Rotary Youth Exchange - a Family Tradition

February 2017 ARTICLE, ROTARY CLUB OF WESTON
Rotary Youth Exchange – a Family TraditionBy Pat Short Hornsby, Weston Rotarian “The first three months were the hardest,” says 16-year-old Vitor from Jaboatão dos Guararapes, a suburb of Recife, the capital city of Pernambuco state in northeast Brazil. Vitor, like almost 9,000 other students aged 15-19 from around the globe, is spending an entire school year in a foreign country with a new family, attending high school and becoming fluent in a new language through the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) program. RYE began in the 1920s and grew significantly starting in the 1950s. The object of the exchange program is to promote peace and international understanding by totally immersing young people in the daily life of another culture. Vitor continues, “At first I missed my family and my friends and school in Recife. My host family is the best and I am doing great now. This exchange is making me more mature. I will be changed when I go back.” And that — for the thousands of Rotarian and host family volunteers who work tirelessly and passionately to support the Rotary Youth Exchange Scholarship Program year in and year out — is precisely the point. Vitor, whose English is improving rapidly, is a sophomore at Western High School. Since August, he resides in Davie, Florida, with his host family, Keith and Renee Petron and their two sons. “Vitor is a very caring, respectful and conscientious young man,” says Petron, an active Rotarian. “He enjoys traveling and loves soccer, and has become a huge Miami Hurricanes fan. Above all, Vitor puts family first.” While Vitor receives daily care and support from his host family, he is also looked after by an extended Rotary family, including mentors, counselors and the entire 120-member Rotary Club of Weston. “Vitor is another fine exchange student in a long line of Rotary Youth Exchange students hosted by the Rotary Club of Weston,” says Joe Altschul, the club’s Youth Exchange Officer. “We’re honored to be able to host these wonderful young people from all over the world. They enrich our lives as much as I hope we enrich theirs.” In addition to attending school and extra-curricular activities, exchange students go to social events and trips with other RYE students from South Florida or the entire state, beginning with an August Orientation Weekend. In December, Vitor and dozens of other Florida RYE teens spent four days in Orlando visiting Epcot, The Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom for the annual RYE Florida Disney Weekend. Other group outings include a long weekend at Seacamp in the Florida Keys. By the time June rolls around and they return home, the students have forged new friendships and family relationships that recognize no borders. RYE is a reciprocal program. For each student received, another local South Florida student is sent to a non-English speaking country in Europe, South America or Asia where other Rotarians participate in the RYE program. With the exception of airfare, insurance and incidental money, the entire cost of the exchange including room, board, schooling and most outings is provided by Rotary clubs and host families. The process for applying to become an outbound exchange student in this life-changing program starts a year in advance of departure. For information on sponsorship to become a Rotary Youth Exchange Scholarship recipient, contact Joe Altschul at jea@bellsouth.net.
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Photo Cutline: Vitor and his host dad, Keith, mingle at a Rotary Club of Weston breakfast meeting.