The Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) is a five-day residential and transformative summer camp. RYLA fosters our youth’s leadership and personal development, promotes their mental health through social connections, and builds lifelong connections to Rotary. RYLA serves 160 students from 45 schools, with 20+ young alumni continuing their leadership journey as camp staff. Many say RYLA is the best week of their lives.
Our District’s 39th annual RYLA will be held from July 28 to August 1, 2025 at the Redwood Glen Center in Scotts Valley (near Santa Cruz). Opportunities to be involved include serving as a camp counselor (called a facilitator), referring others to be a facilitator (from college students to retirees), or joining RYLA support teams such as the marketing and operations teams.
You can also help promote RYLA to any current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors whom you know in District 5150. Youth living outside our District, but who are the children or grandchildren of District 5150 Rotarians, are also eligible to apply.
The date for the upcoming information session on Zoom for prospective facilitators is February 27. Register here for the Zoom link. There will also be an in-person RYLA info session and project fair table at the District Assembly on March 22. Here is registration information for the District Assembly. You may also contact Vice President of Youth Services Todd St Vrain with any questions.
Applications for both student campers and facilitators are now open. See here for application, further information, and to be a part of RYLA!
Applications for both student campers and facilitators are now open. See here for application, further information, and to be a part of RYLA!