Autumn Watson ’23 pictured with The Gunston School’s Head of School (and Centreville Rotary Member) John Lewis.
The Gunston School is pleased to announce Autumn Watson ’23 was selected as a delegate (District 7630) for the 2022 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). RYLA is an intense leadership-training experience designed to recognize, encourage, and further the knowledge and skills of 11th grade high school students who have a demonstrated leadership potential and a heart for community service.
Watson, along with more than 100 other students from area high schools attended an intense weekend of lectures, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences that focus on the development of leadership skills and increasing awareness of critical public issues, community concerns, youth-related issues, and service/career opportunities. The weekend kicked off with students packing more than 10,000 Meals of Hope breakfasts for local food pantries.
RYLA was held in Ocean City, Md., this past February. “Even though you may already be (or think you are) a great leader, you can always learn more and get new things out of an experience or help others along their journey to becoming a great leader,” said Watson.
Gunston’s Head of School John Lewis (also a member of Centreville Rotary) shared, “Rotary believes that leadership is a teachable skill, and each year students return from this conference with valuable insights about how to turn good ideas into meaningful realities. For motivated students like Autumn, this can be a life-changing and world-changing experience.”
Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.
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