Rohan will be Kilkenny’s Youth Leader at European Parliament

Kilkenny CBS student Rohan Vargas is off to Strasbourg - as a regional winner in Rotary Ireland’s Youth Leadership Awards.
Rohan was named as the regional winner last Friday, a week after being named the Kilkenny Rotary Club’s winner.

Students from Kilkenny secondary schools took part in interviews with members of the local Rotary Club, in the first round of the competition. Speaking at the announcement of Rohan as the local winner, President of Rotary Kilkenny, Ella Dunphy, said all the young people were a great credit to their parents and teachers and wonderful ambassadors for their schools.

She thanked all the teachers who embraced the Youth Leadership Programme and who helped prepare the participants for the interviews, as well as Rotarian and Vice President of the Kilkenny club Elaine O’Dwyer for the enormous time she invests annually in the Youth Leadership Programme, and Rotarians who volunteered to help with the interviews.

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“Rotary acknowledges that this competition is of enormous benefit to all students. For many, it may well be your first opportunity to do a formal interview which is always challenging.
However, this is mainly an opportunity to reflect on your many personal strengths and a great opportunity to consider your further personal development and future career pathways,” Ella said to the students who took part.

ABOVE: President of Rotary Kilkenny, Ella Dunphy and Elaine O’Dwyer, Youth Leadership coordinator, with Kilkenny Rotary club finalists Matthew Hickey (Coláiste Abhainn Rí, Callan), Rohan Vargas (CBS Kilkenny) and Medha Trehan (Loreto Kilkenny). Missing from photo: finalist Adam Watchhorn (Kilkenny College). 

The regional final was then held in Newbridge, and Rohan again excelled among his peers to be announced as the regional winner. Ella congratulated Rohan and CBS Kilkenny on the achievement.
The Youth Leadership Competition rewards young people with clear leadership potential.
Rohan will now have the opportunity to take part in an exciting trip to the European Parliament with students from all over Europe.

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The trip will begin in Belfast with a visit to The Titanic Centre, a tour of Stormont and meeting with local politicians and business leaders. Rohan and his fellow Youth Leaders will then travel to Dublin for an information seminar and lunch hosted by the staff of the European Parliament offices. This is followed by a tour of Dail Eireann and further meetings with politicians.
They then fly to Strasbourg and prepare for the highlight of the trip which is a full day of debating a variety of motions at Euroscola at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, with about 500 other students from all over Europe.

“We are delighted in Kilkenny Rotary to continue our involvement in the Youth Leadership competition. All involved and in particular our Interviewers tell us that it is a very worthwhile and rewarding experience,” Rotary Kilkenny President Ella Dunphy said.