Young RYLA Planning Update for April 23, 2011

RM RYLA Board Meeting

 

2011 Young RYLA Objectives:

 

Relate every activity to leadership!  The changes to the schedule such as the Idea Wild session with Wally, True Colors and Four Way Test should allow for a stronger focus on leadership.

 

Avoid conferees becoming disengaged because of too much time sitting or lack of interest in presentation- this should be avoided by the schedule changes making activities more to the point and relevant.  Furthermore, the days will be planned in a way where the conferees will engage in a variety of different active and passive activities in order to keep them excited and focused.

 

JC’s will focus 110% on the conferees and come in with expectations of challenges and ways to problem solve.  Within their team they will create an atmosphere of trust and respect along with room for fun and silliness.

 

The JC’s and SC’s will come in with strong understanding of the importance of team.  We will work as a team and create an atmosphere where questions, concerns and ideas are always welcome.  We will support each other one hundred percent and get to know each other before coming to camp so that we can show this strength to the conferees and help them to mimic it within their teams.

 

Diversity will be embraced, celebrated and talked about within all levels of Young RYLA.  We have already shown the importance of this by an activity we did at our first Meet and Greet in March and will continue discussions and activities concerning the importance of being aware and sensitive to diversity during training and throughout the week.

 

Activities will be relevant to the real world and counselors will make a point to relate each activity and debrief to something that the conferees can take back with them and use.

 

Conferees will leave Young RYLA with a renewed confidence in themselves, a better understanding of how to work in a team and a greater sense of character.  They will feel confident in their support team and the affect they can have on others and their community through their everyday interaction along with their service project they have created in Call to Action.

 

Status of Planning:

 

The first Meet and Great with JC’s was March 13th in Boulder, CO.  8 of the 12 counselors were present.  We executed team building activities, a “debrief” that the counselors performed extremely well, an activity on diversity and a discussion about goals for this year’s Young RYLA.  We are very impressed with the counselors we have chosen.  We have an outstanding TEAM!

 

SC’s will be finalized by April 22, 2011.

 

Our next Meet and Greet will be a Barbeque in Boulder on June 18, 2011 with all of the SC’s and JC’s .  The teams will be decided and presented at this informal social gathering.  We want to get ahead of the game in knowing who the teammates will be and have interactions and communication before the Training in July.  (July 8, 9, and 10)

 

We have started working on the manual and will send it off to Heather Amen to help with the formatting by the end of next week.

 

We are working to concretely outline the execution of activities that will involve JC/SC presentation:  True Colors, Four Way Test and Core Values.

 

Changes that have been made:

 

True Colors:  Shortened to 1 hour and 15 minutes in order to keep kids engaged.  John Ahlenius will do a 10 minute skit and a 30 minute explanation and then 35 minutes will be used to show the kids how this applies to leadership and then split into teams to talk about how it affects them in relationships on a daily basis.

 

Skit Prep will be moved to Monday morning to allow for the Four Way Test in the Wed/Thurs matrix (see below)

 

My Life List/Swept Away will both be in the Monday matrix in order to allow for a connection for conferees when doing swept away.

 

 

 

Tues/Wed Matrix:

 

Four Way Test will be added to this matrix and presented by the SC and JC who will have prepared a short explanation and a series of examples/ issues.  Then they will allow the student to relate the Four Way Test to their own life.  This has been moved to be in a more personalized setting so the kids further understand the Four Way Test.

 

Kickball is now called “RYLA BALL” and counselors will be prepared with a list of ways to change the rules to challenge the conferees.  This has been done to avoid some of the conflicts that come about during kickball by removing the expectations the conferees have and making it less competitive and more fun.

 

Wednesday- Walk of Possibilities will occur outside of the matrix and the camp will be split in to two groups.  The program will be done by two new facilitators (still finalizing).

 

Take a Look Around will start at 6:45 on Wednesday night and will not be followed by Comedy Club.  At 8:15 we will have a “dance break” allowing the conferees some time to settle down, put a check on their emotions and enjoy themselves a little.  We feel Comedy Club after does not allow the conferees adequate time to digest and mull over the emotions that have come up during Take a Look Around.  Instead we will have a longer Twilight Time following the activity.

 

Thursday will focus on how the skills learned at Young RYLA can be taken back to make a positive change in the conferee’s community and the world.

 

Youth for Biodiversity- a program done by Wally Van Sickle will be changed.  In the past Wally has given a presentation about his organization, Idea Wild that assists in giving supplies to countries and teams who are working to protect natural habitats.  This year, in order to keep a strong focus on leadership, Wally will present Idea Wild in a format that will be an example of the unique combination of Passion and Action/Leadership in one’s life and career.  This presentation will lead into the introduction of topics that students will find solutions for in Call to Action.  Wally will be given an hour and a half.

 

Comedy Club will follow Wally’s presentation in order to keep the kids moving and engaged.

 

After lunch Rotary Youth Programs, Interact, Youth Exchange, Shelter Box, RYLA, etc., will be presented to the camp in two groups, led by Junior Counselors who feel versed in these activities.  Goofy Olympics will follow, and will include one station for Team pictures.

 

Call to Action will begin at 3:00 on Thursday and will be extended. Conferees will work within their team on one of 12 global problems/issues we have provided for them.  They will be given a very concrete worksheet to guide them in understanding the problem and then help them create a realistic plan of action.  They will have 2 hours and fifteen minutes for this process.

 

We will have our final Twilight Time on Thursday BEFORE the dance, for 1 ˝ hours in order to allow for a more focused and meaningful final twilight time.  The Dance will be held from 8-10 p.m.

 

Friday we will be extending the conference time until 12:30 p.m. in order to allow for a final reflection time within the teams that we have felt has been lacking in the past.  This will be similar to the final reflection done at RYLA where teams do a web of support, compliments and create team bracelets.

 

We are EXCITED!

 

 

Respectively Submitted by Michelle, Jessica and Junior