Lawrence Chew and Bern Igoche are so passionate about the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards that after participating in the 2006 international event in Helsingborg, Sweden, they decided to attend again this June. But this time, they are Rotarians leading the way.

“Last year’s program had 124 participants from 25 countries,” says Chew, 27, the youngest member of the Rotary Club of Richmond Sunrise, British Columbia, Canada. “That blew my mind. I’m excited about facilitating an event like that.”

The four-day program, which is sponsored by RI, teaches an enthusiastic group of young people advanced leadership skills. Participants also explore current issues pertinent to leadership in a global society by interacting with one another, listening to guest speakers, and holding group discussions and training sessions. In the end, they not only come away with new skills but also leave with a network of international friends.

I am proud of my involvement with Rotary and the chance to continue contributing as a RYLA counselor. - Bern Igoche

Each year, thousands of people ages 14-30 take part in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) events. Whether it’s a seminar, camp, or workshop, participants develop leadership skills in a fun and convivial atmosphere. Rotary clubs and districts select participants and serve as facilitators.

The International RYLA brings together up to 150 RYLArians, who are nominated by their home Rotary districts to network and collaborate on a global scale. Chew and Igoche will serve as counselors at the 2007 event, to be held 14-16 June in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, before the RI Convention.

Since their teens, both men have been a part of Rotary, first as Interactors and Rotaractors, then as RYLA participants, and now as Rotarians and RYLA counselors. “I am proud of my involvement with Rotary and the chance to continue contributing as a RYLA counselor,” says Igoche, 30, of the Rotary Club of Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, who believes that the best lesson in leadership he can impart on this year’s crop of participants is to always set a positive example. “It’s the greatest teacher on the earth,” says Igoche, a computer science instructor at Benue State Polytechnic in Ugbokolo.

Following his own advice, Igoche says he draws on the leadership skills he learned in RYLA to inspire and motivate his students. But the lessons don’t end in the classroom. Igoche also encourages his students to become active citizens in their communities. Many of them have followed in his footsteps and joined a Rotaract club.

The next time they see the Rotary logo or hear Rotary mentioned, they’re likely to think, ‘Hey, I went to a program run by that organization.’ - Lawrence Chew

As the executive assistant to the owner of Nicola Wealth Management in Vancouver, Chew also credits the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program with influencing his professional life. During the 2006 International RYLA, he learned a lesson about accountability that he incorporates into his workday. He calls it his “RYLA moment.”

During one exercise at the 2006 event, Chew was called upon to lead the group. “I began my presentation by apologizing for writing our group assignment in pen,” says Chew. As he explained that no one had given him a marker, the group called him out on his excuse.

“I thought, that’s right. Here I was, claiming it wasn’t my fault, when I could just as easily have gotten the marker. Now when I’m at work, and I start to write an e-mail requesting information, I ask, can I get this myself?” Chew says.

Chew and Igoche are veterans of Rotary’s youth programs, but for many participants, a RYLA event is their first introduction to the organization. By inviting promising young people to participate, Rotarians are helping to shape the next generation of leaders while promoting Rotary’s ideal of Service Above Self.

“The next time they see the Rotary logo or hear Rotary mentioned, they’re likely to think, ‘Hey, I went to a program run by that organization.’ So, even if they don’t join Rotary, they have a good opinion of Rotary and what it does,” Chew says.