may 2013
Monarch Beach
sunrise rotary on the california riviera
RYLA 2013 by Susan Jefferies
RYLA 2013 (Rotarian Youth Leadership Awards) district 5320, is quite an experience. Juniors in high school from all over our district/ Southern California are awarded and picked for a weekend ceremony to get out of comfort zones, be open to new people, strengthen leadership and team work skills and have a lot of fun. My heart is so open. The RYLA experience began at 5:30am when I got on the road with a then stranger, now new friend, for a quick drive up the mountain. We arrived at a big camp right off the main road in Idyllwild, had a bite with our new friends followed by an introduction to the land. The 178 students arrived at noon to a group of hyper-active adults jumping up and down hooting, hollering and dancing to music, by our own personal DJ*DG, while throwing big soft rubber balls at the four buses. Almost all of these students knew maybe one other kid in the group; they were demure and hopeful upon arrival. Within a half hour my co-parent (a.k.a. my Baby Daddy), Jon Gotz from Lakewood Rotary and I had met our family and got the name Hercules. The theme of this year was Disney. Hakuna Matata was the code word for ‘listen up’! Immediately after that we all headed to the meadow for ‘ice-breakers’ within our family units. For three hours we played a number of games, choreographed a dance, made up a group chant and expressed some first impressions in a group effort art project. We tied ourselves into a huge knot by standing together in a huddle and grasping hands, then had to untie the knot without letting go of anyone’s hand. The atmosphere became silly after the icebreakers. A jaw-dropping, spontaneous talent show lit up the end of the evening. The weekend was transformational through the activities which brought together these people from all different walks of life. Each evening we had a speaker followed by a family discussion; on the second night the students opened up to each other and shared heavy, traumatic and emotional (to say the least) experiences which ended up with them coming to the conclusion ‘we are all the same’. We all shared tears and laughter the entire time; I witnessed and received deep interpersonal healing. Mike Killebrew was there doing his magic again, only this time he did this trick where he split himself into four Mikes. He was everywhere at all times — it was astonishing to watch. I could go on and on about the weekend, but if you want to know more just ask me! I am so grateful to be a member of Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary — and to my Mom for leading my way.
MBSR meets on Wednesday mornings at 7am at the laguna cliffs marriott in dana point • monarchbeachrotary.com