Thank you very much for your club’s strong support of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program and, in particular, for hosting inbound students in past years.
Due to the pandemic, at this time no one knows for sure if we will be able to have the exchange program in the school year 2021-22. To insure places for our own young people who want to study abroad as Rotary Youth Exchange Students in 2021-22, tentative agreements are already being made to host students coming here from other countries.
In order for us to be prepared if exchanges do happen, we urgently need your assurance that your club will host again in the coming Rotary year.
For high school age young people for whom it fits, it is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. It is an unparalleled way for young people to discover who they are, develop self-reliance, and while they are at it, to discover the world around them. They learn how the people of the world think and what they value – and they teach others about tFor high school age young people for whom it fits, it is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. It is an unparalleled way for young people to discover who they are, develop self-reliance, and while they are at it, to discover the world around them. They learn how the people of the world think and what they value – and they teach others about their own culture. But why should it matter to the rest of us? Learning how other people think and what they value is critical to solving the problems that face our communities and our world. What better way for a young future leader to get started on this task than to live in another culture for a school year – or even a few weeks – as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student.
Rachael Jones who went to France will join her friends to discuss her Rotary exchange year. She is a Manufacturing Technician at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. She’s currently taking a gap year in order to save for college and plans on going into biotechnology or the medical field. This past year she went on exchange to Angoulême, France. She enjoys painting, embroidery, and reading.
Kasidy Meyer will discuss her exchange to Germany. She is a freshman on Blinn Team at Texas A&M this year. She plans to pursue a major in international studies with a minor in communications. She grew up in College Station and was active in choir, musicals, and the powerlifting team at A&M Consolidated High School. For her senior year of high school, Kasidy got to experience an exchange in Germany thanks to Rotary Youth Exchange.
Shannon Kaspar will discuss her Thailand Exchange. Shannon is a senior at A&M Consolidated High School. She aspires to go to University of Texas at Austin to study Psychology and Linguistics. Last year, she went on an exchange to Thailand. In her free time she enjoys reading, dancing, and playing with her dog.