Iowa RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) was held July 26-31, 2026 at Grinnell College. The workshop is open to high school students going into their sophomore, junior and senior years. The workshop teaches collaboration, teamwork and leadership skills by having students work in teams to solve challenges.
This year 185 students participated; along with 20 Rotarian volunteers and 20 student team leaders. The cost is paid for by Rotary clubs in both districts who sponsor a student. The Waterloo Rotary Club sponsored Naima Haynes; she will be participating in Rotary Youth Exchange when she leaves on August 14 for Columbia for 10 months. It is a requirement that all outbound Youth Exchange participants take part in RYLA just before they leave.
Would you like to learn about another culture without leaving Iowa and make a lifelong impact on a young person?
We invite you and your club to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange, an international program operating at a local level. To learn more about how you can engage with this highly impactful program, please join us for one of our upcoming Information Sessions via Zoom:
We invite you and your club to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange, an international program operating at a local level. To learn more about how you can engage with this highly impactful program, please join us for one of our upcoming Information Sessions via Zoom:
Wednesday, August 26th at 7:30 pm Join Zoom Meeting Add to Calendar
Tuesday, September 1st at 7:30 pm Join Zoom Meeting Add to Calendar