The Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club is proud to announce its sponsorship of three local high school sophomores to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp at Camp Hinds in Raymond, Maine, from Sunday, June 23rd to Wednesday, June 26th. Bridgton Rotary will pay the camp tuition of $750 per student as part of the club's ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders in the community.
RYLA is a transformational leadership program designed to empower young people and provide them with the skills, confidence, and motivation to become better leaders in their schools and communities. Upon arriving at RYLA, the 144 participants from Maine and NH are assigned to a Leadership Exploration Group (LEG) with up to 11 others. LEG’s spend four days in a series of workshops and team-building activities aimed at developing their leadership potential and fostering a sense of Rotary’s “Service Above Self.”
“The benefits of attending RYLA extend far beyond the camp experience.” said Rick Whelchel, Vice President of the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club. “In addition to learning crucial leadership skills that will be invaluable both in academic settings and in future careers, they will meet other like-minded students from throughout southern Maine and coastal New Hampshire and create lasting connections that can support their personal and professional growth.”
"We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to three deserving sophomores in our community both from the Lake Regional High School or home schoolers," added Whelchel. "We believe that RYLA has the power to unlock their full potential and inspire them to be the leaders of tomorrow. Please encourage sophomores you know to apply! And, by the way, other Rotary Clubs are sponsoring kids as well so reach out and we'll answer your questions.”
The deadline for applications is June 1, 2024. Interested sophomores can find more information and download the application form at https://ryla7780.org/ or call Past President Aaron Hagan at 207-774-1426. Mail the completed application to P.O. Box 845, Bridgton, Maine, 04009 or email it to LakeRegionRotary@gmail.com.
