By Nina Hidajat
RYLA – Rotary Youth Leadership Awards – was a life-changing, unforgettable experience.
It took place at the Thousand Pines camp in Crestline and spanned from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon. The program brings students from San Bernardino and Riverside counties together to grow as student leaders. The students begin a journey of self-discovery and learn more about their peers and life.
Being on the more introverted and reserved side, I expected the camp to be a challenge that could help me grow out of my shell. The original impression that it was going to be a tedious weekend full of serious conferences, discussions and lectures flew out the window the second I was greeted into the camp. RYLA alumni who helped organize the camp activities surrounded my car and cheered so loud that I couldn’t help but smile and clap along. The infectious feeling of enthusiasm flowed throughout the atmosphere of the camp.
Once I was registered, I was split from my safe group of friends that I knew from Rim of the World High School and was sent off to find my groupmates that I would be with for the entirety of the camp. Being pushed into an environment that forces you to connect with strangers helps a person’s sociability thrive immensely. Gathering up the courage to talk to random groups of strangers became easier and soon felt natural to me, showcasing just how much the experience assisted my networking skills.
Once I found my group, we quickly clicked and became close. Having such a group made me feel incredibly grateful. My new friends were intellectual both academically and emotionally. The close experiences I had with my group throughout the weekend helped me grow as a person exponentially. Along with the many profound lessons I learned from my group leader and the motivational speakers, my new friends helped inspire me and brought me to evolve the most.
The plethora of activities set up for the campers each day were entertaining and educational. They targeted leadership skills to combine both enjoyment and learning. Core factors of leadership such as teamwork, communication and support were stressed in each activity, allowing us to learn through actual experiences rather than empty words. The memorable activities additionally allowed me to form closer bonds with my groupmates.
Nina Hidajat with her group at RYLA.
Through this experience, I learned how to feel more confident in myself and who I am, as well as how to form genuine connections and be vulnerable with people. Serious discussions and activities were carried out to teach students about empathy.
Digging deeper not only within myself but also into others assisted me in becoming a more caring, empathetic and observant person. An important part of leadership that may often be disregarded is a person’s ability to make someone feel seen and heard. This factor of leadership was a huge point that stuck with me throughout camp.
One of the most important lessons I personally learned from camp was from my group leader. He shared with our group that the first step to being a good leader and being able to help others is to first help yourself. If you are in a state of disarray and distress, then you’ll never be in the condition to help anyone else. He used the analogy of an airplane’s safety rule in case the oxygen masks drop down during an emergency. “You must secure your own mask before helping others.” If you are suffering, then focus on yourself first. That way you will become capable to then help many others.
Overall, the camp experience became something I will never forget and has left me with lifelong connections to amazing, driven people. The new friends I made through RYLA are some of the best I’ve ever had and they teach me something new with every interaction I have with them.
My evolution through three days at RYLA truly impacted me for life and left a positive spark of inspiration, perseverance and strength within me.
Note: Rotary District 5330 holds two RYLA camps for high school juniors. The first, which Nina attended, took place on March 21 to 23. The second camp took place last weekend, from April 11 to 13. The three Rim Rotary clubs sent students to both camps.
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