Young people are awarded the opportunity to participate (or, in other words, sponsored to participate) in the RYLA Conference by local Rotary clubs.  Through these Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Rotary clubs bring together of a diverse fellowship of young leaders from different home backgrounds, levels of education, religions, and areas of extracurricular involvement to collaborate, learn, grow, and take on the opportunities of their generation.

Each Rotary club is responsible for recruiting, selecting, and sponsoring participants, and determining a process for doing so.  Additionally, each club has the opportunity to sponsor at least two participants for the RYLA Conference, although a club may choose to sponsor any number of participants. 

Any young man or woman, regardless of race, creed or color, who is a high school sophomore or junior is eligible to participate in the conference.  

Young people who are interested in participating in the RYLA Conference should contact their local Rotary club.  Rotary clubs typically recruit participants January through February and then are required to select participants by April 1, so the best time to contact a club is during this period.  To contact a club, search the District 6220 Directory on the District 6220 Web site.  Simply type in the name of your local club and select “Submit Query”.  If you are unsure if your community has a Rotary club, view the District 6220 map.