Rotary Youth Programs: Developing the next  generation of leaders      

“Rotary believes in developing the next generation of leaders.”  The Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Club sponsors programs to help our youth build leadership skills, build their confidence, and learn the value of service, including through:

Interact Club                                                                               at Bozeman High School 

The Interact Club is a young person’s first experience with Rotary. Interact at BHS is underway. The current President is Heidi and is also a Student of the Month awardee. Heidi started the year with a focus on “Service Above Self”. Each year the club holds a fundraiser and this year they sold Halloween “Trick and Treats”. Students bought candy and a card for a fellow student. Interact students dressed in costumes and delivered the treats on Halloween. All proceeds were donated to the Community Cancer Center in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Learn more about Interact.

Rotary Youth Leadership          Awards Camp (RYLA)

 “RYLA was honestly a once in a lifetime experience. I’m so incredibly grateful that I got the chance to meet some outstanding citizens of this community who helped me expand my leadership skills and empathy. I now feel that I can be a helpful and passionate contribution to society. I hope that others get to experience this like I did.”   Elizabeth, RYLA 2025

Visit the RYLA website to learn more about the camp.

RYLA Camp is a one week leadership camp for students, held in July. While at camp students build communication and problem-solving skills, and learn leadership strategies from community leaders and peer mentors. Importantly they develop lasting friendships.

RYLA is a powerful experience for students.  Many say it changes the trajectory of their lives as they learn to recognize their own skills and apply them to make the world a better place. This year over 60 students attended RYLA. Read all about this year's Montana RYLA Camp. 

Student of the                                                                          Month Recognition

If you walk into Bozeman High’s main entrance, past the cafeteria, you will find the Rotary Student of the Month board where the students who have been nominated by their teachers and selected by Rotary’s Youth Services committee are honored. These inspiring students are also highlighted on our Bozeman Sunrise Rotary website. In May 2026 two students will be honored and presented with a $2,000 scholarship to be used in their pursuit of life after high school.

Read all about these talented humans here. 

Youth Exchange Program 

The Youth Exchange Program provides students ages15-19 the opportunity to spend a year in one of the 100 countries where Rotary Clubs are sponsors of the exchange program. Students learn a new language, discover a new culture and attend classes while staying with host families. Learn more about youth exchange.

Would you like to host an exchange student for 3 months? Or know a student who would like to participate in the Youth Exchange Program? Contact Ulrike Staerk at Ulrike.Staerk@outlook.com.

Spotlight Partnerships: Fix Up Festival 

Dovetail Construction and JLF Architects

Dovetail has been involved with Fix Up Festival since day one. Fifteen years ago, the team didn’t know exactly what it would take to help fix up a home—but they decided to give it a try. As a Rotarian working in the construction industry, Tim shared that he appreciates being part of a hands-on service activity, and that Dovetail does not benefit in a business sense. After 15 years, Tim, Joe, and Kevin have developed a deep appreciation for what their efforts have achieved for people in need. “It’s fun to put your skills to good use,” Tim said.

The work has also been profoundly meaningful. Tim still remembers Bill Hill, a paraplegic man who could not get from his house to his garage—especially challenging during Montana’s harsh winters. The Dovetail team built a ramp connected to a concrete walkway, and the difference it made brought Tim to tears. “It was a while ago, but that person and his story stick with you,” he said.

This year, Dovetail brought JLF Architects on board, forming a dynamic team with diverse skills to work on the Elser home. The combined group of 20 volunteers—this time with more architects than construction experts—picked up where HRDC left off, addressing several major issues with the home. The owner, a man with cerebral palsy, had been forced to leave his house because of its unsafe and dilapidated condition. Together, the team installed six new windows, replaced a third of the home’s siding, built a new porch, and completed extensive painting—joined by the homeowner and his mother, who eagerly helped with the work. It truly takes a village!

For the twelfth consecutive year, volunteers from Opportunity Bank joined the Fix Up Festival to provide critical home repairs for neighbors in need, continuing a long tradition of service and community partnership. This year the team was assigned to the Defalco residence, where leaking, broken windows, and deteriorating trim were creating serious safety and weatherproofing concerns.

Under the leadership of Bert, Opportunity Bank president and volunteer screening coordinator for the Fix Up Festival, employees and their carpenter spouses came ready to work. Volunteers installed new double-pane windows, sealed gaps, and replaced rotting trim to protect the wiring and structure of the home. For the first time in years, Mark will face winter in warmth and summer with windows he can finally open to let in the breeze. As Bert shared, “Projects like this aren’t just about fixing houses, they’re about helping people feel safe and part of a caring community.” 

The team’s work made a life-changing difference for Mark, a veteran and musician living in the home. After losing his business and home during the 2008 economic downturn, he moved into a small trailer. Years of battling Montana winters through cracked windows took a toll on both his health and spirit. To keep out the freezing drafts, he stuffed blankets into gaps and taped his windows shut, including his front door.

Stories like Mark’s are what bring Opportunity Bank volunteers back year after year. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Mark thanked the team in the most heartfelt way he could—by picking up his guitar and filling the work site with music. His performance was more than a gesture of thanks; it was a reminder of the hope and human connection at the heart of the Fix Up Festival.

Friendship Exchange with Katsuyama, Rotary Club 

BOZEMAN SUNRRISE ROTARY THANKS YOU!

Your support makes it possible for us to keep delivering the projects and programs that provide hope, resources, and opportunities for others. When you give, you become a vital part of the impact we create together. 

Donations can be made securely through our Bozeman Sunrise Rotary auction website. Or, alternatively, checks can be mailed to Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Foundation, P. O. Box 6523, Bozeman, MT 59771. Or email bozemansunriserotaryfoundation@gmail.com for more information. 

Every contribution—large or small—helps us continue this important work. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to making a difference.