RYLA 2011

What the program includes:

The RYLA program is designed to foster leadership skills in the conferees through activities, speakers and discussion. We have many different activities each geared towards either a different leadership component or to allow different types of leadership styles to step up in an area they are comfortable in. The five different Team Time activities work on communication, problem solving, collaboration and learning when it is appropriate to step up and lead, or step back to follow. The other activities we have are designed for those conferees interested in theater, engineering, art, athletics and various forms of problem solving. The speakers provide motivation and real world experience for the conferees to look up to. We set aside time for about nine Junior Counselors to give a brief speech on something the conferees can relate to. These range in content and level of seriousness from inspirational accomplishments or struggles JCÕs have overcome. JC Words of Focus have consistently been one of the highlights in the week for conferees. RYLA has also integrated the different Rotary opportunities the conferees can get involved with as they get older. The Four-Way Test is recited everyday as well as a brief interpretation of how each test can be applied everyday from a Senior Counselor. On the last day of RYLA, there is a panel with representatives speaking about their experience and answering questions on Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Youth Exchange, and being a JC at RYLA and YRYLA.

The changes we have made this year:

The activities we have changed include; Eggspress, The Scavenger Hunt, Tower Building, Service Above Self Groups and RYLAball and a completely new activity will be added.

Eggspress: This year the conferees will be creating a ÔnestÕ to catch a free falling egg from various heights. In the past, we have launched the eggs in a creation the conferees made resembling a cage. This was time consuming to test and we felt the launching of the egg was only fun for the first few rounds and for the Head JCs. With our changes, the testing of the contraptions will be quicker and hopefully more engaging. Also, it has been noted that many physic classes have done an activity similar to the old Eggspress and those students would already have experience doing this activity.

Scavenger Hunt: ÒScene ItÓ is the new name for the replacement activity. Each team will be given a choice of 2 movies to select a scene from. Then, in minimum of 15 pictures, they will have to do a Ôplay-by-playÕ of the scene creating a Ôflip bookÕ of sorts. This new activity will require the entire team to be interactive and more creative. We felt taking pictures of random things was not building any leadership skills and this new activity will require more teamwork. A concern with keeping the Scavenger Hunt was the picture taking aspect and that the kids liked to have goofy pictures to take home. Scene It will keep the picture taking component while being more leadership-oriented.

Tower Building: This year the conferees will not be constructing towers from marshmellows and newspaper, but from straws. The JC and SC will split their team in half and the first half of the team will have to build a structure only from straws and some tape that is a minimum of three inches tall and can support a textbook. The second half of the team will silently observe without any interaction. After the Head JCs test each structure for strength, the halves of the team will switch. The second half of the team will now have to build a structure with only straws and tape, but this time they will be building the tallest structure they can. The first half of the team will not be allowed to speak or interact. After the Head JCs measure each structure, the teams will reconvene and debrief themselves. The JC and SC will interject only when need be, but the team will be responsible for debriefing the activity with each other. This will create better discussions later in the week because the team will understand the types of questions they should be asking or answering and as a bonus, the JC can see which team members on their team would make good future JCs because they will see them debrief in action.

Service Above Self Groups: The conference will no longer be divided into groups based on region to decide on a service project to do. Instead, we will go back to how it was done three years ago and each individual team will decide on their own service project to do. There is more motivation to work with your team and think we will have a much greater success rate. For the past two years, we have heard of very few successful service projects, whereas when they teams did them by themselves, there was much more success.

RYLAball: In the past, the teams have played Volleyball and Basketball for three hours straight and this got to be boring. This year, we will be playing RYLAball for an hour and a half, and then the remaining hour and a half will be volleyball and basketball. RYLAball is not as serious and competitive as volleyball can be, so the less athletic conferees can enjoy it more, and the athletic conferees can still have fun.

New Activity: To fill the Service Above Self time on Wednesday, we are adding a new activity. Conferees always write on the evaluations that they loved the week but wish they had an opportunity to meet people on other teams. To accommodate this request we are going to keep the same JC/SC pairs, but randomize the teams for one activity. The first 15 minutes will be for icebreakers, then they will have 30 minutes to complete the activity and 15 minutes to debrief it. We have not decided on an activity yet, but we have some ideas. Suggestions are welcome and they must fit the criteria of: minimum materials, space adaptable (inside or outside), and something 240 conferees can do at once while having an opportunity to interact with their new teams (i.e. no silent activities).

Behind the Scenes: The Head JCs have been incorporating the opinions of the JCs through every change we have made. We have asked what they thought on the new changes as well as input on if they like it and any adjustments that should be made. We have found this to be extremely empowering to the JCs as well as giving them insight on the amount of work planning RYLA is.

Returning JCs	New JCs
Adam Peters	Annie Casey
Courtney Cochran	Ashley Packard
Cath Philbin	Camille Wasinger
David Lonowski	Evert Finger
Darian Finley-Garcia	Gabe Romero
Emily OÕBoyle	Ian Tuttle
Jade Bain	Lauren Gresh
Jarod Fiorini	Omar Solis
Maddie Rubin	Sam Banks
	Sam Miyauchi
	Tanner McManus

Selecting the JCs: Each first year JC from 2010 was re-interviewed by the three of us. We asked them a series of questions regarding how they did last year as well as their personal reflection on themselves as a JC. This year we chose not to invite three JCs back because we felt they did not perform to the standards that we will set for the entire JC team this year. We looked for JCs that would not only serve as good examples and leaders for their team, but would contribute to the JC team as a whole. We wanted JCs that were organized and would help us to keep the schedule on track, as well as JCs that could improvise with their team if there was a scheduling mishap.

*Side not on the JC team: In the past, as we understand it, RYLA as well as the JC team has been made out to be somewhat of a Ôlove festÕ. In conjunction with Allie, Ben and LeslieÕs changes to RYLA last year, we are working to ensure that every activity we have planned is related to leadership, after all this is a leadership program. The bonding between the JC team that Brady and Suzi are striving for is not to turn RYLA into any sort of Ôlove festÕ. Being a JC is an extremely stressful job, and often the JC carries that burden out of the individual JC/SC teams. The JC has been to RYLA and therefore has a deeper connection with what they expect from their teams. The JC team serves as a support group for each other. From personal experience Brady and Suzi have depended on their relationships with the JCs to relieve their stress in order to create a successful experience for their team. This is something that we do not expect to be understood by SCs or even the board, but it should be respected. Just as conferees go away from RYLA without being able to adequately describe RYLA besides, ÔYou had to be there,Õ this goes the same for the JC experience.

Staff Members: Eric Fauble is the Sidekick this year, Leslie Calkins will be the Chair's Assistant and Doug Armbrust will be the photographer.

Returning SC's	New SC's
Norm Lyster	Dan McDonald
Steve Miller	Michael Hitchcock
Bev Stewart	Phillip Murphy
Bill Grady	Skye Coleman-Weisz
Bill Rubin	William Hertneky
Casey Sacks	Holly Brekke
Curt Harris	Polly Letofsky
Dave Amen
Heather Amen
Gretchen MacArthur
Len Brass
Rolondo Cuadrodo
Stacy Harris

Training Objectives:

á Prepare the JC/SCÕs for guiding conferees with full knowledge and understanding of the RYLA curriculum and expectations

á Give the JC/SCÕs confidence in their abilities through a play-by-play of the week. This includes; debriefing, JC/SC conflicts (any other counselor conflicts), etc through role playing/scenario examples

á Foster solid relationships between all counselors. This especially includes MAD partners

á Adequately inform all counselors of the changes we have made to activities. This includes ensuring each JC is well versed on their Olympics station. The major changes we are making include: Scene It, Towers, Eggspress, RYLAball and the New Activity

á Practice and give feedback to JC and SC WOFÕs

á JCÕs prepare their opening skit

Evaluating the Conference: We have not had a chance to discuss this yet.