Editor’s note: Morrison Rotary Club RYLA Chairperson Louise Clark submitted this article.
This year the Morrison Rotary Club is sponsoring nine students, who will attend the District 6420 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp, from Friday, May 4, through Sunday, May 6, 2018. Five students are from Morrison High School, and four are from Prophetstown High School. This is the first year that Morrison Rotary has sent students from Prophetstown, IL.
The camp is located at the Lorado Taft Campus of NIU in Oregon, IL. Pictured below are those who applied and were chosen to attend. Grant Abell from Morrison High (not pictured), a past RYLA camper, will assist the Rotarians as a Camp Counselor/Volunteer. Left-to-right are Morrison High Schoolers John Winkleman, Kolten Sage, Chloe Bielema, Paige Baker, and Gabrielle Banks.
Left-to-right are Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampio High Schoolers Carsen Farral, Kaitlin Hanrahan, Christopher Link, and Clayton Johnson.
The purpose of RYLA is for students to improve their leadership skills. They work together in teams while meeting other students from all over northern Illinois. Lasting friendships are built during this time. This camp has had an amazing effect on past student attendees. Students who have attended RYLA have become more outgoing and outstanding leaders in all that they do.
The camp is staffed by Rotarians who volunteer their time to provide a safe, positive atmosphere for the students. Approximately 125 students attend the camp, which is held every year. This year the District RYLA camp is full.
The Morrison Rotary Club, which organizes the Harvest Hammer 5K Race and Duathlon, uses a great deal of its proceeds from the race to send students to RYLA and to provide scholarships for Morrison High School Seniors every Spring.
You can see photos from the camp on the Facebook page, RYLA Camp District 6420.