History of 'Seminar for Tomorrow's Leaders'
Purpose : The Seminar For Tomorrow’s Leaders is a youth service program Rotary international District 6330, with clubs in Michigan and Ontario. The Seminar combines lectures and discussions on career knowledge, international understanding, service opportunities, small group leadership and team development experiences and exercises. The program's been designed only for students who already shown leadership interests and skills. The effectiveness of the program depends upon the commitment of every student participant to be fully involved in every minute of the planned activities. Sharing of leadership experience and ideas with other student leaders, under the guidance of university student counselors is a vital part of the dynamic of this program. The Seminar will provide a very full program. There will be morning, afternoon, and evening sessions, with very limited free time.
History: The Seminar For Tomorrow's Leaders was begun in 1961 by Past District Governor, the late Herb J. Farrow, a London East Rotarian, who observed a similar program and recognized its potential value for student leaders in the District. His idea was enthusiastically supported by a recommendation from Lapeer Rotarian, Frank White. Thus the District 6330 program is older than most Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) programs now held throughout the world. The Seminar became coeducational, and moved from church camps to college campuses in 1981. Facilities at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada, and campuses in Michigan, USA, have been used since 1981.
Criteria for selection of participants: Each Rotary club may establish a youth committee, assign responsibility to an existing committee or director. The club then determines the number of participants it will sponsor. At this point, the club works with secondary school principals and counselors to choose the student leaders who will attend the Seminar. It should be emphasized that the choice of genuine leaders from schools is critical to the success of the program. Wherever possible, clubs are encouraged to send equal members of young men and young women. Schools would be well advised to recommend students are in the next‐to‐last secondary school year (Grade 11). In this way the outcomes of their leadership experience can be of significant benefit to the school and its programs in the following year.