Water Valley Students Attend Leadership Conference
Two Water Valley High School juniors recently attended the 2025 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards conference (RYLA) held at the Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center in Olive Branch on Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1. Madison Bryant and Drake Marbary were selected for this honor based upon their academic and leadership qualities and were recommended by school administration.
RYLA was initiated in 1982 and is a self-supported conference, totally funded by approximately 40 Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 6800. Attending delegates pay no fees. This district includes all of the Rotary Clubs across north Mississippi, north of MS Hwy. 82, and all of those clubs in Shelby County, Tenn. Water Valley’s Rotary Club is a part of this district.
Each Rotary Club provides transportation for their delegates, to and from the conference site. Rotarian Drew Pitcock delivered Water Valley’s delegates to the RYLA site on Friday morning, and Rotary Assistant District Governor Raymond Hawkins brought them home after the evening meal on Saturday afternoon.
Rotarian Toni Hill serves as the local Rotary Club’s RYLA representative; and she, along with Rotarians Raymond Hawkins and Tyler Hill hosted an orientation meeting prior to the conference for the delegates and their parents, led by Rotary Past District Governor Tommy White. Toni Hill, Pitcock, and White were also present for the delegates’ departure to RYLA on Friday morning; and White attended the conference on Saturday afternoon.
Delegates Madison and Drake impressed the local Rotary Club members during their regular, weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 4 when they reported on their attendance at RYLA. Some of the topics covered at the conference included the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, Youth in Government, Career-ready Skills, and Humble Leadership, and were led by instructors in Military Science, Health Professions & Sciences, Grants & Academic Support, and more.
The chairman for the RYLA Conference was Rotary PDG Cary Vaughn, CEO & President of Love Worth Finding Ministries, Inc.
