DUE WEST, S.C. -Michael Cogdill, news anchor for WYFF-TV 4 in Greenville and 1998 South Carolina Journalist of the Year, was the keynote speaker at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Opening Ceremony June 7 at Erskine College.

RYLA is the sixteenth annual week-long motivational leadership, training and free enterprise seminar for rising high school juniors and seniors sponsored by Rotary District 7750 (Western South Carolina) being held on the Erskine campus June 7-13.

A native of the small town of Weaverville, N.C., Cogdill has covered top regional news stories and interviewed a number of famous people, from United States presidents to evangelist Billy Graham. "I decided in the eighth grade that I was going to be a TV news anchor and I wouldn't let anyone stop me," he told RYLA students. "Don't give up on your dreams ... I'm 37 years old and I still have dreams."

Cogdill spoke to his young audience of the importance of doing good. "There is tremendous power in doing good," he said. "You have an opportunity to embrace that this week and carry it home with you."

Speaking of the difficulties of being a leader, Cogdill reassured the students. "Welcome to the table of those of us who can't be good all the time because we are all so busy and don't have much time. Welcome to the human race."

Cogdill also spoke of his faith in relation to striving to accomplish goals, saying, "I was put on this earth to follow Christ, not to catch up. And what's in between is grace."

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a Rotary youth service project coordinated by Ralph and Lynn Patterson of Due West. Students are selected for RYLA by the Boards of Directors of participating Rotary Clubs, based on the recommendations of local high schools. The seminar is designed to encourage personal growth and development through interaction with peers and with outstanding business, political and community leaders.

On their last evening at Erskine, RYLA participants will attend a picnic at the home of Erskine president Dr. James Strobel, where John Cessarich, also of WYFF TV-4, will be broadcasting the live sequence "John on the Road."

RYLA participants are eligible to receive a $1,000 per year scholarship at Erskine College upon their acceptance to the school, renewable for up to four years.