Principal Richard Hutchinson presented these Webster City High School students with their honors: Delainey Bargfrede, Keegan Hisler, Briar Klaver, Bonnie Nohrenberg, Jillian Symens, Jesse Crutcher, Cody Seiser, Axiri Casillas (absent), Joleah Stuhr and Keyara Tigner, front row from left. Back row, from left, Nalani Buakham, Claire Bailey, Ellie Weinschenk, Jaidyn Elledge (absent), Alison Theeler (absent), Shaelyn McKee, Adeline Tesdahl, Camden Schultz, Addyson Beaulieu and Trinity Carter.

Webster City Rotar

This year, RYLA students Emersen Paukert, Karina Murray and Hank Christeson, from left, and were recognized by Webster City Rotarian Mark Dohms. They are all Webster City High School juniors.

Principal Todd Coy presented these South Hamilton students with their honors during the Rotary Youth Leadership Banquet Sunday. They are, front row from left: Ashlyn Erickson, Makena Galetich, Noah Gunderson, Anna Holm and Tjerdan Johnson. In the second row, from left, are Kailyn Northrop, Dylan Oskvig, Taylor Swanson, Tanna Thompson and Cady Zimmerman.

Jamie Pollard, Iowa State University’s athletic director, enjoys the meal before he delivers the evening’s keynote speech.

That is 75 years of celebrating the accomplishments of local high school students, both in the classroom and the community.

Honored on Sunday were 10 young leaders from the South Hamilton School District, 20 from the Webster City Community School District, and three Rotary Youth Leadership Award winners.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards — RYLA — is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs that takes leadership a step further by helping chosen young people actively develop greater skills by making connections and having fun, according to Rotary International.

This year, RYLA students Hank Christeson, Emersen Paukert and Karina Murray were recognized by Webster City Rotarian Mark Dohms. They are all Webster City High School juniors.

“We’ve been doing RYLA here for the Webster City club for the last 12 years,” Dohms said. “We send juniors, or sophomores, from the high school to a week-long program, usually at Grinnell College where they learn leadership skills.”

Murray said, “RYLA was really eye-opening. On top of just being really fun and getting to meet a lot of people, I feel like I learned a lot about leadership and remembering to connect with other people.”

Principal Richard Hutchinson presented these Webster City High School students with their honors: Delainey Bargfrede, Keegan Hisler, Briar Klaver, Bonnie Nohrenberg, Jillian Symens, Jesse Crutcher, Cody Seiser, Axiri Casillas, Joleah Stuhr, Keyara Tigner, Nalani Buakham, Claire Bailey, Ellie Weinschenk, Jaidyn Elledge, Alison Theeler, Shaelyn McKee,

Adeline Tesdahl, Camden Schultz, Addyson Beaulieu and Trinity Carter.

Principal Todd Coy presented these South Hamilton students with their honors: Ashlyn Erickson, Makena Galetich, Noah Gunderson, Anna Holm, Tjerdan Johnson, Kailyn Northrop, Dylan Oskvig, Taylor Swanson, Tanna Thompson and Cady Zimmerman.

As dinner was about to be consumed, Jamie Pollard, the evening’s keynote speaker, talked about the relationship between youth and leadership.

“Well, I do it on a daily basis because we have 450 student athletes and a big part of what we like to do with our athletics program is to use sport to be able to teach young men and young women about life after sport,” Pollard said.

“I have a unique perspective, I believe, based on just years of serving in a very public leadership role of the understanding of what I call ‘followship.’ And so my message tonight is really, I like to rephrase leadership and call it followship. Challenge individuals to understand what makes somebody follow a leader. Because if you can figure out what makes somebody follow somebody you can become a really successful leader.”

Pollard, according to his employer, Iowa State University, is the longest-tenured AD in Iowa State history and the fourth-longest-serving active Power Five Director of Athletics. This is his 19th year leading the Cyclones’ 18-sport intercollegiate athletics program.

“His vision for ISU student-athlete’s academic and athletic success, coupled with an unbridled passion to creatively execute that plan continues to have a major impact within the campus community, throughout the Big 12 Conference and across the intercollegiate athletics landscape,” ISU said in a media release.

Pollard is ISU’s 14th AD.

“(He) has reimagined nearly every facet of the Cyclone program since moving from the University of Wisconsin, where he had served seven years, including the final two under Badger Athletics Director and Hall of Fame football coach Barry Alvarez.”

Pollard is credited with invigorating the Cyclone fan base.

“(He has) tripled the department’s operating budget and eliminated its reliance on state funding support, registered all-time program bests academically and athletically, and shattered attendance marks in the department’s five major sports.”