RYLA Weekend in Alpine, NJ was one of the most rewarding experiences for me lately.  From the very aspiring 50 High School sophomores who participated, to the relentless peer leaders and tireless Rotarians, the weekend was truly inspiring for all who were involved.  I myself learned many leadership and interpersonal skills, and was touched by some of the transformations I saw during this weekend.
 
Alpine, NJ, even though minutes away from the George Washington Bridge, proved to be a world away from the hustle and bustle of NYC.  The camping site was very modern and is owned by the Boy Scouts of America.  I drove out from Manhattan with David Del Monte and Fredlee Kaplan from the Rotary Club of New York on Friday afternoon to help set up the conference room at Alpine and make check-in process as smooth as possible.  In late afternoon, kids began to arrive with parents and one could feel the tension in the air, as parents slowly left and new friends were to be made.  All of the participants were sophomores in High School and were recommended to participate by a guidance counselor.  They hailed from around New York City, including Westchester county and all 5 boroughs, and 5 kids even flew in from Bermuda for the weekend!
 
Friendships were quickly made, with slight encouragement from Julio Alvarez, who was at RYLA for the 7th consecutive year.   He told the kids that he is still best friends with those from his “family group,” which was an 8 person group kids were put into for the rest of the weekend.  Many were shy and disbelieving, but by the end of the weekend, everyone has found new lifelong friends and was sad the weekend was so quickly over.
 
Throughout the weekend, Rotarians would drive up and lead various activities from the Rotary Club of White Plains, Rotary Club of New York, Rotary Club of Eastchester, Rotary Club of Wall Street, and the Staten Island Rotary Club.  Everyone gave their 120% to ensure that participants learned as much as possible about great teamwork, effective leadership, trust, while constantly having fun and learning about themselves and each other.
 
Activities included Cross the Line, the Egg Dropping exercise, thought-provoking reflection sessions, writing thank you notes to Rotarians, and a toilet-paper Fashion Show, which was the highlight of Saturday evening.  Everyone was involved and engaged to their fullest, which made RYLA seem even more worthwhile.
 
Observing some of the comments and reflections said by the kids were very touching to me, since these involved sensitive topics such as race, socioeconomic status, bullying, peer pressure, and discrimination.  The fact that these 15 and 16 year-olds were mature enough to speak of these things in front of their peers demonstrated their courage, fearlessness, and high self-esteem.  I was extremely impressed by their behavior throughout the weekend and even teared during some of the RYLA commercials or when witnessing the closeness they were developing for each other.
 
I wish I could participate in RYLA during High School.  Definitely get involved next year as a leader, or recommend some great High School students that you know have leadership potential.  GO RYLA!!

-Rita Shulgina, Secretary, Rotaract Club at the UN