RYLA 5810 Foundation

“Strong leaders are made, not born. Leadership principles are learned, not inherited.”

The RYLA 5810 Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation founded in 2013 to provide support to all RYLA programs of Rotary International District 5810.  Camp RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) is a week-long leadership program for high school juniors from the eight North Texas counties included in District 5810. Over the past 34 years, Camp RYLA has recruited, encouraged, and supported over 6,500 students from North Texas to become better leaders.

Camp RYLA (Rotary Leadership Youth Award) is an annual week-long summer camp that improves leadership skills for incoming high school seniors from across North Texas. Campers build leadership skills through cabin activities, athletic events, educational workshops, and team-building exercises. Camp RYLA challenges individuals to work in teams, communicate, and build a consensus in a supportive environment where working together is key. Campers can expect to engage in an array of activities, both indoors and out.

The focus of the camp is to:

• Provide an atmosphere where campers will experience learning situations to develop sound values.
• Promote an environment providing campers with insight and understanding of themselves and others as a basis for intelligent leadership.
• Promote involvement that encourages appropriate actions based on values and ethics.
• Encourage, through cooperative activities and group dynamics, development of leadership skills for modeling by other students.

RYLA programming includes: 

Camp RYLA Alumni Association - an organization open to all persons who have completed Camp RYLA and RYLead and are interested in staying connected and supporting the program. These members become staff for each year's camp and conduct a number of other programs and gatherings from all over the country and world.

RYLA Day 7 - a daylong fall gathering of the previous summer's campers for another day of reconnection, reflection and added training. It is an opportunity for campers to reflect on what they learned in the summer and how it has improved their leadership and outlook.

Winter Summit - a weekend long convention for our college-aged alumni to come together and continue their learning and improvement. This weekend allows a mid-school year regroup and reflection of what they took away from their year at Camp RYLA and a chance to jump back into that mindset.

The RYLAcast–a podcast for RYLA alumni, Rotarians, and anyone interested in leadership–has been in circulation since March of 2019. Hosts Greg Tepper (RYLA 2003) and Andrew “Josey” Utz (RYLA 2006) couple alumni interviews with discussion of vital characteristics of leadership, resulting in light-hearted conversations that also challenge, ground, and reassure. 

RYLA U - a program establishing campus clubs of RYLA alumni at several colleges and universities. It allows students to stay connected with other RYLArians and continue their leadership training and community service.

RYLA Connect - a mentorship established between members of our alumni organization within varying careers. Individuals offer advice, encouragement and support to younger alumni as they navigate the waters of their future.

RYLead (Rotary Youth Leadership Education and Development) - a virtual program that will provide a high quality leadership training program that is educational, engaging, and entertaining. The students will receive specially curated leadership workshops, mentorship from RYLA alumni who participated in the program, and unique one of a kind experiences to prepare them for their future.

The Advisory Committee – a select group of campers chosen each year, following the regular camp program, invited for a year-long program of added leadership training in preparation for their return to camp as Assistant Counselors on the staff.