For the City Times
Each year local teens vie for a chance to be a part of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards- the Rotary’s leadership training program for young people.

This yearlong program emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth and aims to demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth, provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders, encourage leadership of youth by youth and recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.

The following participants were selected to take part in RYLA:

Rachel Lummis is a freshman at Ben Franklin Junior High School. She is the daughter of Chris Lummis and Nancy LoPatin-Lummis. She is active with basketball and is studying foreign languages.

Morgan Kuckkahn is a sophomore at Pacelli High School. She is the daughter of Todd and Mary Kuckkahn. She is active with volleyball, basketball and track. This coming year she will be participating in Teen Leadership and in the past has helped with youth sport camps, Bible camps and volunteering with the Salvation Army.

Kayla Lindner is a junior at Rosholt High School. She is the daughter of Perry and Vicky Lindner. She is active with extracurricular activities, community service and leadership experiences. She has also volunteered with church on their Steak Nights, picnics and cherry tree. She has also volunteered with the Special Olympics.

Carson Rieckmann is a junior at Amherst High School. She is the daughter of Dean and Heidi Rieckmann. She is active with forensics, art club, band, choir, track, and color guard. She also volunteers at her Church.

Colton Stanislawski is a junior at Almond Brancroft School. He is the son of Patrick and Bonnie Stanislawski. He is currently the president of his class and is on student council. He is active with band, gaming club, track, forensics, quiz bowl teams, math league, media club and school plays. He is also on the National Honor Society.

Andy Tepp is a junior at Pacelli High School. He is the son of Troy and Gina Tepp. He is active with football and baseball. He has done volunteering with Special Olympics, United Way Read for Life tutor, Pacelli Panacea, CCD with his church, leadership teams. He is also on the National Honor Society.

Braden Uttech is a sophomore at SPASH. He is the son of Trisha Steinhorst. He volunteers with Place of Peace, homeless outreaches with ECI, Movies in the Park, Evergreen Community Initiatives, Project Fresh Start, and the United Way.

In addition to local students a current Rotary Youth Exchange Student , Giovanna Agostina REYNA Espeche is taking part in RYLA. Agostina hales from Argentina the city of La Cumbre in the state of Cordoba. She is the daughter of Maria de los angeles Espeche and Gilberto Adrian Reyna. Agostina is active in track and field and has won medals for high jump and javelin throwing. She also plays hockey however her passion is Polo. Agostina is involved with Rotary’s Interact Club and the Key Club.

Since 2000, the District 6220 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference has grown to become one of the district’s most impactful programs of Rotary service. Each year, almost 100 students with leadership potential attend an all expenses paid conference to learn leadership through practice. Rotary clubs throughout the district select participants and facilitate the event’s curriculum.

The Rotary Club of Stevens Point meets at noon every Wednesday at the Stevens Point Country Club.

The Rotary Club of Greater Portage County meets 7 AM every Friday at the Portage County Annex Building, Conference Room 1 & 2, 1462 Strongs Ave. in Stevens Point.

For more information on Rotary, click here.