Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

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Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a leadership program that thousands of young people take part in every year. Young people ages 14-30 chosen for their leadership potential attend an all-expenses-paid seminar, camp, or workshop to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice. Rotary clubs and districts select participants and facilitate the event's curriculum. Usually, to be chosen to attend RYLA, a school faculty member nominates a student. To be accepted, the student is then interviewed by Rotary members and accepted based on how much availability there is in the program.

RYLA aims to:

Demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for youth;
Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders;
Encourage leadership of youth by youth; and
Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.

RYLA was officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971, and is one of the most significant and fastest-growing programs of Rotary service.^{[citation needed]} RYLA programs often lead to the formation or strengthening of Rotaract and Interact clubs. RYLA participants often go on to become Youth Exchange students or Ambassadorial Scholars.