Rockford Rotary Charitable Association

Rotary academy program - the Rotary academy program is Rockford Rotary Charitable Association's signature project. The Rotary academy is a leadership program for at risk youth in the Rockford public school district #205. It involves middle school students receiving various leadership and teamwork training, such as participation in a high ropes course offered by the local ymca, critical thinking training, etiquette training and related educational activities usually involving a group service project by those participating at each of the district's middle schools. This represents a very substantial ongoing activity for the benefit of the general public in efforts to improve the performance and outcome of the students in the Rockford public school district.

College scholarships - based on a generous gift from the brother of a deceased member, the Rockford Rotary Charitable Association established a scholarship program by which the principals of the 10 area high schools select a teacher and a male and female senior student to be recognized for their community service with the students invited to write an essay about their community service to be considered for a scholarship. The essays are reviewed by a committee of the Rockford Rotary Charitable Association and two of the students, one male, one female, are selected to receive scholarships for their first year of college or other post-secondary education.

During the year, Rockford Rotary Charitable Association made grants to the Rockford public library so that they could purchase new books for the library's collection.

Other grants included: books for second graders, support for the ukraine, backpacks for youth in the area and various youth activites.