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Dirk Miller shared his thoughts on why he is a Rotarian:
I want to share what inspires me as a Rotarian and a youth exchange volunteer
I am a Rotarian because of youth exchange.
My oldest child was a Rotary Youth Exchange student, going to Italy in 2012, that experience changed her life and her view of the world. Her experience also impacted the rest of our family. I joined Rotary to provide that opportunity for others. My family hosted a couple of inbound students and my son went to Brazil on exchange in 2017-18.
Here is some history of Youth Exchange and Rotary:
1. The first Rotary youth exchange was in 1929 with the Rotary Club of Copenhagen.
2. First exchange in District 5440 – Scottsbluff to Victoria, Australia – about 60 years ago.
3. Rotary International established RYE as an official program of Rotary in 1972, next year will be the 50th anniversary. 4. Today the Rotary Youth Exchange program provides thousands of young people with the opportunity to meet individuals from other countries and experience new cultures through life in another country.
5. Youth Exchange is a Rotary Program because of the belief that exposure to different cultures is the most powerful force for promoting international understanding and peace.
6. Host clubs, host families, and communities are enriched through engagement with students from different cultures.
7. It gives participants a broader view of the world and a deeper understanding of themselves.
8. The program promotes international understanding and goodwill, which is essential to building and sustaining peace.
Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, Rotary International President in 2005-06 said the following; “One of our goals is to create peace and better understanding between people. I think Rotary’s Youth Exchange program is the best way of doing that. My dream is for every 17-year-old to become a Youth Exchange student. If we could achieve this, there would be no more wars.”
I believe he is right and I am inspired to be a Rotarian and a youth exchange volunteer because I believe we are changing the world one exchange at a time. WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOUTH EXCHANGE IN OUR CLUB?
Covid-19 has shut us down for 2 years but we will resume in fall of 2022. The YE Committee will start recruiting outbound students this fall, please tell high school students you know about the opportunity.
Rotarians Sam Runyan and Kelly Ceballos have taken over youth exchange for the club and they will be looking for host families next spring for the 2022-23 school year.
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