Youth Committee
The Rotary Club of La Crosse Youth Committee is comprised of members who are dedicated to supporting the youth in our community. The vast majority of our members have belonged to this committee for many years, and we look forward to adding other like-minded Rotarians.
The primary projects of the Youth Committee involve the following:
1) Service Above Self Award - Each Spring we award a Service Above Self award to one student from each of the three local high schools, who best exemplifies the Rotary motto "Service Above Self." The recipients are chosen by school staff members and our responsibilities are very limited.
2) Students of the Month - Pre-pandemic, we would invite the students from local high schools who were named Student of the Month to a weekly meeting. Our committee's responsibility is to provide transportation to the meeting, and funding the students' meals out of our Rotary budget. Our hope is that this activity can resume.
3) Extra Effort Awards - The Youth committee sponsors a club program in May of each year that features eight local high school students who have overcome obstacles to accomplish greatness. Our committee raises money that is provided to each recipient and coordinates the program along with Rusty Cunningham and the La Crosse Tribune.
4) The Barb and Bud Hammes Rotary Scholarship Fund - This program will fund a scholarship for $10,000/year for four years to four local high school graduates, once fully implemented. The recipients will be nominated by the Boys and Girls Club. Our committee will find mentors for the recipients each year.
Our committee meets "as needed" which has probably averaged about once a quarter in recent years. We welcome all new members! Have questions or want to join? Email Tom Berkedal.
