With enthusiasm that was infectious, Emma Piazza and Tyler Holloway profusely thanked Iola Rotarians for having given them the opportunity to experience activities at the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy near Tahlequah, Okla.
The academy gave the two Iola High School juniors a chance to better know themselves, Piazza said, and “to better myself in all ways.”
Camp attendees are divided into tribes, with the intention of them becoming well-acquainted, learning leadership skills and taking on tasks through teamwork.
Before she attended RYLA, Piazza admitted to knowing “nothing about Rotary.”
With Stan Grigsby, an Iola Rotarian and a camp chaperone, driving them to Tahlequah, Piazza and Holloway got a quick course in much of Rotary does, foremost that members mean to put “service before self.”
The experience was compelling enough that Piazza and Holloway said they would be eager to participate in formation of an Interact club, a Rotary adjunct for high school students. Discussion has been ongoing for a year or more about forming an Interact group.
Holloway said it might be good to involve kids from throughout Allen County, noting some towns were a little isolated and bringing all together “would be good for the common good.”
Personally, Piazza said she came to understand that she needed “to do what makes me happiest,” and that the RYLA experience “taught me to better myself in all ways.”
Holloway said he enjoyed the RYLA approach that encouraged participants to learn about themselves.
“I appreciated getting to know more about myself,” he said.
Have you seen any differences in your daughter, Terri Piazza was asked.
“Yes,” was her short answer, adding that RYLA had had an enormous impact.
“Last year Emma went to student council camp, came home and talked about it for two days,” Terri Piazza said. “She did the same after RYLA. She has more clarity for who she is and the direction of her life.”
