Last month, February 15-17, 2025, the Rotary District 7620 organized a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) event in Edgewater, MD for young leaders in the region. The Washington Club of Rotary Global nominated an aspiring leader Julieta Güiza to participate.
We interviewed Julieta to get her views and learn what inspired her the most.
Julieta, tell us a little bit about yourself and your passions
I am a junior at Walter Johnson High School, and one of the things that I am very passionate about is tennis. I’ve been playing it since I was 7 years old, and I continue to demonstrate my passion for it by being part of my school’s tennis team and also teach kids how to play tennis at my job at a tennis center. Another thing that I am passionate about is learning about renewable energy.
As part of the Peer Outreach With Energy Resources (P.O.W.E.R) education internship, I’ve learned about energy efficiency and conservation and ways to share my knowledge within the community through outreach events organized by the Department of Environmental Protection in Montgomery County, MD.
Why was it important for you to participant in RYLA? What did you learn there?
This was a wonderful opportunity to share meaningful moments with teens from across the county and other states. It was my first time participating in a leadership camp, where I was able to get out of my comfort zone, see the world through a new perspective, and to learn that by working together, step by step we can make the world a better place.
What was the most memorable moment for you?
The most memorable moment was when the judges announced that my team won 3rd place. We were all excited, wondering out of all the amazing presentations which one would win, but also nervous, hoping we would be one of them, hoping that our hard work would pay off, hoping that our team effort, and determination would be rewarded. Once they announced our group number, my teammates burst out with joy, jumping up and down, and high fiving one another. It was comforting seeing their happiness and their excitement on the thought that we were able to contribute to the improvement of young people’s lives as we thanked Rotary for their generous donation to the Roca program in Baltimore. Our presentation was about raising awareness about youth gun violence, featuring Roca a non-profit organization that aims to help young people live a life beyond violence providing them with their programs such as education, employment, and training.
How will you apply the knowledge (and connections you made) in your future?
By being part of the RYLA experience, I was able to develop critical thinking skills and to apply the 4-way test to my day-to-day life. I hope to use these skills to help others open their perspective by fully considering different opinions, deciding which one they should support, building a more understanding environment and community.
I want to take this opportunity to show my gratitude and thank the Rotary Club of Washington Global for allowing me to experience this wonderful event. This memorable experience will remain in my growth as a young leader.
Photo credits: Rotary District 7620.
What is RYLA?
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a leadership development program for young people run by Rotary International. Learn more about RYLA here.
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