Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) wrapped up another successful event this past month, so we thought we’d share with you a rundown from the weekend along with a look-ahead for next year!
For those that don’t know, RYLA is a powerful 4-day leadership program that transforms potential into action. It’s an experience designed for aspiring leaders, passionate advocates, and those looking to get more involved in their communities, ages 18-30.
This year, RYLA was held at Camp Stillwood in Lindell Beach, B.C, 29 May through 1 June 2025. The camp is located on a beautiful plot of land just south of Chilliwack. It is outfitted with incredible accommodations and has a team of support staff worth bragging about. It was just the spot needed to hold a successful RYLA.
24 participants from across the district (and beyond!) attended RYLA this year, along with eight facilitators and two head facilitators. Billy Hager and Sofia Ngieng (our head facilitators) did a fantastic job leading their Fac team this year, making it a truly wonderful experience for the participants.
Over the course of the weekend, participants heard from a variety of speakers covering topics such as: Overcoming Adversity & Breaking Stereotypes, Ethics & The 4-Way Test, and Finding Your Why. The speakers shared professional and personal experiences, created safe spaces, and allowed the participants to take conversations in the directions that interested them. Beyond that, the participants completed a series of “RYLANTICS” (teambuilding activities) as well as indoor and outdoor projects that allowed them to utilize newly learned collaboration and communication skills brought forth during the weekend.
To say the least, this year’s RYLA was an overwhelming success. Those of us that have attended in the past have coined the phrase “the magic of RYLA…,” meaning the impact that’s left is something almost unimaginable. The phrase certainly rang true this year.
We would like to thank all the Rotary Clubs that financially sponsored and sent participants to RYLA—no RYLA could ever happen without your support! As the ‘25/’26 Rotary year kicks off, we hope your Club continues to prioritize sponsoring (and sending!) at least one participant to RYLA. The impact you all have cannot be overstated.
Looking ahead, RYLA 2026 will again be held at Camp Stillwood 28 - 31 May 2026. To help spread the word, the RYLA Committee intends on completing many more Rotary Club visits this Rotary year to share the impact that this program has on young people’s lives with your members, so be on the lookout for us! Thank you again 😊
