The Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Scholarship for 2018 was awarded to Joplin Kehrer, a senior at Bridgeport High School.  Joplin was a participant in the RYLA conference when she was a Freshman in high school and has continued to attend the conference each year.   She also attended the Rotary District Conference as well as some Rotary meetings to discuss the RYLA program. 

 

RYLA is a conference established by the Rotary clubs of Rotary District 7530 in Northern and North Central West Virginia.  The first RYLA conference was held in the fall of 1987.  The conference helps guide young people who have displayed an interest in becoming leaders in their school and community. 

 

The weekend conference includes speakers and hands-on activities which give an opportunity to develop and improve leadership skills.  In addition, the conference partners with Rise Against Hunger to package meals to ship overseas to underprivileged young people.  So far, the partnership has packaged over 70,000 meals. 

 

The weekend also includes some fun activities such as a talent show, a game night and a campfire.  Since her participation in RYLA as a freshman, Joplin has taken on several leadership roles in her school and community, most notably, drum major for the BHS band.  She has also been active with the Humane Society and the support club at her school. 

 

Joplin will attend WVU in the fall and has been accepted into the Honors Program.  She plans on pursuing a career in veterinary medicine.