RYLA 2018 was by all accounts a big success this year.   Held April 6-8 this was the 7th year of the District 5650 program and for the first time broke the 60 student mark. 
Camp began as usual on Friday with introductions and check ins.  After a tasty lunch, students heard speaker Emily Goodman talk about general personality characteristics and the significance of personality in human interaction. All people are of course similar in some respects and different in others. Operating successfully in the world requires understanding and appreciating ourselves and yet respecting and honoring difference in others.  Emily is an associate with Lincoln South Rotarian and psychologist John Herdman and did a very nice job. 
 
During the camp students heard speakers on topics such as how to be an ethical leader, team work, international understanding, and conflict resolution.  Students were guided through exercises where they worked  in small groups competing with peers to build and test things.  The RYLA camp administrator was Lincoln South Rotarian Dr. Emira Ibrahimpasic from UNL.  She was ably assisted by Lincoln East Rotarian Jason Smith who manages Camp Kitaki for the YMCA. 
 
Each year there is also a running project where students work together to design a prototypical global grant with a host country.  Six countries are chosen and students must do research to determine what the needs are and then collaborate with Rotarians in that country to develop a useful sustainable project with a budget and measurable objectives.  The teams meet in small groups several times throughout the weekend to develop their proposals and then present them on Sunday morning.  This year the presentations were quite excellent and thoughtfully developed. In truth they are always good!
 
Other highlights included guest speaker Katie Loos, Vice President of Ventures & Partnerships at the Arbor Day Foundation.  She spoke to students about the importance of trees and Nebraska’s contribution to tree husbandry.  Then she led the students in planting 3 trees in a new area at the camp and teaching them how to plant and care for trees.  The trees were graciously donated by Campbell’s Nursery and Lowe’s.
 
Another fun exercise was led by Omaha Suburban Rotarian Bob Perrin who explained the importance of sustainable architecture to students and then guided them through a very enjoyable exercise where they built structures out of blocks and then tested them against increasingly larger and heavier balls that were rolled towards them.  Most of the structures were able to withstand then destructive force of the balls thanks to their training. 
 
As per evaluations, the students seemed to enjoy the experience.  Many thanks to the clubs in the district who contributed money, time and energy to making the camp a success.  The cost for the camp is still $200 per student.  We have decided that in the future we will probably limit the camp size to between 60 and 70 students as we were just about maxed out this year.