RYLA

On Thursday 5th November the Rotary Club of South Queensferry played host to two senior students of Queensferry High School who had completed the Rotary Young Leaders Awards (RYLA) last summer. The course offers the chance to develop character  and team-building skills in an outdoor environment. The students stay for a week at Kenmore on Loch Tay and complete various challenges like raft building, rope climbing, canoeing and mountain climbing under the guidance of expert instructors.  Jee-Young Song, who intends to study law on leaving school, took part in the girls' course starting on 18th July, Paul Reid, who will study international business with the intention of working in the hospitality industry, joined the boys' course a week earlier. In an interesting, well-presented talk, illustrated with many photographs, Jee-Young and Paul described their varying experiences completing the often arduous tasks on the course and how the programme identified peoples' existing strengths and built skill and confidence in areas, like fear of heights or water, where some youngsters may have felt less secure. Both agreed that RYLA had been an opportunity to leave their usual comfort zones. Facing physical challenges, working in (and sometimes leading) teams and solving problems had been an experience they would never forget and would stand them in good stead in the future. In presenting Jee-Young and Paul with their certificates, President Kate Gibb said: 'The club is always delighted when young people benefit from our sponsorship. RYLA is a perfect example of Rotary in action. Congratulations to both of you and we wish you well in the future.'