The Saratoga Youth Service committee meets monthly as announced on the club calendar or email. Committee members may be involved with the activities of three High School Interact Clubs (Saratoga High, Prospect High, Cambrian Academy), RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award), the Richard D. King Speech Contest for high school students, ELC (Enterprise Leadership Conference) for high School Juniors , Scholarships and Adopt-a-School programs.  

INTERACT CLUB

Interact Clubs at Prospect and Saratoga High Schools and Cambrian Academy bring together high school students who want to develop leadership skills, learn about the local community and the world through service projects and activities. Students define and execute projects, network with peers, develop skills and, best of all, have fun in the process. These clubs are guided by a school advisor and the Rotary Club of Saratoga.

ENTERPRISE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (ELC)

The ELC program is a business entrepreneurship 2-night, 3-day all expenses paid camp for high school juniors, held in April 2020 at Asilomar. 

Sixty students from several schools are placed in 10 teams.

Saratoga Rotary sponsors ~10 students from Prospect, Saratoga, Lynbrook and Cambrian Academy.

This program teaches key business principles via a team-defined entrepreneurial idea and works through business plan, organization, product, finance, marketing and ethics. It culminates in a team presentation is front of a mock venture capital team. 

Applications are accepted in Dec 2019.

SPEECH CONTEST

Any high school student is welcome to participate in the Speech Contest. The topic is announced in the Fall. Rotarians work with the students and hold competitions (starting Feb) at the school, club, area and district level. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone to learn public speaking skills. Monetary awards are made at each level.

SCHOLARSHIPS

  • Local elementary and middle school students are recognized for Citizenship and Civics. 
  • Graduating high school seniors receive monetary College Scholarships. 
  • West Valley College students can borrow curriculum books from their school library through our book scholarships.

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS (RYLA)

We sponsor students from area high schools to participate in an overnight leadership camp. Our goal is to teach students how to become better leaders, build better friendships, and actively apply what they learn in their lives, at their schools and in their communities.

ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM

This global program is an excellent opportunity for students to visit other countries, learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries.

Long-term programs are full academic year exchanges, whereby students attend local schools and live with host families. Short-term exchanges last from several days to three months and are often structured as camps, tours, or homestays when school is not in session.