Drop a group of teenagers into the woods in Milton, Florida, with no phones, no familiar faces, and no easy way out, and something unexpected begins to take shape.
At first, it’s a little awkward. Quiet conversations. Hesitation. Looking around.
But give it a day, and something shifts. Walls come down. Voices get stronger. Strangers start becoming teammates.
By Sunday, they’re not the same kids who arrived.
The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program isn’t new. In fact, it’s been shaping young leaders since it was officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971. Today, thousands of students across the world participate each year.
But here in the Florida Panhandle, something especially meaningful is happening.
Within Rotary District 6940, which stretches from Perdido to Williston, 49 local Rotary clubs come together with one shared mission: identify high-potential 10th graders and give them an experience they will carry for the rest of their lives.
That experience takes place over four days at a retreat at Adventures Unlimited with no familiar friend groups, a lack of cell service, and no shortcuts: just growth.
Past District Governor, Dan Sulger has been a part of RYLA since 2015.Dan Sulger, Past District Governor, has been a part of Rotary for 13 years and has been volunteering with RYLA since 2015. In his everyday life, he runs a healthcare consulting company focused on improving clinical outcomes. But on this particular weekend, his title shifts.
He is a facilitator, a mentor, and a witness.
“They come in as total strangers,” he said. “They don’t work well together at first. But by the end of the weekend, they’ve accomplished something together they never thought they could, and they become lifelong friends.”
That transformation isn’t accidental. It’s designed. Students are intentionally grouped with peers they’ve never met. They eat together, problem-solve together, and even face fears together, like climbing a towering pole and taking a literal leap of faith.
Sulger recalls one student, strong and athletic, who froze halfway up.
“He was terrified,” Sulger said. “But his team kept encouraging him. He went back up again, and then again. And finally, he made it to the top and jumped.”
It wasn’t just about the jump.
“It’s a lesson he’s carried into his life—how to overcome obstacles, especially the ones we place on ourselves.”
For Russ Parris, a general contractor and one of the founding members who helped bring RYLA to the district in 2002, the moment never gets old.
“How they come together by Sunday,” he said, shaking his head with a smile. “They just met Thursday night.”
Each group is made up of students from across the region, tasked with challenges that require trust, communication, and leadership.
“At least once every year,” Parris said, “you see a student do something they didn’t think they could do. That moment… that’s why you come back.”
It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. One step further than they thought possible.
What many don’t see, though, is the six months of preparation behind the scenes.
Pensacola Rotary Club member Denise Windham has been a dedicated RYLA volunteer since 2005, inspired by her daughter’s participation in 2004. This year, her granddaughter attended the program, marking a meaningful three-generation legacy of involvement.“The program reflects the commitment of a dedicated core group of leaders”, said Denise Windham, who has been involved with RYLA since 2005 after her daughter attended the program. “We start planning as soon as we get home.”
There are debriefs. Curriculum adjustments. Logistics for transportation, meals, safety, and programming. A board of directors ensures the experience evolves every year.
Students begin the weekend by learning about themselves, personality strengths, communication styles, and how to work with others who are different from them.
And then, they practice.
They lead meetings. They solve problems. They build trust. They pack more than 10,000 meals for disaster relief efforts across the district.
They learn that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about lifting others.
For Windham, RYLA isn’t just a program. It’s personal. Her daughter attended in 2004. The following year, Windham was recruited as a volunteer. Over the years, she’s served in nearly every role imaginable: facilitator, group leader, nurse, organizer.
This year, her granddaughter is attending. That’s three generations, connected by one weekend.
“My daughter is still friends with the people she met at RYLA,” she said. “That tells you everything.”
RYLA is often described as a leadership retreat. But that doesn’t quite capture it.
It’s where confidence is built.
Where voices are found.
Where fear meets encouragement and loses.
It’s where young people begin to understand what Service Above Self really means. And maybe most importantly, it’s where they realize they’re capable of more than they ever imagined.
How to Get Involved
Each local Rotary club selects students to attend, focusing on 10th graders who show leadership potential or would benefit from developing it.
If you’re a parent, educator, or student interested in RYLA, the first step is simple: connect with your local Rotary club. In the Pensacola area alone, there are more than a dozen clubs ready to help guide the process. Here is a list of them: https://www.pensacolarotaryclub.org/page/pensacola_area_clubs/
Because somewhere out there is a student who just needs the opportunity. And based on my observation last weekend, RYLA can change everything.
