Rotary Youth Leadership Academy students speak to Rotary

Rotary Club of Morganton hosted three students from the North Carolina School of Science and Math Morganton at our weekly meeting on May 7, 2025.  These three future leaders, Sarah Hedgecock, Kendyl Moreland and Sophia Sollosi were sponsored by our Club as participants in Rotary District 7670 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy). The 2025 RYLA event was held April 10-13 at Lake Logan in Canton, NC, and these participants joined our weekly meeting to speak to the club about their RYLA experience.

RYLA is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary where students develop their skills as leaders while having fun and making connections. Through a three-day and three-night leadership event, high school students within our Rotary District 7670 experience a dynamic program that helps them realize their potential as leaders. Students in public school, private school, home school, and any other educational institution are welcome to attend. They are exposed to techniques and perspectives to help develop their leadership skills, and are provided both structured and unstructured opportunities to learn from both peers and professionals. One of the most rewarding aspects of RYLA is that students form lasting friendships with like-minded peers. RYLA is free for student attendees, who are sponsored by local Rotary Clubs.

​Learning and team building takes place through group activities, including a Ropes Course, Alpine Tower, and leadership development exercises. Professional speakers inspire and explore how to unlock students' leadership potential, and the spirit of "Service Above Self" develops through multiple peer-to-peer experiences. 

​​There are a few key characteristics of the type of student that attends RYLA: leadership potential, open-mindedness, well-behaved, be a team-player, willing to work hard and learn new skills.​  We look forward to sponsoring more students for the RYLA event in 2026 and beyond.