The four-day, three-night camp allowed High School students to develop their leadership qualities and
identify their own strengths, as well as understand the strengths of others. Attendees learned how to
most effectively utilize everyone on a team.
RYLA is provided as a service of Rotary District 5750, which roughly covers all of Oklahoma west of Tulsa
and North of I-40, including the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. This year, students were sponsored
by 24 local Rotary Clubs within the district at no cost to the students. Additionally, a staff of
approximately 20 camp alumni and Rotarians served as counselors, junior counselors, mentors,
facilitators, cooks, etc. Recent camp alumni served as Trailblazers, helping to facilitate activities as well
as supplement their previously learned leadership skills.
In addition to activities such as a ropes course, nightly skits, bon fires, group problem solving and team
challenges, this year’s camp once again included RYLA University, designed to help the campers learn
from present and recent college students many of the lesser understood aspects of attending college,
such as the importance of time management, participating in student organizations, choosing a major,
studying abroad, scholarship applications, internships, Greek life, etc.
The Perry Rotary Club, at a cost of $675 per student, sponsored seven local students, so that none of the
campers were responsible for any of the cost.
Attending this year from Perry High School were Riley Barnes, Max Carris, Mason Duke, Quenton Bell,
Maddy Kukuk, Lily Matthiesen and Alexis Richardson.