Local students ready to experience Spain’s traditions and culture
Esther Elmore, a senior at the Greater Houlton Christian Academy and Tyler Delano, a junior at Houlton High School have been selected for the Houlton Rotary Club’s youth exchange program for 2009. The students will be traveling to Madrid, Spain early this summer.
The exchange program was established in the Houlton club in 2003. Each year two students from area schools are selected to spend four to eight weeks in another country and also host the student from that country at their home in return.
Delano will host his student here first at the end of June and then travel to Madrid, while Elmore will travel to Spain and return with the exchange student later in July.
The objective of the program as defined in the Houlton Rotary brochure is, “to advance the knowledge and world understanding of these students, as well as to foster world peace and good-will at a personal level. It is our hope that young people will be able to observe first-hand the problems and accomplishments of other countries by living with and meeting people of cultures and creeds other than their own. We are pleased to provide our local youth with this once in a lifetime opportunity that will further benefit their futures and lives.”
When Elmore and Delano entertain the students from Spain, they will travel with them in the United States and show them various points of interest, as well as spending time in their local communities.
The students selected for this program must complete an extensive application process that includes interviews with a Rotary committee and also interviews that include the parents. 
Elmore, the daughter of James and Renda Elmore is from Wakefield, New Brunswick.
“I am looking forward to going to Spain,” said Elmore. “I have traveled a lot in the United States and Canada, but this will be a new experience.”
Elmore has been active at the Greater Houlton Christian Academy participating in Student Council, the Yearbook staff, sports, music and as a class representative. She will attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., to major in graphic design and business in the fall.
Delano, son of Dana Delano and Julie Delano is anxious to see the world and meet new people. “I want to show him the best of the best in the United States,” said Delano, “and I am looking forward to seeing a bull fight in Madrid.”
Delano plans to take his guest camping, participate in the 4th of July activities here in Houlton and visit Boston and New York.
Delano is active in several school music groups, is a member of the Student Councl, class treasurer, and plays tennis at Houlton High School. He plans to major in psychology when he attends college.
