The Rotary Club of Chapel Hill has a strong tradition of supporting Youth Leadership programs. Three current examples are the UNC Rotaract Club, the Ron Hyatt Awards, and RYLA.
In 2015, the Chapel Hill Rotary Club sponsored the creation of the UNC-CH Rotaract Club. Read more about its activities here and here, and its formation here.
Rotaract is a program for young adults age 18-30 to participate in Rotary through community service and leadership activities. Rotaract clubs must have a sponsoring Rotary club with which to work, though they are managed independently by their members. Students are required to meet formally at least twice a month, elect officers, and organize service activities. You can read more about the international program here, and we will be sharing updates regularly on the partnership.
The Ronald W. Hyatt Rotary Public Service Award is given annually to UNC-Chapel Hill students (individually or in teams) in support of innovative public service projects that exemplify the motto of Rotary International, “Service above Self.” The award, sponsored by the Chapel Hill Rotary Club and administered by the Carolina Center for Public Service, is named for the late Dr. Ronald W. Hyatt, professor of Exercise and Sport Science at UNC-Chapel Hill and long-time member of the Chapel Hill Rotary Club, in recognition of his distinguished career at the University and his commitment to helping others.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a program that encourages servant leadership in youth by recognizing and rewarding deserving 11th grade students who are chosen to attend RYLA as an “award” for their past and present leadership and service activities. These select young people attend an all-expenses-paid camp where they are inspired by a diverse group of exceptional speakers, make life-long friends through fellowship activities, and discuss the ethical and social issues of today. These activities are conducted in an atmosphere of trust and respect. The result is that these students return to their schools and communities motivated to take on additional leadership roles and to find additional ways to serve.
Now discontinues, the Don Hayman Rotary Against Drugs (RAD) High School Speech Contest was created by Don Hayman, a past district governor and former president of the Chapel Hill Rotary Club, as a forum for youths to speak out against drug use. Clubs sponsored students from local high schools to present to their clubs on an annual topic related to drug abuses. Club members served as judges, picking the winning speeches, which receive cash prizes.