Pomona students to attend Rotary leadership camp

Four students from Pomona high schools will attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp next month.

The Pomona Rotary Club selected Ganesha High students Elizabeth Lopez, 16 and Juan M. Garcia, 16 to attend the camp along with Denise Jauregui, 16 of Pomona Catholic High School and Deonis Burkhalter, 17, who attends Garey High and is representing the Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley, according to a statement from the club.

The club will pick up the students' expenses to the camp which will be held in Idyllwild March 5,6 and 7.

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or RYLA, is an intensive youth training program centered on leadership, ethics and problem solving, the statement said.

"Organizing and implementing RYLA involves the time and effort of many Rotarians," club president Darren Krohn said in the statement.

Participating students must be high school juniors, less than 18 years age and have demonstrated good citizenship and have a record of achievement.

Students are selected based on their leadership potential and "must have the endorsement of their schools and parents or guardians," the statement said.

The four students are "confident and focused on the future," Joe Romero, former Pomona police chief and a Rotarian who was involved in the selection process, said in the statement.

The students' leadership potential is important to the community "particularly as it relates to teen leaders influencing their peers to steer clear of gangs, drugs and truancy," Romero said.

At camp the students will participate in various activities and discussion groups and will give presentations on pressing social issues.