Youth Service

We value our young. They are the future.

We believe in developing the next generation of leaders. Our programs help younger leaders build leadership skills, expand their education, and learn the value of service.

INTERACT CLUB AT PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL

Our Interact Club brings together high school-age youth to develop leadership skills and learn about the world through service projects and activities. They benefit from making Connections with leaders in the community and around the world to:
Take action to make a difference in Peninsula High School and our community; Discover new cultures and promote international understanding; Become leaders in school and Gig Harbor and its surrounding communities; Have fun and make new friends from around the world

Their activities range from:

  • Staging car washes to raise money for their projects
  • Planting trees to beautify the school campus
  • Traveling to Peru to install solar panels and computers at remote indigenous schools
  • Participating with the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor “Star Awards”, honoring non-Rotarian individuals in the community who espouse the ideals of Rotary.

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS (RYLA)

RYLA is a leadership development program for young people who want to learn new skills, build confidence, and have fun. We send a select group of students each year to the RYLA weekend seminar held at Pacific Lutheran University.

RYLA participants benefit and learn to:

  • Build communication and problem-solving skills
  • Discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in their school or community
  • Learn from community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors
  • Unlock potential to turn motivation into action

ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE

Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time. Long-term exchanges last a full academic year. Students attend local schools and live with multiple host families.
Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries sponsor exchange students aged 15 – 19. Exchange students unlock their true potential to:

  • Develop lifelong leadership skills
  • Learn a new language and culture
  • Build lasting friendships with young people from around the world
  • Become a global citizen

Each year, the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor sends qualifying students abroad and receives a student from another nation. We have sent students to Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East and received students from the four corners of our planet.

DANCING IN CLASSROOMS

Dancing in Classrooms is a Pacific Ballroom Dance program sponsored by Gig Harbor Rotary for 5th-grade students in many of our PSD Elementary Schools. Students develop essential life skills through the art of social dance. Ballroom dance lessons turn into a fun, dynamic group activity that inspires personal and peer-to-peer growth. Over the ten weeks, children learn and perform six ballroom dances while developing self-confidence, social skills, and respect for one another. Students need not only strong academic skills but also skills in social and emotional intelligence to be successful in life.