Youth Opportunities

Rotary works to raise the awareness of young people about the work of Rotary International both at home and abroad.

RYLA - Each year we sponsor up to 2 Senior pupils from the local High Schools to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) camp. This enables our candidates to enjoy a range of challenges offered and to develop strong bonds of friendship with other participants; and develop a regular and on-going dialogue with young men and women to help them to articulate and realise their hopes, dreams and expectations.

TWO local senior school pupils have told Cowdenbeath Rotary Club of their 'unforgettable and life enhancing experiences' created as a result of their attending a week long Rotary Youth Leadership Awards ( RYLA) Course in the Cairngorms. 

Declan Gibson (16), from Lochgelly, attends Lochgelly High School, and Jay del Castro (also 16), from Kelty, is a pupil of Beath High School. 

Both told club members on Thursday, how the course during the summer helped them to develop leadership skills through several challenging activities. 

Declan and Jay undertook teamwork exercises, outdoor activities such as rock climbing and mountain hiking, and working in teams to solve problems. 

Declan said that the course had enabled him 'to realise the values of leadership, resilience, communication and team work' 

The course had taught him not to give-up doing something simply because he was not successful at his first attempt.

Jay, who had not long started at Beath High School before going on the RYLA Course, said that the experience had helped him to 'build my confidence, discover my potential and helped me to try to show an example in my own life'. 

Both youths said that they had made life-long friends with other attendees as a result of going on the course. 

Jay and Declan emphasised that they would happily be ambassadors to younger pupils at their schools and in so doing  stress the benefits of applying for and if selected  participating in the course. 

Craig Bennet, president of Cowdenbeath Rotary Club, said: " It was indeed a privilege for club members to hear how Declan and Jay had benefited from going on the RYLA Course. 

“We at Cowdenbeath Rotary Club hope that they will be able to pass on the values they have learned to other pupils at their schools and to other youths in their communities 

“Listening to what Declan and Jay had to say of their experience on the course reinforces the views of Cowdenbeath Rotarians to continue to support RYLA. We also thank both Beath and Lochgelly High Schools for the assistance they give Cowdenbeath Rotary Club with RYLA and other local matters besides".

Interact - an Interact Club has been established at Beath High School for Senior Pupils to learn more about Rotary, and to take part in Rotary related projects. Although only recently formed, they are keen to take learn about Rotary and to take part in projects; they have been sorting through old spectacles which have been collected by the Club which eventually will be prepared by prisoners at Saughton Prison then taken to Africa to be given to those who need them most. They are also planning to set up a Peace Garden within the school as part of a joint project with the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

Primary School Quiz - local Primary Schools are invited to enter a team for the annual PSQ. It's a fun event but keenly contested  between the schools. The winning team represents Cowdenbeath Rotary Club at an area final, and the overall winners are invited to take part in the Rotary District Final.

Kids Out - The Club supports a Kids Out Day together with other Clubs in the locality. Pupils and staff from local schools for children with special needs are invited to Pittencrieff Park in June for an activity day which includes Pony Rides, Puppet Shows and other entertainment.