A large part of the Rotary Club of Navarre’s mission is to support young people in our community.

We have funded over $100,000 in scholarships for graduating Navarre High School students to continue their education through our NHS College Scholarship Program.  We also sponsor an 8th Grade Essay Contest the works to introduce younger students to the principals of Rotary and to develop public speaking skills as all finalists must read their essays at a Rotary meeting.

Navarre Rotary also sponsors the Interact Club at Navarre High School.  Interact is a club for youth ages 12-18 who want to connect with others in their community or school. Interact club members have fun while carrying out service projects and learning about the world. Interact clubs organize at least two service projects a year: one that benefits their community and one that encourages international understanding. While Interact clubs receive guidance from individual Rotary clubs, they govern and support themselves.

Another way Navarre Rotary supports youth leadership development is by sponsoring kids to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.  Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a leadership development program run by Rotary.

While participants can be any age, most events focus on secondary school students, university students, or young professionals. RYLA events are typically 3–10 days long and include presentations, activities, and workshops that cover a variety of topics, including:

  • Leadership fundamentals and ethics
  • Communication skills
  • Problem solving and conflict management
  • Community and global citizenship

If you are interested in any of our leadership programs, please contact us for more information.