A total of 104 high school students, including six of Kent, attended the 2023 Rotary Youth Leadership Award program at YMCA Camp Colman in Pierce County. COURTESY PHOTO, Rotary

A total of 104 high school students, including six of Kent, attended the 2023 Rotary Youth Leadership Award program at YMCA Camp Colman in Pierce County. COURTESY PHOTO, Rotary

Six Kent students receive Rotary Youth Leadership awards

High school students get opportunity to participate in four-day leadership program

Six high school students from Kent recently participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Northwest program after their selection by the Rotary clubs of Kent and Covington.

The award recognizes local students for their capacity to be community leaders and prior dedication to community service, according to a June 26 Kent Rotary Youth Leadership Award press release. The conference was June 7-10 at YMCA Camp Colman in Longbranch, an unincorporated community in Pierce County on the Key Peninsula.

The students chosen from Kent schools were Alexis Gross, Kentlake High School; Elshaday Baye, Manas Sankalp, and Christopher Tan of Kentwood High School; and Ann Marie Hamblin and Kathleen Nguyen of Kentridge High School.

Selected students receive a scholarship to attend the RYLA Northwest program, one of the longest-running RYLA programs in North America.

Each year, Rotary Clubs from Districts 5020 and 5030 (King, Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallum counties in the United States and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada) sponsor high school sophomores and juniors to attend the four-day conference focusing on leadership, team building and community service.

A total of 104 students were selected to attend the 2023 conference.

Through the course of the program, students took part in personal development activities and team building exercises that challenged them to step outside their comfort zones, practice new leadership skills and learn about community engagement, according to the press release. The RYLA attendees also heard from local leaders about leading during times of adversity, the importance of diversity and accessibility, and the benefits of community engagement and service.

The RYLA program is organized by Rotarian volunteers and executed by young leaders ranging from 18 to 26, all of whom are alumni of Rotary youth programs. The program currently has one counselor who graduated from local high schools, Leilani Nahaku (Kentlake 2020).

Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.4 million business, professional and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and include members of all cultures, races, genders, and creeds. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

If you would like to nominate a local high school student to attend in 2024, please contact Kate Matos at kate.serve@gmail.com.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

Kent police investigate fatal two-vehicle collision

The collision killed a woman and left a 45-year-old Tacoma driver, suspected of intoxication at the time of the crash, hospitalized.

Competing for the 8th Congressional District: Carmen Goers, left, and Kim Schrier. COURTESY PHOTOS
Adam Smith and Kim Schrier will retain Congress seats | Election 2024

Smith represents the 9th Congressional District and Schrier represents the 8th Congressional District.

Courtesy of Democratic Caucus
Pictured left to right: Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D), Rep. David Hackney, and Rep. Steve Bergquist
Democratic incumbents in lead for 11th Legislative District

Bob Hasegawa, David Hackney and Steve Bergquist have strong leads, with Hasegawa and Hackney running unopposed.

Debra Entenman and Kyle Lyebyedyev. File photos
Entenman and Stearns lead in 47th District | Election 2024

The district includes Kent, Covington and Auburn.

File photo
Kent School District levy is failing at the polls | Election 2024

Early election results show voters rejecting the proposed Capital Projects and Technology Levy.

Larry Best, a customer coordinator for quality assurance who has worked at Boeing for 38 years, stands outside of Angel of the Winds Arena with a “vote no” sign on Monday in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists approve contract, ending 52-day strike

After voting no twice, 59% of union members approved the latest contract.

Photos from the United States Attorney's Office Western District of Washington press release.
Kent man arrested in connection to violent drug trafficking gang investigation

Law enforcement seized more than 20 kilograms of fentanyl, 60 firearms, and more than $130,000 in cash.

Courtesy Photo, King County
Son accused of fatally shooting mother’s boyfriend in Kent back in jail

Dondre Butler has 3 violations in 13 months of electronic home detention after charged with murder in 2022

t
Kent Police targeted street patrols result in arrest of two felons

One driver spotted in a vehicle with no plates; another driver reportedly in a stolen vehicle

t
Kent cold case murder suspect back in state after governor’s warrant | Update

Kenneth Kundert fought extradition from Arkansas after August arrest in 1980 killing of Dorothy Silzel

t
City of Kent eyes November opening for Reith Road roundabouts

Two more roundabouts will bring total in city to six; three more in future plans