Two Iola seniors-to-be learned more about Rotary International’s encouragement of adult members to put service above self in a leadership experience.
Arion Kunkler and Scout Henry attended RYLA Camp — Rotary Youth Leadership Awards — at Tahlequah, Okla., April 3-7. They related their experiences and gratitude for the opportunity to Iola Rotarians, their sponsors, Thursday.
Henry noted the camp emphasized leadership and communication skills while breaking the campers out of their comfort zones.
“For me it was an incredible, life-changing experience,” Henry said. “It empowered me to think I really could change the world. I’ve always wanted to help people, but didn’t know how,” and thinks she now will be able to apply techniques she learned in the Rotary program.
An object of the camp was to promote cooperation, done at times in an unconventional manner and sometimes with controversial topics, including gay marriage, which “had us learning to cooperate” and accept, Henry said.
Henry said she thought some helpful programs, modeled after Rotary International, might be developed at Iola High.
“We also talked about exchange programs,” Henry said, an adventure she found appealing and might pursue in her college career.
“Everything we did was to bring us together,” she continued.
Kunkler said, “I had no clue what I was getting into,” but soon regretted whatever anxieties he may have had about attending the camp.
Even a ban on cell phones, which the two Iolans observed but some others didn’t, “wasn’t so bad,” Kunkler said.
He, too, pointed out efforts, some subtle, to get the campers to join together in cooperative efforts.
“We had challenges each day, including some friendly competition,” Kunkler said. “The experience changed me for the better.”
Opportunity to attend the camp came on nominations by local club members.
Students learn service
