Granby students Marcus Ivanynyuk and Emma Pagliaro recently participated in Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) training at Springfield College. Seventy-five students throughout Northern Connecticut and western Massachusetts attended.
The training encourages and assists young adults in methods of effective leadership. It also publicly recognizes the high qualities of many young adults who are serving their communities as youth leaders. The students were divided into small groups for leadership activities, with instructors and the RYLA committee evaluating their leadership qualities throughout the day. Activities included a motivational speaker session, a Rotary roundtable and seminars focusing on teamwork and group efforts. Students selected peers who demonstrated exceptional leadership to attend, free of charge, the World Affairs Seminar at Carroll University, Wisconsin in June 2026.
Following the training, Ivanynyuk wrote, “The day was inspiring and enriching and gave me a broader perspective on leadership, collaboration and communication. I appreciated the chance to step outside my comfort zone and work closely with peers I had never met before on complex team challenges. Participating in the RYLA workshop deepened my understanding of leadership as a dynamic and service-oriented process rather than a fixed trait. The most valuable lesson I took away is that effective leadership is rooted in the ability to empower others, not simply direct them.”
Pagliaro shared that leadership requires balancing many qualities, along with perseverance and ambition to achieve your goals and those of your peers.
Rotary is proud to support these inspiring young people. If you want to learn more about Rotary, you can find us on the web at SimsburyGranbyRotary.org