ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The main objective of Rotary International is service—in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians build goodwill and peace, provide humanitarian service, and encourage high ethical standards in all vocations. The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self.” One of the avenues of service is International Service and one of the most successful programs in that area is Youth Exchange.
Cowboy Country Youth Exchange, Inc.(CCYE) is the official name of District 5440 Youth Exchange
. CCYE exchanges with 15-25 different districts in Europe, South America, Central America, Asia and Australia. The countries we typically exchange with include: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic/Slovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey.
In 2010-2011, we expect to send 20 students abroad and host a total of 23 students in our district in the year-long program. District 5440 is comprised of 51 clubs and geographically includes the entire State of Wyoming, the northern tier of Colorado, Scottsbluff-Gering, Nebraska and Teton Valley, Idaho.
Our district sends a student to a specific district and we agree to host a student from that district somewhere in our district. The program falls under the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services jurisdiction as a J-1 Status visa (an education visa for high school studies that does not require tuition payment by the student). Contractual arrangements between countries of exchange dictate age and language requirements (if any).
The Youth Exchange Committee is responsible for final selection of outbound students, for overseeing travel arrangements, for placement of the students within the District and for handling any serious problems with students.
Each individual Rotary Club is responsible for promotion of the program in their community; interviewing and selecting students; for placement of students referred to their clubs; for making sure their students understand the rules and responsibilities of the program and for complying with the Youth Protection Policy provisions.
What we do makes a difference – one exchange at a time!
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM
- To further international goodwill and understanding by enabling students to learn first-hand some of the problems and accomplishments of people in lands other than their own.
- To enable year-long exchange students to advance their education by studying for a school year in an environment entirely different from their own and undertaking study courses and subjects not normally available to them in secondary schools of their own country.
3.To broaden their own outlook by learning to live with and meet people of different cultures, creeds and colors and by having to cope with day-to-day problems in an environment completely different from the one they have experienced at home.
4.To act as ambassadors for Rotary and for their own country by addressing Rotary clubs, community organizations and youth groups and/or sharing information with families and acquaintances, imparting as much knowledge as they can to their own country and its people.
5.To study and observe all facets of life and culture in the country where they are hosted so that, on their return to their home country, they can pass on the knowledge they have gained by addressing Rotary clubs and other organizations.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
1.Rotary Youth Exchange Students should be in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade of school and not graduated from high school at the time of application (or at the time of exchange in the case of incoming students). At the time of departure from the U.S., the student shall not be older than eighteen and one-half (18.5) years of age. Some countries will not accept students older than seventeen and one-half (17-1/2) years of age upon arrival in the country.
2.Applicants must have above average academic ability. Students who are not in the top third of their class should not be recommended by Clubs unless they possess outstanding qualifications in other areas.
3.Applicants should be of good character and reputation and possess well-rounded personalities with an ability to think through their problems and to cope with the many problems and stresses of living in a foreign environment.
4.Applicants should be good ambassadors for their town, for Rotary and for the United States. During their time abroad, students may be called upon to address many groups. They must, therefore, have the ability to communicate well with other people and express themselves clearly.
5.Applicants should have an inquiring mind and be actively interested in their own environment, in the world in general and in world problems.
6.Applicants should be students who are active in their community through sports, hobbies, youth activities or church affairs. The best students are invariably those who lead busy, active lives in their communities.
7.Applicants should be well adjusted, particularly in their family relationships. The student who cannot adjust to his/her own family may well find it impossible to adjust to more difficult family situations in a foreign environment. The best students are those who want this experience and whose parents are 100% in support of the student’s desire to participate in the Youth Exchange Program.
- Sons and daughters of Rotarians are eligible for Youth Exchange but receive no special preference in selection. All applicants are selected solely on merit.