Youth Services Committee

Our Team

Chair: Kelly Ku
Interact Liaison/Past YSC Chair: Yvonne Kwan
Rotaract Liaison: Manuj Mittal (Secondary Liaisons: Raquel D'Garay-Juncal & Kelly Ku)
Speech Contest: Afrah Abdullah
RYLA Sub-Committee Members: Cal Mann, Yvonne Kwan, Raquel D'Garay-Juncal, Kelly Ku

Open Positions

*Opening* Interact Liaison or Co-Liaison (preferably local)

The Interact Liaison is the primary contact person at the ReCSV for Interactors at KIPP San Jose Collegiate and Sierramont Middle School. The Liaison shall periodically attend the club meetings/events and provide guidance, where needed, to ensure the club(s) remain active and engaged. Additionally, the Liaison shares information with the Interactors regarding leadership development opportunities supported by the ReCSV (President’s Winter Retreat, RYLA, Speech Contest, etc.) It is also possible for the position to be led alongside the current Interact Liaison; however, we are primarily looking for a candidate to fill the main role.

  • Regularly attend Interact Club meetings or events 

  • Mentor Interactors and support their club initiatives

  • Develop collaboration opportunities between our clubs

  • Provide monthly updates on both Interact clubs at the YSC meeting

  • Organize an activity/social for Youth Service Month (May) or New Generations Month (September) 

  • Periodically write articles on Interact events for the Club Newsletter

  • Recruit participants for ReCSV-sponsored leadership opportunities (i.e. PWR)

  • Connect with the Club Treasurer for any funding requests and reimbursements

  • Co-Liaison would share the responsibilities

Clubs We Support

Interact :

KIPP San Jose Collegiate

The Rotary E-Club of Silicon Valley chartered the Interact Club of KIPP San Jose Collegiate in 2015. Since then, we have provided financial support for their club and members through:

  • Sponsorships for annual Presidents’ Winter Retreat (PWR)

  • Sponsorships for RYLA

  • Seed money for club fundraisers: up to $250 each year

    • Funds can be used as a loan (borrowed and repaid to be reused in the same year) or as one-time seed money

We are hoping to also build a mentorship program between our club members and KSJC Interactors in the near future.
A signature project of KSJC Interact is their annual Light the Night walk, raising funds and awareness for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through a walk during dusktime with lanterns.

Social Media Links:
Instagram (@ksjc.interact)
KSJC is a part of Interact Area 6

Rotaract:

Rotaract Club of Cupertino

Our club co-sponsored the Rotaract Club of Cupertino in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cupertino.


The club was created in 2020 by a group of students from De Anza College whose goal is to give back to society and aid those that are underprivileged. Due to the emergence of the coronavirus, the club has transitioned to a virtual format and are currently operating as an eClub.


Similar to our club, their meetings are online and asynchronous. Their members meet bi-weekly on the first and third week of the month. The first meeting of the month is a Social while the second meeting is focused on club updates, guest speakers and workshops.


Besides volunteering and providing service, Rotaract of Cupertino's meetings include guest speakers - primarily professionals from various niches to present on a given topic. These topics are voted for by the club members, and the topics can be related to anything they are interested in, with the objective of helping young students acquire more information regarding a specific subject they would like to learn more about. Topics can range from science, technology, entrepreneurship, environmental care, and more. This year, the club will be introducing tailored workshops chosen by their members, such as: resume-building, UC applications, LinkedIn training and so forth.


The club has 16 members, all students from De Anza College, but they plan to expand and invite more members from all around the world. Some objectives of theirs are:

  • Support the underprivileged

  • Engage in self-learning to be more well-versed in the industries around us; and

  • Have fun while giving back to society


Our club provides $250 per year to support leadership development opportunities for their members and provides continuous mentorship and support.

Social Media Links:
Instagram (@rotaractclubcupertino)
Website: https://www.rotaractclubcupertino.com/ 

Annual Initiatives We Sponsor

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Each year, thousands of young people take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program worldwide. Young people are chosen for their leadership potential. Rotary clubs and districts select participants and facilitate the event’s curriculum. This Camp RYLA is sponsored by Rotary District 5170 and our club sponsors at least 1-2 students to attend.

High school students from around the Bay Area are selected to attend RYLA for leadership demonstrated at school or in the community. Many, but not all, of the students are a part of their school Interact Clubs. These students receive scholarships to a week-long leadership camp where they learn skills about how to become better leaders, build better friendships, and how to actively apply what they have learned at camp to their lives, schools, and communities. 

RYLA aims to: 

  • Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth;

  • Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders;

  • Encourage leadership of youth by youth; and

  • Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.

RYLA was officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971, and is one of the most significant and fastest-growing programs of Rotary service. RYLA programs often lead to the formation or strengthening of Rotaract and Interact clubs. RYLA participants often go on to become Youth Exchange students or Rotary Global Grant Scholars.

For more information and updates on RYLA for District 5170 go to www.ryla5170.com.


Presidents’ Winter Retreat

The purpose of this retreat is to help Interactors discover the leader within them, understand the possibilities of Interact, and learn more about the essence and role of an Interact Club President or District Council Member.

The Presidents’ Winter Retreat allows selected Interactors to meet, bond, and collaborate with like-minded and dedicated leaders from all over the district. Attendees participate in a series of exciting and interactive workshops to further develop their leadership skills, learn and foster new ideas, and make connections with those around them.

Each year, the ReCSV sponsors 1-2 members from KSJC to attend the retreat.

Link: https://www.interact5170.org/presidents-winter-retreat-pwr/
@Interact5170


Speech Contest

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

The Rotary Clubs of District 5170 sponsor the Richard D. King Annual Youth Speech Contest with three goals in mind for the Club Members and each Speech Contest Participant:

  • To increase the personal knowledge and awareness of the importance of being able to speak effectively before a group.

  • To increase public knowledge of what Rotary is and does throughout the world, especially among young people.  Through this knowledge, we hope that they will learn, as we have in the past,  “He who serves best profits most.”

  • To increase participation in the contest and to provide all high school contestants an opportunity to win prizes as top speaker, or runners-up, in District 5170.

Our club will be holding a club-level search for candidates to participate in the area level competition, followed by the regional contest and, finally, the district level competition. The club level speech contest will also include a mentorship element to help students prepare and hone their skills. Stay tuned for more details!

Link: https://rotarydistrict5170.org/sitepage/speech-contest