Rotary Youth Leadership Award

 
Young Men’s Summit: July 11th - 17th
 
Young Women’s Summit: July 17th - 23rd
 
The Rotary Youth Leadership Award Summit (RYLA) represents Rotary's unwavering commitment to outstanding community involvement, focusing on youth empowerment before their senior year of high school. The Young Men’s RYLA Summit and the Young Women’s RYLA Summit provide a fantastic one-week leadership development experience at the picturesque Manzano Mountain Retreat.  Participants benefit immensely from the expertise and guidance of professionals across diverse fields.
Rotary Clubs throughout New Mexico and West Texas (District 5520) provide 100% scholarships to selected youth. 
Summit attendees engage in a range of dynamic activities designed to develop vital leadership skills, including group and individual projects, challenges, and engaging sessions with inspiring speakers. This extraordinary program instills a strong sense of service that young people carry into their future careers. 
During this pivotal stage of personal growth, participants receive invaluable mentorship and insights from distinguished professionals who volunteer their time and expertise. Notable past speakers have included astronauts, judges, lawyers, physicians, and business leaders. This remarkable exposure equips participants with the motivation and tools to become future leaders within their communities.
Our dedicated facilitators and leadership maintain an impressive ratio of two facilitators per 7 to 10 participants, providing continuous engagement and guidance throughout the week. Facilitators assist participants in decision-making based on Rotary’s “4-Way Test of the Things We Say and Do.” We highly value the essential contributions of our facilitators and speakers, whose selfless dedication creates unparalleled opportunities for our youth participants.
The foundational principles of Rotary permeate all summit activities, both individual and collaborative. These endeavors highlight and cultivate the participants' best attributes, promote goodwill, foster meaningful friendships, and build a robust sense of community. Ethical behavior and integrity are reinforced through these experiences, and have a long history. Many participants immerse themselves deeply in Rotary’s values and subsequently choose to join Rotary. Alumni frequently regard RYLA as a transformative experience that significantly influences their career paths, teamwork abilities, and the formation of lifelong friendships and support networks.
 
For RYLA Participants
 
We are seeking candidates who:
  • Are High School Juniors who will have completed their Junior year before Summit. 
  • Have demonstrated leadership potential in school, church, or community service. 
  • Have a strong desire to further develop their leadership abilities.
  • Will actively contribute to making RYLA a meaningful experience for others.
  • Are fully committed to attending RYLA in its entirety.
  • Embody the principles of The Four-Way Test in their words and actions. 
 
  • RYLA District Chair
  • Rotary Club of Santa Fe
 Contact Info:
  • (505) 660-1825
  • econnelly.rotary@outlook.com
Jill Cook: 
  • Young Women’s RYLA Summit Director
  • Rotary Club of ABQ Del Norte
Contact Info:
  • (505) 690-4910
  • jillcook4910@gmail.com
Joe Gudenrath:
  • Young Men’s RYLA Summit Director
  • Rotary Club of El Paso
 Contact Info:
  • (402) 968-7187
  • jtgudenrath@gmail.com
 
This section outlines the primary RYLA responsibilities for District officers. Contact information for the District Governor and District Secretary is available on the organization chart linked to the front page of Rotary5520.org. The District Secretary or RYLA Chair can assist with contacting the RYLA Foundation Chair and/or Bookkeeper Contact. 

District Governor - Has overall responsibility for District operations.
 
District Executive Secretary - General Communication.
 
RYLA Foundation RYLA budget approval.
 
RYLA Foundation Bookkeeper - RYLA invoicing and receiving RYLA funds from Clubs.
Timelines: 
  • November: Online Application available for Summit  
  • May: Clubs vet applicants (Process is determined by the clubs and may involve interviews) 
  • June: Selectees and alternates are identified and notified. 
  • May/June: Orientation for Summiters  
  • July: RYLA Summits
 
See a quick WordDoc of Testimonials:
 
For Rotary Clubs
 
For more specifics review the RYLA – In a Box sent to your RYLA Club contact. RYLA-In a Box contains information for clubs and is updated annually. If you do not have a copy, please reach out to District RYLA Chair.
Timelines: ​​
  • October-December - Submit participant scholarship commitment information
  • By January 1 – Submit scholarship funds to District RYLA Bookkeeper
  • May – Outreach and Recruitment is complete, and selections made
  • May/June – Notify selectees and alternates.
  • May/June - Participants’ orientation
  • July/August – Schedule Post-Summit Presentations