By Ed Hallock, Rotary Club of Seminole Lake, President, S4TL Board of Directors
In the summer of 2021, as we were all coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had just finished my third year as an assistant governor and one of my final acts was to chloroform my own Rotary club. The club was small, mighty in service, however it simply could not survive the pandemic as a small club.
I was at a low point personally in Rotary and seriously considered throwing in the towel myself after 28+ years. I had made a commitment and was serving on the board of directors for a joint Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) project called Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders (S4TL) between my district and two neighboring ones, and I wasn’t quite ready to give up on it.
After having canceled the 2020 seminar due to COVID, we had just held a hybrid (two days virtual and two days in person) seminar for about 80 students in July. I knew the long-term viability of the program was in jeopardy if we couldn’t resurrect it. Before the pandemic, we had gathered 165 high school students transitioning from junior (11th grade) to senior (12th grade) year for leadership development training at Florida Southern College in Lakeland.
The phenomenal thing about S4TL is that it gets these young adults out of their comfort zones, gives them an opportunity to live campus life in college dormitories, eat meals in the college cafeteria, all while developing into leaders who are instilled with Rotary values. They go back and serve in their communities and schools.
People ask me why I give up 10 days of my life, sleep less than six hours each night in a dorm room bunk bed, and eat cafeteria food (it’s not good, but the students love it)? It’s to witness the development of these young people and know that our future generation is in good hands!
S4TL includes lectures, discussions, motivational talks, group activities, and interchanges of ideas and concepts to improve leadership abilities. World-renowned speakers are brought in to provide leadership development skills. Recreational and entertainment programs are also provided, and Rotary principles are injected into many aspects of the seminar.
Rotarians are invited to attend the program on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week to have lunch with the students and participate in “rap session” discussion groups. These sessions are lively, opinionated, and enlightening, covering a variety of thought-provoking and sometimes emotional topics. Rap sessions allow the students to express and defend their thoughts and opinions in a safe environment with both their peers and Rotarians. This is a highlight of the week for many, both young students and older Rotarians who return year after year to participate.
Rotarians are also involved in sponsoring and selecting students to attend the seminar. A Rotarian from the sponsoring club must provide transportation to and from the seminar for each student. What a difference Rotarians get to see from the shy, quiet, sometimes nervous student they deliver to the seminar to the outgoing, talkative, and engaged young adult they return home!
I used to be one of those Rotarians who transported students and attended rap sessions until I had the time and opportunity to have this deeper involvement … and I love it!
Now I get to witness “leadership in action” by participation in the actual operation of the S4TL program by students who attended the seminar in prior years. Young adults continue developing their leadership skills as they progress through the program from Yellow Shirt in their first year, to Red Shirt group leaders the second year, to White Shirt program leaders the third year, to Baby Blue Shirt special assistants to the seminar director in their fifth year, following a gap year off in year 4.
In 2022, we returned to the Florida Southern College campus after a two-year hiatus, with 115 students for their first seminar year. That class produced the Red Shirt group leaders for last year, and the White Shirt program leaders this year. I was brought to tears when I realized the growth of those 10 individuals, and how cohesive of a group they were working together, to run a seminar for 151 delegates this past 16-22 June. S4TL was back!
But it doesn’t end there. Many alumni return after a few years to serve as part of senior staff working behind the scenes to ensure the success of the seminar. These young adults continue attending S4TL because the program means so much to them, and in many cases is a life-changing experience. Their involvement ensures the long-term support and viability of the program. It is truly a win-win situation for all involved!
I am honored and proud to be part of this great program and witness the development of our young adults into Rotarians and leaders in their communities.
https://blog.rotary.org/2024/07/09/developing-our-future-generation-of-leaders/