District Program
• Completely run by volunteers
• Variety of ways to help (big and small)
• Cost 250 for each delegate or junior counselor
• Success of the program is based on
• quality of participants
• trained and certified counselors
• well-prepared exercises, events, and
  presentations
• well executed curriculum
• adequate funding
• support from Rotarians from across District 5500
  Making a Difference

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Whats New?

• Counselor Training and Certification (Mandatory)
• Counselors background checks (Mandatory)
• New location and improved facilities
• All applicants interviewed
• Meals structured like a Rotary meeting
• Speakers from across business, community,
  industry and government
• Delegate notebook revised with new inserts
• leadership insert
• project planning insert
• Counselor handbook
• Junior counselors
• Emphasis on transition to Interact

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Rotarians are you ready?
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Planning Facts

• 81 1st year RYLArians
• 9 exchange students
• (previous RYLArian) Junior Counselors
• 9 Counselors
• Assistant Counselors
• Staff Members/District Representatives/Volunteers
• Total of 130 participating for the entire workshop

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RYLA Chair
For more information contact RYLA Chair Bill
Blockhus-Morgan Work 520-533-5579 Home
520-803-7900 Cell 520-559-2130 blockhusmorgan_at_co
x.net
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District 5500
2007
"Making a difference!"
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DISTRICT 5500
12 - 15 January
2007
Making a Difference!