Davenport Rotarians Champion the Next Generation of Leaders at 2026 Iowa RYLA
Rotary Club of Davenport members Matt and Molly DeWild joined dozens of Rotarians from clubs across Districts 6000 and 5970 this summer to support the 2026 Iowa Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a life-changing service leadership conference hosted at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
Davenport Rotarians Champion the Next Generation of Leaders at 2026 Iowa RYLA
Rotary Club of Davenport members Matt and Molly DeWild joined dozens of Rotarians from clubs across Districts 6000 and 5970 this summer to support the 2026 Iowa Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a life-changing service leadership conference hosted at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
Held on the Grinnell campus, Iowa RYLA brought together youth leaders from across the two districts for an immersive week of leadership development, teamwork, and community-building. Matt and Molly were on hand throughout the event to participate in activities alongside the students, offering their advice, encouragement, and real-world perspective to the young leaders taking part.
One of the week's highlights was a "Shark Tank"-style competition in which RYLA participants pitched their own service project ideas. Students worked in teams to design initiatives aimed at making a difference in their schools and communities, then presented their proposals to a panel — putting their creativity, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities to the test in a fast-paced, high-energy format. The exercise captured exactly what RYLA is all about: challenging young people to think boldly, lead confidently, and turn ideas into action.
What is RYLA?
The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards is one of Rotary's signature youth programs — an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts for young people ages 14 to 30. What began as a single youth leadership event in Queensland, Australia, in 1959 was formally adopted by Rotary International in 1971 and has since grown into a global program that reaches tens of thousands of participants every year.
At its core, RYLA is about developing leaders. Through presentations, hands-on workshops, and team activities, participants build practical skills in communication, ethical decision-making, and problem-solving. They learn directly from community leaders and mentors, develop strategies to lead in their schools and neighborhoods, and build lasting friendships and networks with peers who share a commitment to service. For many students, RYLA is a defining experience — the moment they begin to see themselves as leaders capable of creating real, positive change.
Why club support matters
RYLA works because Rotary clubs make it work. Unlike programs where individuals apply on their own, RYLA participants are nominated and sponsored by their local Rotary clubs. Clubs identify promising young people, cover the costs of attendance, and — as Matt and Molly demonstrated at Grinnell — show up to mentor, encourage, and invest their time directly in the students. That hands-on involvement is what transforms RYLA from a conference into a genuine leadership pipeline for our communities.
When Rotarians from Districts 6000 and 5970 gather to support RYLA, they're doing more than funding a week at Grinnell College. They're investing in the students who will lead our schools, businesses, nonprofits, and communities in the years ahead. The Rotary Club of Davenport is proud to stand alongside so many fellow Rotarians in that mission, and we're grateful to Matt and Molly DeWild for representing our club so well among the future leaders of Iowa and Illinois.
