A District 5330 Story of Action
RYLA
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
A weekend at Idyllwild Pines that changes how 450+ high schoolers from across D5330 see themselves — and each other.
RYLA in District 5330 is the largest overnight RYLA in the Rotary world — serving high school juniors across Riverside & San Bernardino Counties.
Mike Norkin
More than a leadership camp.
RYLA is not just a leadership camp. It is an experience intentionally designed to help students discover who they are, how they connect with others, and the kind of leader they want to become.
Hosted by Rotary District 5330, RYLA brings together more than 450 high school students from across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties for a powerful leadership experience at Idyllwild Pines Camp. Students arrive from different schools, backgrounds, and communities — many not knowing anyone else attending. By the end of the weekend, they leave connected through shared experiences, meaningful conversations, and a sense of belonging that lasts far beyond camp.
From the bus to belonging.
A student arrives at RYLA unsure of themselves. Maybe they are quiet. Maybe they are carrying stress, self-doubt, or the feeling that they do not fully belong. They step off the bus not knowing that over the next few days, they are about to become part of something much bigger than themselves.
At RYLA, students are challenged to disconnect from distractions and reconnect with people. Through small-group discussions, team challenges, late-night conversations, camp traditions, and shared experiences, students begin building genuine relationships with peers from across the district. Walls come down. Confidence grows. Students realize they are surrounded by others facing many of the same fears, pressures, and questions about who they are and who they want to become.
What makes RYLA powerful is that leadership is not taught through lectures alone — it is experienced. Students encourage each other through challenges, support one another during vulnerable moments, and discover that leadership is rooted in empathy, authenticity, service, and connection.
By the end of the weekend, students leave differently than they arrived. They leave with stronger confidence, lifelong friendships, and a renewed belief in their ability to make a positive impact in their schools, families, and communities. Many return home inspired to get more involved, lead with greater purpose, and support others in ways they had never considered before.
The impact of RYLA does not end when camp ends. Alumni often return years later as staff members and mentors, helping create the same life-changing experience for the next generation of students.
This is Rotary in action — creating spaces where young people feel seen, valued, connected, and empowered to lead.
Inside the RYLA weekend
RYLA focuses less on teaching students how to “be in charge” and more on helping them understand themselves, build authentic relationships, and recognize the impact they can have on others.
Small-Group Discussions
Trusted spaces where students open up, listen to peers, and discover they’re not alone.
Leadership & Self-Reflection
Activities that ask students who they are, what they value, and the leader they want to become.
Team Challenges
Collaborative experiences where students build trust and discover what they can accomplish together.
Motivational Keynotes
Speakers who challenge students to dream bigger about service, character, and what’s possible.
Camp Spirit & Traditions
Decades of RYLA traditions, music, and energy that bind every class of campers together.
Personal Growth & Goal-Setting
Students leave camp with concrete commitments to bring back to their school and community.
Quick facts for parents and students
Who attends, how students are selected, and how the weekend is run.
See it in action
RYLA’s energy comes through best on video. Two recent highlight reels from the official RYLA5330 YouTube channel.
A weekend at Idyllwild Pines
Programs like RYLA matter because connection matters.
Today’s students are growing up in a world that is more connected digitally, yet often more disconnected personally. RYLA creates space for genuine human connection — face-to-face conversations, shared challenges, encouragement, and belonging. Programs like RYLA matter because they remind students they are not alone, that their voice matters, and that leadership starts with empathy, authenticity, and connection.
For many students, RYLA becomes one of the first places where they truly feel seen, heard, and valued by peers outside of their everyday environment. Students leave camp with greater confidence not because someone told them they were leaders, but because they experienced leadership through trust, teamwork, encouragement, and personal growth.
Made possible by District 5330 Rotarians.
RYLA is made possible through the dedication of Rotary Clubs throughout District 5330. Rotarians sponsor students, volunteer as staff members, organize transportation, mentor participants, and invest countless hours into creating an experience that changes lives.
Many alumni return in future years to serve on staff, continuing the cycle of mentorship and impact that makes RYLA unique. The experience creates not only stronger student leaders, but stronger communities connected through service, empathy, and leadership.
The most powerful part of RYLA is often what happens after students return home. Students go back to their schools more willing to step outside their comfort zones, become involved, support others, and lead with purpose. Many describe RYLA as a turning point — a weekend that changed the way they see themselves and their future.
RYLA is more than an event. It is Rotary in action — creating meaningful human connection, empowering young people, and developing future leaders who understand that leadership is about serving, uplifting, and inspiring others.
Both sessions held at Idyllwild Pines Camp. Visit RYLA5330.org for registration, volunteer sign-up, and student sponsorship info.
Be part of the next RYLA class.
Rotary clubs across District 5330 sponsor students, recruit mentors, and underwrite the weekend. Every dollar — every volunteer hour — sends another high schooler home a little stronger and a little more sure of themselves.