Student Reflection Essays & Graduation Speeches
RYL sponsors and schools are investing in you through the financial support they provide to the program. Through their donations, they make it possible for you to experience this program with minimal cost. In appreciation of their support, they are provided with a collection of student essays demonstrating individual learnings and reflections on session content. The collection of essays highlights the student experience, learning, and key takeaways.
To graduate from RYL, students are required to submit one reflection essay on a session of their choice or deliver a speech at graduation. Essays are a reflection on your experience and are not intended to be a minute-by-minute account of the day. Reflections should be typed in Word (or comparable program), contain no less than 500 words, and be emailed to the RYL Program Director within 10 days of the selected session. Possible topics to share in your reflection…
Note: The reflection essay should focus on what you learned and not a minute-by-minute account of the day.
Please send your essay, approximately 500+ words, in an email or as a word document to Ann Marie Whelan, [email protected], no later than 10 days after the session. It is important that we receive these in a timely manner.
Reflection essays are shared with RYL schools and sponsors and may be used in the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Business Journal.
GRADUATION SPEECHES
Those that volunteer to speak about a session during graduation are exempt from the reflection essay requirement. Speeches are determined on a first come, first served basis AFTER the session has taken place. If you sign up to deliver a speech and are unable to attend graduation, you must find a replacement or send your speech to the RYL Program Director so that another student can deliver it on your behalf. The content of a speech is like that of a reflection essay and typically lasts 2-4 minutes. Speeches cover the content and key takeaways from the session. This could include what you learned or found interesting, what changes in perspective you may have had, what it meant to you, etc.
To graduate from RYL, students are required to submit one reflection essay on a session of their choice or deliver a speech at graduation. Essays are a reflection on your experience and are not intended to be a minute-by-minute account of the day. Reflections should be typed in Word (or comparable program), contain no less than 500 words, and be emailed to the RYL Program Director within 10 days of the selected session. Possible topics to share in your reflection…
- How did the session affect you?
- What did you learn?
- How did the session add to your skill sets in leadership?
- How were you changed as a result of this session?
- What might you do differently because of what you learned?
Note: The reflection essay should focus on what you learned and not a minute-by-minute account of the day.
Please send your essay, approximately 500+ words, in an email or as a word document to Ann Marie Whelan, [email protected], no later than 10 days after the session. It is important that we receive these in a timely manner.
Reflection essays are shared with RYL schools and sponsors and may be used in the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Business Journal.
GRADUATION SPEECHES
Those that volunteer to speak about a session during graduation are exempt from the reflection essay requirement. Speeches are determined on a first come, first served basis AFTER the session has taken place. If you sign up to deliver a speech and are unable to attend graduation, you must find a replacement or send your speech to the RYL Program Director so that another student can deliver it on your behalf. The content of a speech is like that of a reflection essay and typically lasts 2-4 minutes. Speeches cover the content and key takeaways from the session. This could include what you learned or found interesting, what changes in perspective you may have had, what it meant to you, etc.