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BOTH SUMMER AND SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMS
ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE OFFERS STUDENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Rotary Youth Exchange, the largest of the international youth
exchange organizations, draws its participation from over 60 countries
throughout the free world.
Rotary District 5100, which encompasses about half the state of
Oregon and a portion of Washington, is one of the most active exchange
districts in the world with 60+ students venturing off to the far
corners of the world each year, and a like number arriving here from
the 19 countries involved in the exchange with the district. The
countries involved in the exchange with the local district this past
year were: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark,
Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Japan, Mexico,
Philippines, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and Thailand.
The Rotary Clubs of Clark County have been involved in this
exchange program for over 20 years. In that time, more than 50 students
from this area have become Rotary exchange ambassadors. District-wide,
in 30 years of participation, over 1000 youngsters have become exchange
students.
Rotary Clubs throughout the district are beginning their search
this month to find the students who will be "ambassadors" during their
junior year. Students who participate in the exchange are selected at
the end of their freshman year or the beginning of their sophomore
year. They should be in the upper one-third of their class
scholastically, and must have a desire to experience a new culture and
perhaps a different language, and to meet people and make friends while
spending a year in another country. Students who participate in the
program from this area may expect to participate in 17 days of
orientations, over a six-month period during their sophomore year,
prior to going on their exchange.
Students who are interested in applying for the program will find
posters and literature in the local schools and may get further
information by contacting George Middleton at (360) 694-2752. An
informational meeting will be held on Tuesday September 21, 2006 at
7:00PM at the Red Cross Building, 605 Barnes Road, Vancouver, WA 98661
(South of Officers' Row). Screening of applications at the local level
will be held in late September so that the final applications can be
completed and submitted by the successful candidate to the district
Youth Exchange Outbound Student Coordinator by October 31st.
A particular challenge for the Rotarians has been the task of
locating new host families. Each of the incoming students is placed
with three or four families during their year (usually about three
months each), and it is this hosting which creates the possibility for
a local youngster to participate in the program. All types of families,
including single-parent households and retired couples, are welcome to
contact Rotary about hosting a foreign student. Room, board, and
guidance are provided by the families in exchange for a rare
opportunity to become close to a young person from a different culture.
For more information contact John Fite at (360) 696-0380.
New STEP Program: Short Term Exchange Program
Open to Freshmen in High School through Seniors in College. This is
a true exchange. Students have the opportunity to spend 4 weeks abroad
during the summer months matched with a son/daughter of the host
family. The student then returns with the son/daughter of the host
family to the student's home for an additional 4 weeks. So the student
and the son/daughter of the host family spend 8 weeks together.
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