If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me!

Leader: One who, by the power of their positive actions, compels others to positive action.

What is RYLA?
In Rotary Districts 5440 and 5450, RYLA is a 5-day leadership conference held at the YMCA of the Rockies, in Estes Park, Colorado. These two Rotary districts cover Northern Colorado, Wyoming and Western Nebraska.

Who is eligible?
Any High School Sophomore or Junior prior to the summer conference may apply. Generally, the applicants who are selected have excelled in one or more areas of high school involvement and have proven leadership experience or potential.

Dates:
        RYLA 1: Sunday, July 14 through Friday, July 19, 2019.
        RYLA 2: Sunday, July 21 through Friday, July 26, 2019.
It is vital that the conferee stay through the entire conference!

Application Deadline:
The deadline is usually April 30 or SOONER, but is determined by each Rotary Club.
Check with your local Rotary Club and complete your application early!


The objectives of RYLA are

• To encourage and assist youth leaders and potential leaders in methods of responsible and effective leadership by providing them with a training experience.
  
• To encourage continued and stronger leadership of youth by youth
  
• To publicly recognize the outstanding qualities of many young people who are rendering service to their schools and communities as leaders

The entire focus of RYLA is to provide foundational leadership skills for teenagers. It has been said that leadership cannot be taught, but it must be learned. At RYLA there are opportunities to learn leadership skills through experiential activities, incredible speakers, small group discussions, large group presentations, and in building life-long friendships.

Part of the magic of RYLA is not having any expectations going into it, which is why we are rather close-mouthed about exactly what we do. RYLA keeps the students busy all day every day, but the end result is more than worth the initial scariness of the unknown.


What does it cost?
Your local Rotary club pays the conference fee of $450 per participant.


How to Apply:
        1) Carefully read this entire page.
        2) Click on the link below with "High School Students apply online here".
        3) Complete the online application
              (If you don't want your first name on your badge, enter a nickname).
        4) The last page of the application contains everything you entered -
              print that.
        5) Read that page, sign, and get your parent's signature.
        6) Contact the RYLA Representative in your local Rotary Club.
        7) Hand your signed application and signed Housing Permission Slip to
            the RYLA Representative at your interview.
        8) Note that shirts are adult men's sizes.
        9) Parent's Email Address: please carefully enter only ONE e-mail address.

IMPORTANT! After applying online, you must contact a Rotary Club in order to be interviewed and selected!


Student Application Process

If you attended Young RYLA, or have already started your application and wish to change it, click here, and please read the Name and Password instructions carefully!
        
    Registration is closed

When applying for the first time, you will be asked to write answers to the following questions. Before starting, you may want to write your brief answers to these questions in your favorite word processor (plain text only). Then come back here to actually apply, during which you can copy and paste your answers into the text boxes (remember, brief answers are best):
       What academic awards have you received?
       What school activities and outside activities do you participate in?
       What leadership positions have you held in your school, club, church or community?
       Please indicate other youth leadership conferences you have attended.
       What special talents to you have?
       Please indicate a few career or personal goals.
       How did you hear about RYLA?
You can also upload a picture of yourself if you'd like (it must be a JPG less than 100K)!
Note that shirts are adult men's sizes.

Ready to Apply?
Please do not use the link below more than once! Use the "Click here to change" link above to continue with your application. Every time you click NEXT and go to the next page, the system saves everything you entered. Note that the fields with a red * are REQUIRED. If NEXT doesn't work, look for a message in red at the bottom of the screen, and the problem field changes to PINK. If you run into difficulties, send an e-mail to the registrars so we can help (include your full name as you entered it, your birth date and any other helpful information): Registrars@rmRYLA.org.

Print the form, read, sign it and get your parent's signature.
In order to attend RYLA, you must contact your local Rotary Club to set up an interview where you will submit your signed application. To find Rotary clubs and who to contact, see your school counselor or click here: Rotary contacts.

Be sure to print and have a parent sign the Housing Permission Slip!

       High School Students apply online here starting Feb 15!
      

Good luck!

RYLA Registrars
Rocky Mountain RYLA, Inc. (a non-profit corporation)

If you have any difficulties with your application, please send an e-mail to:
Registrars@rmRYLA.org