District Hosts Youth Exchange Conference
District 7670 hosted the Fall Meeting of Ohio-Erie Youth Exchange Program, Inc. over the weekend of October 2 – 3, 2009 at the new Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park hotel.
Ohio-Erie is a multi-district group, comprised of eleven Rotary districts stretching from North Carolina to southern Ontario with major responsibility for administrative and international aspects of the youth exchange program. It is one of several such Rotary, multi-district, youth exchange groups across the country. Forty four Ohio-Erie representatives were welcomed by District Governor Carol, who remained through the entire meeting as evidence of her strong support for the youth exchange program. The group also had an opportunity at luncheon on Saturday to hear a presentation by Halcy Garrett of Black Mountain, a youth exchange “rebounder” sponsored by the Asheville club who has just returned from a year in Milan, Italy. Halcy gave very high praise to the Rotary exchange program, which she described as “the best in the world,” and indicated her desire to return to Italy for another year.
Discussion topics at the meeting covered a wide range of subjects, including how to promote youth exchange more effectively within Rotary and get more clubs involved and interested in identifying and sponsoring potential outbound candidates. Since applications for candidates interested in going overseas during the 2010 – 2011 school year must be completed this Fall, relevant information will be going out to all the clubs in out district in the very near future.
 |
ROTARY DISTRICT 7670
YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM |
|
YOUTH EXCHANGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Did you know you could provide a $20,000 scholarship to study abroad for a worthy high school student in your area at absolutely no cost to your club? Sound impossible? This is the opportunity provided by Rotary Youth Exchange — the oldest, largest, best organized, best managed and least expensive secondary school level exchange program in existence. Every year, Rotary provides this opportunity to over 8000 students in roughly 40 countries — each one sponsored by a local Rotary club. Your club can sponsor one or more outbound students with zero impact on the club budget and minimum manpower requirements. Too good to be true? Here is all that is required —
- Set up a club Youth Exchange Committee of one or more dedicated club members (if this does not already exist);
- Make contact with local high school(s) — school Principals, guidance counselors, language teachers and Interact clubs – inform them about the Youth Exchange Program and solicit names of prospective students (students must be between the ages of 15 and 18.5 at the time of their departure and generally do their exchanges following their junior or senior years);
- Make use of District Youth Exchange Committee members (names given below) and former exchange students when available to speak to your club and to school representatives about the program;
- Send information to local news media regarding the program soliciting names of prospective students;
- Conduct a club interview of prospective students and their parents and, if approved, pass their names and contact information on to Frank Rutland, District Outbound Chair.
These are simple steps easily accomplished by a club of any size.
So what do you have to offer? The opportunity to live and study abroad for a year is a life changing experience for exchange students, giving them the opportunity to become fluent in another language, have exposure to different cultures and experience tremendous personal growth. Because the program is administered entirely by Rotary volunteers around the world, students enjoy a significant cost advantage compared to other similar programs. They receive free board, lodging, tuition and travel experiences – a “scholarship” value in the order of $20,000 – at a total cost to their family of no more than $3,000 – $5,000. Quite a bargain! Finally, they enjoy the safety and security provided by a network of over 1.2 million Rotarians around the world. You have a great deal to offer!!
We would like to request that each club in the District establish a goal to send names of at least two prospective students they would be willing to sponsor for the 2010 – 2011 school year. These should be sent to the District Committee no later than Thanksgiving. For additional information and assistance, contact any member of the District Youth Exchange Committee – Bill Bauman (Black Mountain – wbauman@warren-wilson.edu), Bill Biggers, Chair (Weaverville – wbiggers@mac.com), Mary Colvin (Madison County – mscolvin4@aol.com), Don Fuller (Lake Hickory – dfuller@phd-law.com), Bill Parker (Blowing Rock – billparker105@att.net), Fred Reidinger (Brevard – fred_ala@citcom.net), Frank Rutland (Asheville – fhrutland@aol.com). Our District currently has five outbound students abroad this year and we have set a goal to double this number for the 2010 — 2011 school year. With your help and cooperation, this should be easily accomplished.
Frank Rutland, Outbound Chair
