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Four Tullahoma High School students were selected to represent the two Tullahoma Rotary Clubs at a RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) event in Crossville.

Representing the Tullahoma Sunrise Rotary and the Tullahoma Noon Rotary were Iyleigh Bradshaw, Aniyah Blake, Prudence Peterson, and Xavier Ferrell. The students were nominated by their counselors and teachers based on showing leadership potential. They were accompanied by Dr.

Monica Blake Beasley, THS teacher of Criminal Justice and sponsor of the Rotary Interact Club which is sponsored by the Sunrise Rotary Club for high school students.

     The RYLA event was held at Camp NaKanaWa in Crossville. The students, all juniors, had a day full of many different activities such as zip lining, group activities, and team building. Interviewing the students, they expressed great enthusiasm for their experience and each said they would love to do it again. Iyleigh who said she was afraid of heights but after surviving zip lining, she would love to do it again. She said she would jump on another experience like this and that so far, this has been the “highlight” of her high school experience. Her long term goal is to become a lawyer. Aniyah said she liked having the opportunity to meet a young woman who was from Ukraine who had been brought to the US by Rotarians. She is now inspired to be a Rotary Exchange Student to further her interest in History. Prudence was exuberant about her experience and she has a long term goal of trying to help people and her community.  Xavier said he was surprised at the many events and activities packed into one day. His goal is to play college basketball and to be involved with health care.

     Without exception, all of the four students said they enjoyed meeting students from other Tennessee communities, participating in team activities, and working together in team situations.  All said they would like to have these experiences more often!

      The hero of the day was Dr. Monica Blake Beasley who gave up her Saturday to take a car load of students to have a new and life changing experience. She is a member of the Sunrise Rotary Club and serves as the sponsor of the Interact Club for high school students. The motto for them as well as for all Rotarians is “Service Above Self”.