The Rotary Focus on Education
Each year beginning at least since 1990 (exact records unavailable) the Rotary Club of Arlington facilitates the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) as a district wide program. Local high school students are selected through an in person interview process to attend this week long leadership camp. Currently the sessions are held at North Texas University. This program continues today with our Club sponsoring four students selected to attend along with other students across the district. Perhaps a future president of our Rotary Club will come from this educational opportunity.
Literacy continues to be a silent challenge for millions of adults worldwide. In the early 2000’s our Club initiated a literacy program for adults. This effort was not an English as a Second Language class but actually teaching an individual to read and write. Past President Bob Griffin initiated and facilitated this program in conjunction with the Arlington Public Library and First United Methodist Church. Many members of the Club volunteered their time in countless hours as instructors. Eventually this program was adopted and taken over by the Arlington Library system.
Is It The Truth and so on.. The Four Way speech contest has been an annual event for our Rotary Club since who knows when. Arlington High School speech students compete in giving a speech before the Club reflective of the Four Way Test. Selected members judge and our Club compensates the winners monetarily based on first, second, and third place finishes. In addition the first place winner goes on to compete in the District wide competition.
Our club has long been a champion of literacy and education for our Arlington population both children and adults and we continue this today. Next week we will review our compassion for Webb Elementary School.