Youth who are sophomores or juniors in high school in a public or private school, or who are homeschooled and have an interest in learning about and developing their leadership potential are invited to apply for the Great Plains RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) program. Local Rotary Clubs will review applications, conduct interviews, and make final selections to send participants to Great Plains RYLA camp July 13-17, 2026 at Maranatha, Maxwell, NE.
Rotary International is the oldest service organization with 1.2 million members worldwide. District 5630 has 34 active clubs in Central and Western Nebraska. RYLA is just one of the popular youth programs sponsored by Rotary along with Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotaract, and Interact.
Great Plains RYLA is a co-ed leadership camp designed to develop leadership skills through problem-solving, communication, and team building while learning about the value of service, the importance of community, and the role of Rotary locally and internationally. RYLA is available to all eligible youth regardless of their current leadership ability or grades in school.
Funding for the awards is provided by local Rotary Clubs which fund each student’s attendance at RYLA camp. Rotarians also serve as counselors for the annual camp.
To apply visit, www.greatplainsryla.org. Applications must be completed on or before March 31.
For questions or additional information you can contact any local Rotary Club by visiting www.greatplainsryla.org/contact/rylarepresentatives or contact the Great Plains RYLA Co-Chair, Nicole Badgley or Rene Sorensen, at chair@gpryla.org.
