RYLA

For the fifth year, the Rotary Club of Weston and Wayland’s Rotary Rising Youth Leadership Award program will recognize leading sophomores who invest themselves in “service above self, focusing on leadership and community service.” 

Any student can be nominated by a member of the community through this very simple nomination form by October 1, 2021 and January 15, 2022. 

“During the 2021-22 academic year, sophomores who live or study in Wayland or Weston will be recognized for their ability to embrace community service as a core value, just as Rotary Clubs around the world do,” said John Marchiony, who is the RYLA Co-Chair along with Mark Messina.  

Since launching the Rotary Rising Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) in 2017, the Rotary Club of Weston and Wayland has recognized forty-four sophomores and has sponsored ten each year to attend the transformational RYLA Conference in June. 

“The students we have met over the first four years of the RYLA program have made amazing contributions and have become outstanding collaborators,” Marchiony continued. “Individually and with the Rotary Interact Clubs at the high schools in Wayland and Weston, the students who have been nominated for the award have made tremendous impact. A highlight of our experience has been assisting with the students’ initiatives and welcoming them as volunteers on projects we have done.”

Selected students will be recognized at innovative online and in-person events, and by GateHouse Media through the Town Crier newspapers and WickedLocal.com websites. 

Rotarian Patricia MacNeil, vice president of The Village Bank in Wayland, has seen clearly that “the students who are nominated and selected for the Rising Youth Leadership Award embody each word in the name. They're sophomores -- 15 and 16 year olds -- who are committed to contributing and leading, and are aspiring to be great citizens of their communities. These are young people to watch, and to follow! They are improving our communities now and for the future." 

Each student selected as an award winner also will be invited and encouraged to apply to represent Wayland and Weston at the 2022 Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), the leadership conference held annually in Massachusetts. Approximately 200 students attend along with 200 volunteers. Zoe Hughes, Wayland Class of 2020, won the Award in 2018 and attended the conference.  “RYLA,” according to Hughes, “was truly life-changing for me. After going as a sophomore, I had the privilege of being able to participate again as a Group Facilitator. The friendships I made, the leadership skills I acquired, and the passion I developed for service are all things that I’ll hold throughout my life. Because of RYLA, I am more confident in myself as a person and as a leader.” 

In 2022, the Weston Wayland Rotary Club again plans to sponsor ten students to attend the conference. 

“‘Service above self’ is the motto that attracted me to Rotary,” said Mark Messina, who advises the Interact Club at Wayland High School. “I believe that people want to do more community service more often in our communities. These students, whether they are already leaders or have shown leadership potential, have great energy for engaging their peers, parents, and communities. It will be exciting to see what they create this year.”

The Rotary Rising Youth Leadership Award recognizes students for their leadership potential or experience in keeping with the Rotary motto of “Service above Self.” Any student can be nominated by any member of the school community, including teachers, coaches, administrators, advisors, students or community leaders using the simple online nomination form.  Outstanding students will be selected and recognized in October and February based on nominations received anytime before October 15 and January 15. If you have any questions, please contact us through westonwaylandrotary@gmail.com. 

February 2021 Award Celebration

On February 25, 2021, the Rotary Club celebration of eight generous sophomores from Weston and Wayland. Subsequently, the Weston Media Center produced a 1-hour television program that featured each student who won the award: Madison Jenkins, Caroline Curley, Ella Kim, Nicholas Cross, Theo Luu, Natalie Rassiger, and Maya Lee.

At the beginning of the show, Zoe Hughes, Wayland Class of '18, shared the impact of her own RYLA experience, which includes both attending and returning as a Group Facilitator.

To conclude the celebration, Wayland and Weston High School principals Allyson Mizoguchi and Paul Peri congratulated and wrapped up the evening eloquently. 

RYLA Video: 3-minute Summary of Award Program that Recognizes Sophomores

 

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Coverage of 2017-2018 Rotary Rising Youth Leadership Award Program and Recipients