Lunchtime Speaker – Leo the participant in RYLA

Rotary Young Leaders Award. Leo was sponsored by legacy in Eric Whitaker's name.his week our speaker was Leonardo Cardillo (Leo) who gave a presentation on RYLA (Rotary Youth
Leadership Awards). The Club sponsored Leo to go on the scheme. When our member Eric Whittaker died,
the Club set up a special fund in his memory to help and encourage young people. Some of the money came
from this fund. Sheila Whittaker visited High Ashurst with Carol and was also a guest at our lunch. She said that
she was very impressed with the course and the range of activities that the young people were carrying out.
Leo was accompanied by his mother and his brother and also by Mr James Hamshar the Head Teacher of St
John the Baptist School, where Leo is a pupil. He is now in the sixth form. The residential course was held at
High Ashurst which is near Dorking, Surrey in early August. Rotary South District’s RYLA scheme concentrates
on young people of secondary school age. It aims to develop their leadership potential through activities and
workshops covering a wide range of topics and takes the form of a five-day camp. This year’s intake were aged
14-18 and split 50/50% between male and female. Their average age was 15/16. The participants were split
into 6 teams who compete with one another. The activities included high ropes, archery, canoeing, climbing up
a climbing tower, designing and building a raft and public speaking. On the last day each student did a
presentation. The eclipse of the sun took place during the course and the students were able to watch it using
special glasses. They also had a visit from Moving Theatre, a touring theatre company, which put on a
production of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Leonardo thoroughly enjoyed the course. When
he arrived, he didn’t know anyone, but quickly made lots of new friends amongst his fellow course participants.
This has continued after the course. He said that the course has enabled him to overcome his fears of water, of
heights and of public speaking and developed his leadership skills. Leo enjoyed working with his team and they
did particularly well in the raft-building project. He said the course was one of the most enjoyable and
rewarding things that he had done and that it had greatly boosted his self-confidence. He spoke very well and
members were very impressed with his presentation. Carol congratulated Leo on his participation in the scheme
and on his presentation. She presented him with a certificate (see the photo on the next page).