Sixth Form Pupils Present Their RYLA Journey to the Rotary Club

6 November 2025

St Leonards congratulates Year 13 pupils Islay M and Andrew (Drew) M, who presented to the Rotary Club of St Andrews on Wednesday 5 November following their participation in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a respected leadership development programme for young people.

RYLA, run by Rotary, supports participants aged 16 to 17 in developing key skills in leadership, communication, organisation, delegation and teamwork. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of St Andrews, Islay and Drew attended the week-long RYLA camp in July at the Abernethy Outdoor Centre in the Cairngorms National Park, where they took part in activities such as mountain biking, raft building, gorge walking and coasteering.

During their presentation, both pupils reflected on the impact of the experience. Islay spoke about gaining confidence in leadership and social situations, noting that RYLA encouraged her to take on new challenges and approach them with a more open mindset. Drew described how the lessons learned at camp informed his recent school trip to Nepal, where he worked on a water project for a boarding school, and how the programme helped him collaborate confidently with new peers.

Experiences such as RYLA are an important part of an IB education, supporting attributes such as being communicators, caring, risk-takers and reflective. They also highlight the strength of the school’s co-curricular offer and the value of its partnership with the Rotary Club of St Andrews.

Each year, pupils are invited to apply for RYLA, with one or two selected to attend the summer camp in Scotland. On return, participants share their insights with the Rotary Club and the school community.

St Leonards is proud of Islay and Drew for their enthusiasm, leadership and willingness to embrace challenge, and congratulates them on representing the school with confidence and maturity.