Youth Service

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Youth Service recognizes the positive change that young people can make through leadership development activities, community and international service projects, and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding.

The Youth Service Committee coordinates the many youth-related programs that the club sponsors such as Rotaract, Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and Rotary Youth Exchange.  They work closely with community and vocational service committees for some projects.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a leadership development program for youth aged 19-30. Events focus on secondary school students, university students, and young professionals. RYLA District 5100 is a week-long event of stimulating seminars and lectures by top professionals in various fields at Camp Menucha that covers a variety of topics, including leadership fundamentals, ethics, communication skills, problem solving and conflict management, and community and global citizenship. Tigard Rotary nominates two individuals to RYLA District 5100 in April of each year.

To learn more about how to apply for the program, click here.

Rotaract

Rotary Club of Tigard is a joint sponsor of Portland Rotaract together with the Portland Pearl Rotary Club.  Rotaract is Rotary’s service club for young adults ages 19-30. All Rotaract clubs are sponsored by a local Rotary club and conduct community and international service projects. Rotaract clubs also focus on leadership and professional development activities. Rotary clubs can support Rotaract by helping to form clubs at local colleges, universities and community centers; inviting Rotaractors to club meetings; working together on service projects and club activites; mentoring Rotaractors to build professional and leadership skills; and welcoming former Rotaractors into the club.

Rotary Youth Exchange

Tigard Rotary has both short- and long-term youth exchange opportunities. Rotary Youth Exchange is Rotary’s exchange program for youth and young adults. It allows students to spend up to a year living in a different country and learning a new culture. Students ages 15-19 can participate in a long-term exchange of up to one year, or they can choose a short-term exchange, which can last from several days to a month. Youth Services Exchanges for young adults ages 18-25 can range from a few weeks to three months. Rotary clubs and districts sponsor exchange participants, who serve as ambassadors for their countries. Our Rotary club can support Rotary Youth Exchange by welcoming exchange students to present at our club meetings; hosting or sponsoring a student; promoting the cultural and educational benefits of Youth Exchange to potential students and host families; and arranging for a former or current Youth Exchange student to personally recommend the program.

To learn more about how to apply for the exchange program, click here.

Interact

Interact is a service club for secondary school youth ages 12-18. Interact clubs can be community-based or school-based. Individual Rotary clubs sponsor Interact clubs and provide them with support and guidance, but each Interact club is self-governing and self-supporting. The goals of Interact include developing leadership skills and personal integrity, demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others, understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work, and advancing international understanding and goodwill. Tigard Rotary does not sponsor an interact club, but this is a possibility to organize for the future.

Service projects involving youth and young adults in community service projects is one way for Rotary to be active in the Youth Service Avenue. A successful collaboration on a service project may lead to increased interest in Rotary. Young people make important contributions to their communities every day through projects such as:

  • Raising money to eradicate polio
  • Volunteering to assist senior citizens
  • Organizing neighborhood cleanups or renewal projects
  • Holding food drives to benefit anti-hunger organizations
  • Working with organizations to hold career fairs
  • Holding AIDS/HIV awareness campaigns at colleges and universities
  • Cleaning and repairing bicycles to be donated to disadvantaged children
  • Visiting primary schools to talk about decision-making skills