Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 1115 Issue Date: 14 Apr, 2024

RYPEN 2017 Attendees - Balga Senior High School Students

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour

RYPEN is Rotary’s Youth Program of Enrichment for year 10 students. Its aim and objectives are to:

• Develop positive attitudes, develop self-awareness and leaderships skills;

• Encourage personal development and assist potential leaders who have been involved in community services activities; and

• Offer the opportunity to return as trainee leader and advance to other Rotary Programs, such as Rotary Youth Exchange.

To qualify for the RYPEN students have to demonstrate leadership potential and other positive personal attributes such as community mindedness and an interest om being involved in community programs.

20 June 2017 was an opportunity for them to report back to their sponsoring Club, the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour.

Meeting Attendees

• Geoff Harris, Principal Balga SHS

• Craig Webster, Migrant Youth Services, Balga SHS

• Aim’ie LcClure, RYPEN Awardee 2016, Trainee Leader 2017

• Taylah Warr, RYPEN Awardee 2017

• Mahiliet Beyene, Ethiopian Immigrant, RYPEN Awardee 2017

• Hassam Almgiear, Iraqi Immigrant, RYPEN Awardee 2017

• Arad Khalili, Iranian Immigrant, RYPEN Awardee 2017

  Aim’ie and the RYPEN Awardees talked very enthusiastically about their experiences at the weekend camp and what they had learned.  It was clear that they had had a great deal of fun and had learned a lot about themselves and developing leadership skills. For example, several commented on how they were having difficulties deciding on their ATAR subjects for school years 11 and 12 because they were not clear about what they wanted for their futures. All found the personal goal setting exercise very helpful in clarifying what they wanted to do in the future, making their selection of ATAR subjects for the next two years much easier.

  They had enjoyed all social activities (e.g. singing, dressing up, dancing and meeting Wild Cats Basketballer, Damien Martin).

  When the camp ended they found that they had formed strong friendships with many other attendees. They are maintaining contact with these new friends by facebook and emails.

Aim’ie had attended this year’s RYPEN camp as a trainee leader. Her brother was an Awardee sponsored by another Club this year.  She described the camp had placed her in a position where she could practice and improve her leadership skills.

Bryon thanked each Awardee in turn for their presentations, highlighting what he thought each had learnt – Mahiliet had learned that she needed to prioritise time because we all never have enough time; Taylah had overcome her fear of heights and can use this experience in other situations; Aim’ie had improved her leadership skills; Hassam who wants to be a psychologist will never have a modelling career based on RYPEN photos; and Arad presented as relaxed and confident even though he had slept in and had to rush to be present on the day. So, he knows he can perform under stress.

Bruce Dufty

Recorder

20/6/2017