RYLA 2026 Shapes Future Leaders from Texarkana Region

RYLA 2026 has come and gone, and once again, another impressive group of high school juniors has learned new leadership skills and made new friends.

What Is RYLA?

RYLA is an acronym that means Rotary Youth Leadership Award, a dynamic adult-led program hosted each February by Rotary District 5830 for high school juniors.

Every year, 21 juniors from Texarkana and West Bowie County are invited to the RYLA camp, and as usual, lives are changed.

Where This Group Comes From

RYLA brings together high school juniors from across Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma for an intensive leadership experience. Approximately 200 students participate in two dynamic camps designed to develop key leadership traits.

Those Leadership Traits Are:

• Integrity
• Trust
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Planning
• Problem-Solving
• Decision-Making
• Self-Confidence

Where It Takes Place

The camp, held at Clements Scout Ranch in Athens, Texas. RYLA is a fast-paced, high-energy program packed with activities from dawn until well past sunset. Students work in teams to tackle creative challenges that test their problem-solving skills, stretch their imaginations, and build resilience.

Through these hands-on experiences, they gain a deeper understanding of leadership and leave with the confidence to make a lasting positive impact in their communities.

Pictured Above:

Cavin Bailey, Colt Martin, Lauren Wall, Ana Thomerson, Sophia Floyd, Hunter Wilkerson, Ally Evans, Addison Grant, Jeffrey Green, Miley Hinojosa, Raley Langford, Lilly Latham, Darren Martin, Jade Noeil, Gracyn Rogers, Mallory Ueckert, Pierce Warner, Alayna Wilson, Gyinessa Young-Perkins, Dayne Clark, Demonte Jamison, Deja Aubrey, accompanied by Andi Darby.

READ MORE: Texarkana Spring Clean Up Coming Soon!

Congratulations to all of these amazing young people on the completion of another challenging RYLA camp. We already know the experience changed you for the better, as it has for so many in the past.

Rotary International is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

Learn more about Rotary at this link, RotaryTXK.com.

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