Rotary Minute for 7/30/2009

For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.

Rotarian volunteers have helped build Rotary Youth Exchange into the world-renowned program that it is today. They work behind the scenes, taking care of the logistics that make the exchanges happen. Local Rotarians introduce students to other club members and organize social and cultural functions for them to attend. For long-term exchanges, host clubs and districts arrange secondary school enrollment, tuition, and other educational matters, and Rotarian counselors maintain contact with host families and students.

Though Rotary International offers support to local Youth Exchange programs, clubs and districts run their exchanges independently of RI. Therefore, each program has its own rules for participation to follow.

All Youth Exchange volunteers are devoted to the safety of students, and host clubs and districts maintain policies and procedures to protect them.

Ithaca Sunrise Rotary Club traditionally hosts one inbound student each year and sponsors one outbound student. Youth Exchange is the single largest Sunrise project budget item at about $2700 per year. the process of choosing students and orienting both in-coming and out-going students, finding host families, and counseling students is very labor intensive. Club members: Expect to be asked to become involved with youth exchange. Better yet, step forward and volunteer!!