Rotary International - Boca Raton

Youth in government day the Rotary Club of Boca Raton continued its tradition of approximately fifty years by co-sponsoring with the city of Boca Raton youth in government day. Twenty students from Boca Raton high school and spanish river high school were invited by the city to become mayor and city council members for the day. They have prepared resolutions to be debated for items and issues that they think need city attention. Following the council meeting, the students joined our Club for lunch, where we shared Rotary fellowship, learned which college the students will be attending, their intended major, and their high school of attendance. Palm beach state Rotary Club our Club sponsors a new Rotary Club for college students at palm beach state college and then mentors the students who participate throughout the year. Blood drive once each quarter the south Florida blood bank blood mobile attended our weekly meeting and rotarians rolled up their sleeves to provide the gift of life to unknown recipients. The american red cross reports that every pint of blood saves three lives. The dictionary project our Rotary Club partners with Rotary district 6930 to present dictionaries to third graders in our elementary schools, free of charge. The district gave our Club a matching grant for approxamately one quarter of the cost of the project. The dictionaries were given to addison mizner, j.c. mitchell, Boca elementary, and sunrise park. This year we presented over 500 dictionaries. In each dictionary we affixed a label with the Rotary emblem and motto. The children, teachers, and school administration are profoundly grateful for our generous gift to them. Seeing the delight on the faces of our children when they are presented with their individual books, which they keep at the end of the school year, is worth all the time and effort that goes into this project. I like me program the i like me program encourages early reading skills and enhances self- esteem in children. The rotakids are an ongoing project of the Rotary Club of Boca Raton partnered with Boca Raton elementary school, abby ehrman- klayman dcsw (representing Rotary), the school guidance counselor, and the kindergarten teachers. Fifty-four kindergarten children are given a t- shirt and special book to call their own. The book is specifically tailored to each child with their name, their family and friends printed in the hard cover volume. The teachers work with the children using the books as teaching tools to help them to read. It is very gratifying to see the improved reading abilities of the children and the happiness they express when they receive their books. Congratulations to the teachers congratulations to Rotary for caring about our future generations Rotary youth leadership assembly (ryla) we sponsored six high school students to attend the four day leadership workshop organized by Rotary district 6930. Ryla shares Rotary's ideals of service with students and teachers leadership and team-building skills. Students year in and out report to us that ryla is a highlight of their high school experience. Four way test award our Club presents annual awards at the seniors' award ceremony at six local high schools to the graduating senior who the school identifies as best exemplifying Rotary's four way test. Boca first robotics Club our Club is a founding sponsor of and supported again this year a community-based high school robotics team. The team this year was comprised of twenty students. The team had great success in all its competitions.