Portions taken from the Camp Royal Web Site (http://www.camproyal.org)

Camp Royal is the Rotary Youth Leadership Award Conference organized each June in the mountains of northern California. The 70 Rotary Clubs of Rotary International District 5160 have been providing this leadership learning opportunity since 1979. In 2010, we hosted 145 outstanding young leaders.

Camp Royal 2012 will be Sunday, June 17 through Saturday, June 23, 2012

Student leaders from throughout the district attend to develop advanced skills with help from Rotarians, professional counselors, educators and keynote speakers.

The program is a concentrated, energy packed week of information, ideas and strategies that will help the camper return to his/her school and be a more affective leader.

Goals

• To offer advanced leadership skills to young men and women who have had experience in leadership positions.
• To emphasize cooperation, excellent ethics and creativity in leadership.
• To broaden their knowledge of various vocations through interaction with Rotarians of District 5160.
• To assist the campers to realize their great potentials.
• To actively apply their new leadership skills when they return to school.

Program

The Camp Royal program is co-educational. Men and women campers are housed in different geographic areas of the camp. Campers are assigned a “platform” on the first day. Each platform will consist of 8-12 campers and a counselor. The campers elect the camp counsel on the first day. A primary activity is also assigned each camper.

A keynote speaker presents a topic until lunch each day. These speakers are flown in from throughout the U.S. to cover their respective topics. Recreation time and activity time (primary activity) follow in the afternoon. After dinner there is relaxation time, vocational presentations and skits.

The Camp Royal program is designed and overseen by professional counselors, our Camp Director and Rotary staff. They are all educators, counselors, school administrators or other professionals.

Facility

Camp Royal has been held at BAR 717 Ranch, in Hyampom, California since founded in 1979. About 12 miles west of Hayfork in Trinity County, it is as secluded as it is beautiful. The camp is located at 2,000 feet. The temperature can vary from 35 to 95 degrees F in a 24-hour period. It rains off and on throughout the summer.

The Camp Royal Committee is responsible for the entire operation of Camp Royal. We contract for the facility, staff and transportation. We arrange payroll, supplies and staff. We guide the clubs for District 5160 in the selection of campers and provide required schedules and forms to each club. We organize camper orientations and promote the Camp Royal project at all District events.

Selection Process

Juniors enrolled in a regular full time high school program are eligible. You must be eligible to become a senior at the beginning of the next school year after the camp. Known leaders that have performed in leadership situations and have held positions of responsibility in school or extracurricular programs are usually chosen. Mature individuals who desire to serve their peers and who are willing and able to return and apply the skills learned at Camp Royal are preferred.

The local Rotary Club selection committee will verify all qualifications and their representative will sign the Rotary Club authorization for each participant. To become a camper at Camp Royal contact your local Rotary Club.

Scholarship

Your local Rotary Club funds Camp Royal. Camper selections are decided by a committee that is composed of Rotarians and sometimes school teachers, counselors or other school officials.

The scholarship is for one week at camp and requires no funds from the camper. The only requirement made of the camper selected is that they sign the camper statement, their parents sign the authorization and that a physical examination be taken to document health and potential limited activities.

Transportation to and from Camp Royal from your doorstep and back is provided and arranged by your Rotary sponsor. No other transportation is allowed