Vocational Services Lane

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Vocational Services Lane

The Vocational Lane Director leads projects and activities in which the Club participates to support vocational and educational endeavors.  Projects include scholarships, educational awards, educational award events, supporting school groups, clubs, and student exchanges. The lane director supports committees for college scholarships, Teacher of the Year Dinner, Marco Polo Award, community outreach training, and the 4 Rotary International Youth Programs: RYLA, Interact, Rotaract and Youth Exchange.

Wanda Smith, Lane Director 

INTERACT CLUB AT ST. MARY’S RYKEN HIGH SCHOOL

Rotary District 7620 Governor Anna-Mae Kobbe honors the St. Mary’s Ryken Interact Club during the 2017 District Conference. This very active new Interact Club is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lexington Park. Pictured are the 2017 Student Interact President, Jake O’Hara, 2017 Interact Club Moderator John Pennisi and St. Mary’s Ryken President, Lexington Park Rotarian and then Interact Club sponsor. the Interact Club remains active.

Interact:Engaging Youth – The leader develops relationships with a high school in St. Mary’s County in order to establish active Interact Clubs in the high school. When a club is established, the leader  ensures Rotarians are  dedicated to attend the Interact Club meetings and to provide program speakers when requested and as needed.  The leader strives to meet all the elements of the Interact Handbook.

Chair – TBD

DICTIONARY PROJECT

Dictionary Project:Engaging Early Literacy – Lexington Park Rotarians annually distribute some 600 dictionaries to third graders in 15 elementary schools throughout the southern portion of St. Mary’s County. This is part of a District 7620 initiative to get a dictionary in the hands of every student in the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia where the District has a presence. Club members find a special reward in giving dictionaries to students who are instantly appreciative. COVID-19 curtailed activities in 2020.

Bernie Taylor, Chair

FOUR WAY TEST SPEECH CONTEST

Four Way Test:Engaging Youth for Ethics – The entire Club, led by the President, recites the Four-Way Test at weekly meetings. Participation in the Four Way Speech Contest compete at the Club level and the winners compete at the District level. This committee ensures that contact is made with our district 4-way speech schools for candidate selection, schedule and submission timelines.  It is the leader ensures arrangements are made to give the speech candidates to have the opportunity to present their contest submission to the club at a weekly meeting. COVID-19 has curtailed this activity in 2020.

Michael DeManss, Chair

SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships Committee:Engaging for Educational Opportunity – This committee selects worthy candidates for the Scholastic and Vocational Scholarships. The college scholarships vary from year to year depending on programs and funds available. One-year academic and vocational scholarships are typically given each year in the amount of $1,000.00. Currently, the Club is funding four $1,000 conditional four year sustaining college scholarships. The Scholarship Committee also administers the endowed scholarship programs for: The Greg H. Clarke Aviation and Engineering Scholarship, The Mel D. Powell Public administration Scholarship and the Merritts Academic and Vocational scholarship.

Dr. Mel Powell, Chair

JOHN BAETON MARCO POLO AWARD

John Beaton/Marco Polo Award:Engaging in Educating the Educators -This Committee selects a worthy teacher from St. Mary’s County to receive a $2,000.00 grant to be used for travel. The international travel is intended to broaden the professional horizons of an already dynamic teacher. Each year, the leader reviews the criteria for award selection and establishes a subcommittee to vet the applicants and select a winner. COVID-19 Curtailed travel in 2020.

Susan Paul, Chair

Service Above Self Award:

District Governor Greg Wins congratulates the 2017 Service Above Self recipient – Coach Tyrone Bell

Service Above Self:  Engaging Community Excellence – From time to time, this committee selects and recognizes members of the community who have gone “above and beyond”. The awards are given on the annual Charter Night event. An adjunct award recognizes worthy First Responders from the local Volunteer Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department.

Jane Sypher, Chair

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Teacher of the Year Dinner:Engaging to Recognize Educational Excellence – This committee organizes a joint project with nearby St. Mary’s County Rotary Clubs to recognize the outstanding teachers in St. Mary’s County. A teacher of the Year is also named.   This committee identifies public and non- public honorees, selects a suitable venue for the event and coordinates ticket sales to the public. COVID-19 curtailed this event in 2020.

Linda Lymas, Zora Siemasko, Co-Chairs

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE STUDENT

International Exchange Student: Engaging in International Sharing – From time to time, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park sponsors and hosts a foreign exchange student for an extended visit to America. This committee actively recruits club members to support the inbound youth exchange student.  The committee leader maintains a working relationship with the Rotary District 7620 Youth Exchange Chair. COVID-19 curtailed this event in 2020.

Chair -TBD

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY (RYLA)

Rotary Youth Leadership Activity (RYLA): Engaging Youth Leadership – This committee provides guidance for the selection of candidates to attend the annual Rotary District 7620 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program and provides feedback to the club from the attendees as to the usefulness of the weekend spent learning about themselves and team building. COVID-19 curtailed this event in 2020.

Wanda Smith – Chair 

ROTARY PEACE FELLOW SELECTION

Rotary Peace Fellow Selection: Engaging Peace and Understanding -This process is sponsored by the Rotary International Rotary Foundation. The committee communicates with the District 7620 chair to schedule of submission and selection criteria. The committee seeks candidates throughout the region and helps potential candidates with a timely application. COVID-19 curtailed this event in 2020.

BoB Parkinson – Chair

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ROTORACT

Rotoract Committee: Engaging toInspire Young Professionals – This committee actively works to develop relationships with young professionals in St. Mary’s County for the purpose of establishing a Rotaract Club. When a club is established, leader ensures that dedicated Rotarians attend meetings and to provide program speakers when requested and needed.

Chair – TBD

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