Three Bainbridge girls, Sarah Castoro, Juliann Amaya and Carah Jones, all members of their school’s Interact club, attended Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) this summer. 

The girls came to the Rotary meeting on Tuesday to report on their experiences while at RYLA.

According to Bo Jones, who introduced the program, RYLA began in Australia in 1959 for youth ages 12 to 18, and is now supported by Rotary Clubs in every district worldwide. Local Rotary District 6900 had 110 students attend this summer.

Castoro and Amaya, both students at Grace Christian Academy and Jones, who attends Bainbridge High School, each spoke briefly about what they learned and how much they enjoyed it before fielding questions from the audience.

All spoke of the personality tests given before attending camp, and how the information was used to spark discussion and help them understand how to work with persons of different opinions and dispositions.

Juliann indicated for her at first it was difficult working with people you didn’t know, learning how to deal with situations and understand the personalities of others, but after awhile she found she could relate to them and even try to predict what careers, such as politics, they might enter later in life.

One of the girls commented she thought they must have used the test results to pair them with the most opposite roommates, but all reported they soon made friends and learned to get along.

Asked what they learned about leadership, each commented they had to learn about the different personality types and how to work with them. Castoro indicated she planned to use what she learned in sports participation the upcoming year—knowing how to be part of the team—when to encourage others and when to step down.

Jones said as a member of the BHS dance line everyone is trying hard to look good and get all uptight. Next year she will be a leader and try to handle all the drama while keeping everyone calm. Amaya said she plans to help teach younger students in her school to be respectful of others.

The camp concluded with a talent show and a dance on the last night.