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Congratulations on your selection as a participant for this year’s RYLA Conference, May 9-11.

As you should know, the RYLA Conference is a 3-day leadership training opportunity that focuses on the personal and professional development of high school students like yourself. Leadership skills, concepts, and metaphors are explored through participatory outdoor-based activities that include trust building exercises, problem solving initiatives, and low and high challenge course experiences.

Why does the RYLA Conference exist? Strong leaders are made, not born. Leadership principles are learned, not inherited. You and the other RYLA Conference participants—approximately 80 of your peers (high school sophomores and juniors) from communities all across northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan—deserve the opportunity to be exposed to many facets of leadership. You were chosen to participate in the RYLA Conference by your local Rotary club because of your outstanding leadership potential. The RYLA Conference will provide you with a valuable opportunity to build on that potential…if you choose to meet the challenge.

Hopefully, the Rotary club that selected you to participate in the conference helped you develop a deeper understanding of what the conference is all about. If not, we suggest you take the time to learn more before you proceed.

Here are some important details about the conference that your sponsoring Rotary club may have already shared with you. Regardless, please read on thoroughly to ensure that you are well informed and prepared to participate in the conference.

Start/End Times
The conference will officially begin with registration promptly at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 9 and conclude at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 11. You are expected to participate in the entire conference.

Location
The conference will take place at Camp Manito-wish YMCA in Boulder Junction, WI. Camp Manito-wish has been a valuable partner with Rotary in delivering the RYLA Conference. Its leadership programs and facilities are among the best in the country. To learn more about Manito-wish, visit its Web site at www.manito-wish.org.

Transportation To/From the Conference
Your sponsoring Rotary club is ultimately responsible for making sure that you have a ride to/from the conference. However, you are welcome to arrange for your own ride or drive yourself. To get to Camp Manito-wish, follow these directions.

What-to-Bring
The What-to-Bring List contains important recommendations as well as items that you will absolutely need to bring to ensure an enjoyable experience.

Forms
Please download, print, complete, and return each of the following three forms to the address provided no later than April 15th.

RYLA Conference Participant Health Form
RYLA Conference Code of Conduct
Camp Manito-wish YMCA Liability Release

Please note the each of the forms requires signatures from you and a parent/guardian. The Health Form also requires the signature of a physician. If you fail to complete and return these forms with the appropriate signatures, you will not be allowed to fully participate in the conference.

Once again, congratulations. If you have any questions, please contact your sponsoring Rotary club. If your sponsoring club is unable to answer your questions, contact Thom Cody, District 6220 RYLA Conference Committee Chairperson at (920) 593-2605 or tcody@pathmakers-inc.com.