Speaker - Hazel Imrie - RYLA

At this week's meeting, we were delighted to welcome as our speaker, Hazel Imrie, a sixth year pupil at McLaren High School, whom we had selected to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) scheme in Summer 2017, along with another pupil, Bethan Rimmer.  Since Bethan is now at university in Aberdeen, she was not able to come along; however, Hazel had thoughtfully been in contact with her and had incorporated many of Bethan's views and reactions in her presentation.

The RYLA week, held at Abernethy, Speyside, is a frenetic seven days of activity, when 5th and 6th year pupils from schools all over north and central Scotland come together, to engage, in teams, in outdoor pursuits such as mountain-biking, hill walking, kayaking/canoeing, gorge walking and rock-climbing, each activity led by a different team-member each day.  Participants also benefit each morning from inspirational talks given by people in a variety of different careers; and there is a series of daily challenges which require clear thinking and good teamwork; and also evening sports competitions. 

It was clear from Hazel's enthusiastic presentation that she had not only enjoyed, and coped with, all of these activities, but more importantly, that she had learned a great deal about leadership and teamworking - and about herself - during the week, while also making a lot of good friends amongst her team-mates and house-mates.  Her excellent presentation demonstrated that the requirement to speak in public during her time at Abernethy had stood her in good stead.  Hazel's professional performance belied the fact that she is only 16 years old.  Club members were hugely impressed with this remarkable young woman, and concluded that money spent in sponsoring RYLA candidates from McLaren High School is indeed money well spent.