Answer extracted from the WIRED: Stories of Impactful Women podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How does Rotary Leadership Academy prepare high school students for leadership and community service?
Rotary Leadership Academy holds two sessions every summer in Warrensburg, Missouri, bringing together approximately 100 sophomore through senior-year students who complete personality assessments, work in small teams with unfamiliar peers, and design real service projects guided by Rotary's Four-Way Test framework—including budgets and implementation plans.
Stretch learning through intentional peer pairing
The Academy deliberately places students with strangers rather than friends, a strategy designed to push participants outside their comfort zones. This approach mirrors how real leadership develops—through collaboration with people who bring different perspectives and communication styles.
Students take personality tests early in the program to understand how different temperament types collaborate effectively. This foundation helps teams recognize each member's strengths and how to work together despite natural differences, a skill that carries far beyond the Academy itself.
Team-based service project design rooted in proven values
Teams of approximately 10 students work together to design service projects following the Four-Way Test—Rotary's ethical decision-making framework that asks whether an action is truthful, fair to all concerned, beneficial to goodwill, and beneficial to all. As Jodi Sundrum explains in the episode, students don't just brainstorm ideas; they develop full project proposals complete with budgets and detailed implementation strategies.
This hands-on approach teaches participants that leadership isn't about good intentions alone—it requires planning, resource management, and accountability. Young people leave the Academy with a concrete blueprint for making community impact, not just theoretical knowledge.
The program runs for only three and a half days—from Sunday night through Wednesday afternoon—yet manages to deliver measurable shifts in how students think about collaboration and service. The full conversation dives deeper into how district governors support these sessions and the ripple effect of sending confident young leaders back into their schools and communities.
"We have so much here in the U.S. that we're fortunate to feel that way and we just feel like there's a pull for us to just do more because we have more."
Jodi Sundrum — District Governor, Rotary International. Jodi joined Rotary in 2017 after being invited to a networking meeting, became president of her club within two years, and later stepped into a five-year district governor role after being recruited by past governors. She has served as a counselor at Rotary Leadership Academy in Warrensburg for multiple summers and remains deeply involved in community service and global initiatives across central and northern Missouri.
See also
What local community service projects have Rotary clubs in central Missouri implemented in recent years?
Projects include developing 12 community gardens at Ruthmore Gardens in Liberty, building dog parks, constructing pavilions in parks, and partnering with Feed Northland Kids and other local organizations to address food insecurity and community needs.
What responsibilities does a district governor hold within Rotary's organizational structure?
A district governor visits all clubs in their district to establish personal connection and assess community work, oversees district operations, and supports the Rotary Leadership Academy as a counselor.
What are the four pillars of the Rotary Four-Way Test used to guide decision-making?
The Four-Way Test asks: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? And will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Key takeaways
- Approximately 100 high school sophomores through seniors attend each of two summer sessions held in Warrensburg, Missouri.
- Students are intentionally paired with unfamiliar peers and complete personality tests to build collaboration skills across different temperament types.
- Teams of about 10 develop real service projects guided by the Four-Way Test, including detailed budgets and implementation plans.
- The immersive three-and-a-half-day format teaches practical leadership skills and sends confident young changemakers back to their communities.