Three outstanding students from Stokes County recently joined more than 50 high school students from across central North Carolina for the 2026 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards RYLA, a four-day leadership conference held June 17 to 20 at Guilford College in Greensboro.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of King and other Rotary clubs throughout Rotary District 7690, RYLA is designed to help students discover their leadership potential through hands-on learning, team building, community service, and meaningful conversations with peers and mentors. Throughout the week, students participated in leadership workshops, service projects, financial literacy sessions, networking opportunities, and discussions focused on courage, integrity, communication, personal values, and servant leadership.
Unlike many leadership programs that focus primarily on positions or accomplishments, RYLA teaches that leadership is far more than a title or a checklist of skills. Every student brings unique personality traits, strengths, experiences, and values that shape how they lead. Through self-reflection, collaboration, and interactive team-building activities, students discover their own authentic leadership style while learning how to work effectively with people who think, communicate, and lead differently. The result is a deeper understanding that great leaders don’t all look the same — they learn to build on their individual strengths while bringing out the best in others. This year’s RYLA theme, “BElieve THEre Is GOOD in the World,” challenged students to recognize the good in themselves and others, then have the courage to take action and simply “Do Good Stuff” in their schools, communities, and everyday lives…