What is RYLA?

 In 1959, the State Government of Queensland invited local Rotary Clubs to help plan an event celebrating the upcoming centennial of the state. Princess Alexandra, who was in her early twenties, was scheduled to attend, so the activities were designed specifically for people in her age group.

The event was called Gundoo, an Aboriginal word meaning “festival” or “fun together.” It was a tremendous success, drawing more than 300 young men and women between the ages of 17 and 23. Seeing the impact this event had on young people, Rotary recognized an opportunity to create an ongoing youth leadership program. With the approval of District Governor Art Brand of then District 260, RYLA officially became a Rotary project on May 2, 1960.

Driven by Rotarians’ belief in the potential of young people, RYLA has grown into a powerful opportunity for the next generation of leaders to discover themselves and develop lifelong skills.

In 1971, Rotary International officially adopted RYLA. Today, it engages Rotary clubs and districts around the world and remains one of Rotary’s most prestigious leadership opportunities for young people.

Fast forward to 2009, when our district launched its own RYLA Camp as an integral part of our Youth Services Team. Held at Camp ASCCA, it played a vital role in teaching leadership skills to South Alabama’s youth for many years. Like so many programs, COVID took the wind out of our sails, and we never quite recovered.

I want to take a moment to recognize Bob and Donna Kelley for their hard work, dedication, and passion for this program. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants. Please join me in giving them a well-deserved round of applause.

Now, in 2026, we are completely rebooting RYLA. We are reimagining it for Gen Z students and beyond. What we are building is a state of the art leadership academy that will rival any RYLA program in the world.