Rye Teens Attend Y Leaders Rally
Rye, NY [November 18, 2010] In an age of social media, texting and cyber friendships, it's a rarity when teens gather in 
person, en masse to celebrate teamwork, leadership and skills building. But that's exactly what took place last weekend for four Rye High teens who joined in with hundreds of others from across the northeast to attend the Y Teen Leaders Rally at Camp Greenkill in Huguenot, NY. For 2 days, teens participated in workshops or "values" sessions focusing on everything from basic leadership and team building skills to in-depth discussions of life issues facing today's teens. Additional group activities included zip lining, challenge courses, hikes, and of course, that perennial teen favorite, a good old fashioned dance.
The Ys "Leaders Club" is designed for high school students who share a common goal of building themselves and each other through teamwork, challenging leadership, and service to both the Y and their community. The club meets throughout the year to help plan upcoming Y events and programs as well as leadership trips and trainings. Leaders Club is one of the oldest and longest running teen programs within the Y movement stemming from the early 1900's and continuing through today.
Gatherings like the Fall Leaders Rally occur four times a year nationwide and act as a celebration of leadership in the community. This fall's theme, "If You Really Knew Me," provided a forum to discuss bullying and its devastating impact both in and out of school. The Leaders were encouraged to fill in the blank after "if you really knew me…" to shed light on the fact that feeling vulnerable is universal, regardless of age or circumstance.
For more information, please visit www.ryeymca.org. To join the Rye YMCA Leader's Club, contact Scott Umbel at 914-967-6363 or scottumbel@ryeymca.org. The club is open to all high school students and meets every Wednesday, 5:30 pm at the Rye Y located at 21 Locust Ave., Rye.
