ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE

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What is Rotary?

• Rotary is a non-profit international service organization

• Formed in 1905 by four men in Chicago• It has now grown to over

– 1,200,000 members worldwide– 33,000 clubs– 520 districts (groups of clubs)– 200 countries and geographical areas

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What Does Rotary Do?• Rotary’s service projects address such critical issues as:

– Poverty– Hunger– Illiteracy– Medical needs (artificial limbs, wheelchairs,

eyeglasses, eye surgery, and many others)– Eradication of polio– Providing safe drinking water to citizens of developing

countries– Service to YOUTH is a major emphasis of Rotarians

worldwide

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Rotary Programs for Youth

• Interact / Rotaract (high school / university)• Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA)

– For high school juniors• Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship ($23,000)

– Year abroad at a university• Rotary Youth Exchange

– For high school students eager to be ambassadors

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What is Rotary Youth Exchange?

• Rotary Youth Exchange is a program that provides thousands of young people with the opportunity to meet people from other lands and to experience their cultures.

• Each year, over 9,000 students from over 80 countries travel abroad on an exchange through Rotary.

• The exchange program plants the seeds for a lifetime of international understanding.

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Who administers the Rotary Youth Exchange program?

• Rotary Youth Exchange is administered by Rotary Clubs and their districts.

• All persons involved in administering the program are non-paid volunteers.

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Who regulates exchange programs in the United States?

• The State Department• The Council on Standards for International

Educational Travel (CSIET)• For our exchanges, Rotary International• Note: If we do not comply with the

regulations of any one of the above, then we lose the right to have exchanges.

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Why Rotary Youth Exchange Is #1

• Careful interviews• Thorough orientations• Local support group (Rotary club) • Activities provided by Rotary• Low cost

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Youth Exchange Program Summary

• Two Programs– Short Term Program– Long Term Program

• Opportunity to experience new culture

• Opportunity to be an ambassador

• Opportunity to make friends for a lifetime

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Qualifications of a Rotary Youth Exchange student?

• High school student ages 15-19• Good student with above-average grades• Willingness to adapt, learn a new language,

and learn a new culture• Initiative to get involved in activities• Willingness to speak to groups• Attitude of giving to others• In short, have the traits of an ambassador

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For how long willthe student be gone?

• It depends• There are two programs

– Short-term – 3 to 6 weeks in the summer– Long-term – full school year plus optional

tours after the end of the school year• The student will leave about August 1• The student will return about the end of

June

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Short Term Program

• One on one exchange during summer with another student

• No school attendance• Hosted by exchange students’ families• Normally 3 to 6 weeks in each country

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Long Term Program

• For one school year

• Total immersion in the culture– Will become fluent in the language

• Hosted by 3 families (on average)

• Supported by Rotary club and two Rotary counselors: one here and one abroad

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What will the student doon the long-term exchange?

• Live with two or three host families• Attend school• Make friends• Get to know the area of the country in which

he or she lives• Obtain a greater understanding of the host

country’s culture• Become fluent in the language of the host

country• Speak at Rotary Club meetings

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What are the student’s responsibilities?

• Abide by all program rules of the host Rotary club and district

• Accept the supervision of the host district, host club, and host family

• Act as an ambassador for the sponsoring club, district, state, and country

• Be open to new experiences and cultural differences

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Where will the students go?• Our Rotary District 5890 has working relationships

with the following countries:

Argentina Ecuador South Africa

Belgium France Sweden

Brazil Germany Taiwan (China)

Czech Rep. Japan Thailand

Denmark Poland Turkey

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Costs of the RYE Programs

• Short Term - $1800

- Air fare

- Insurance

- Incidental costs abroad

- Costs for hosting

here for student from abroad

Long Term -- $4,500- Air Fare- Insurance- Orientations- Language camp- Monthly allowance- Blazer, pins, slides

*Host club provides an allowance.

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Does it really cost $4,500 to send a student abroad for a school year?

• How much might be saved while the student is abroad for a school year– Cost of food for about 10 months– Cost of car insurance (premium could be

reduced while the student is gone)– Cost of gasoline for the student for 10

months– Other day-to-day expenses for the student

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How can the student work the long-term exchange into

his graduation and college plans?

• Most exchange students will be juniors or seniors - some will have completed high school

• With careful planning with his counselor, it is possible to take required courses in advance so that when he returns he graduates on time

• If he has been accepted to a college, it is possible to defer admission for one year

• Since people enter college at different times in their lives, there is no inherent disadvantage to entering a year later.

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High schools in District 5890 with students going abroad

• For the year 2008-2009:

Austin High (Ft. Bend) Klein Oak

Challenge Early College Pasadena Memorial

Clear Lake St. Agnes

Cypress Creek St. John’s

Cypress Woods Strake Jesuit

Home schooled Terry High (Rosenberg)

Klein Collins

Klein High

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Exchange Schedule

• Short Term– Club interview – Nov 8– Dist Interviews – Dec

6-7– Orientation -- May– Exchange -- Jun - Aug

• Long Term– Club interview – Nov 8– Dist Interview–Dec 6-7– Orientations – Jan, Mar– Orientation camp - June– Departure - August– Return -- following June

/ July

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For More Information

Web Sites: scrye.org

rotaryyouthexchange.net

Willowbrook Rotary Club Contacts:

•Gary Aguren

•281-469-2956 (home)

•gaguren@yahoo.com

•Anais Watsky

•281-469-2956 (home)

•awatsky@yahoo.com

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Exchange for Teachers

• Group Study Exchange– Rotarian leads team of 4 young professionals to

another country for 4 weeks, to serve as good will ambassadors

– Training conducted for team members– Often trips occur during summer when teachers

might have the opportunity– For more information:

• http://www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAndFellowship/Fellowship/GroupStudyExchange/Pages/ridefault.aspx

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Changing the World Through Rotary