Students gain leadership insights through Rotary

By Amanda Duncan
news@wood.cm
Posted 3/5/20

Mineola High School juniors Thomas Hooton, Nathan Rojas, Abby Kratzmeyer and Alana Galaz recently attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp. 

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Students gain leadership insights through Rotary

Posted

Mineola High School juniors Thomas Hooton, Nathan Rojas, Abby Kratzmeyer and Alana Galaz recently attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp. 

RYLA is an intensive experience awarded by Rotary clubs to high school students to help them develop leadership skills while having fun and making new connections.

At the Feb. 24 Mineola Rotary meeting, high school principal David Sauer and the students spoke on how the camp has made a difference in their lives.

Sauer bragged on the students saying, “The best kids in the state of Texas are right here in Mineola. These kids are great leaders and will be great leaders in this community.”

The benefits of attending the camp include building communication and problem solving skills and unlocking students potential to turn motivation into action. 

Students discovered strategies for becoming dynamic leaders in their schools and communities. 

The four juniors were placed in teams with students from other schools, forcing them to communicate and interact with new people.

Hooton said he learned how to reach out to others and make friends with new people over the weekend. Of the many activities they participated in, the ropes course and climbing a telephone pole, knowing he had to trust his team mates who were holding him up, made the biggest impact. 

“I could trust them after only knowing them 48 hours,” said Hooton.

Rojas said attending the camp taught him effective communication, a skill that he knows will benefit him in the future. The blindfolded hike and trust falls with his team taught him to trust more people. 

Kratzmeyer said her ability to problem solve was strengthened at the camp. She will remember to stop, think, breathe and consider all options before making upcoming important decisions in her life such as what college to attend. Kratzmeyer also said attending the camp showed her how important trust is as a leader.

Galaz said she was so thankful for the opportunity to attend the camp. Of the many things they worked on such as integrity, teamwork, trust and problem solving, trust was the biggest for her. She said she not only learned to trust other people, but to trust herself also. She gained self-confidence that she will carry into her future.

Principal Sauer confirmed, “This camp is one of the best things they will do in their four years of high school.”