Forty-one high school students from various Big Island high schools attended RYLA 2015 this year to gain leadership skills and experience.
RYLA  was again successfully held  at the Kilauea Military Camp from Feb.27 to March 1.   
 
The Rotary Club of Hilo Bay sponsored seven students from St. Joseph and two students from Keaau High School. 
 
Sharon Scheele, Anita Cunningham, and Alan Okinaka joined other Rotarians as trainers and facilitators for the leadership programs that focused on the Rotary Four Way Test.  The fifth test, “Is It Fun?” was also tested and based on the student feedback on the last day, it was fun!
 
RYLA 2015 was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kona and Rotarian Scott Unger served as committee chair, focusing on the logistics of the camp to keep the students safe, happy, and well fed!  Rotarian Gail Takaki from the Rotary Club of Hilo chaired Programming to get the students akamai and excited about their future.
 
Besides the indoor activities, students spent half a day on a hike through Haleamaumau Crater which included assisting the National Parks with the eradication of the invasive flower ginger plant, and later a night visit to the always humbling glow of the Haleamaumau Caldera. 
 
The highlight of the leadership experience was hearing the students accept their role in becoming future leaders of our communities.  Hearing adults say this is one thing.  Hearing the youths say this with their thoughts, words, and visions is what validates this belief.
 
The Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) camp is a program in the Youth Services (formerly known as New Generations) Avenue of Service, and it is our club’s commitment of supporting one of six areas of focus for Rotary International, which is Basic Education and Literacy.