At a recent meeting of the Houlton Rotary Club, the members heard from two of the students who they sent on the Rotary Youth Exchange program during the summer of 2010.
Contributed photograph/Mike Clark
REWARDING – Houlton Rotary Club members heard from two of the students who they sent on the Rotary Youth Exchange program during the summer of 2010. Both students found the experience very rewarding. With Dana Delano, left, youth exchange program chair are Chelsi Murray, center, and Danika Fitzpatrick.
Chelsi Murray and family were host to Lotta Hagquist from Kangasala, Finland, and Danika Fitzpatrick and family were host to Nina Steuert from Frankfurt, Germany. Each student spoke of their trips to the exchange countries and both agreed that it had been a life-changing experience for them.
For the past several years, the Houlton Rotary Club has sent students on their Youth Exchange program. Each student learns a new way of living, a great deal about themselves and maybe even a new language. They are also ambassadors, teaching people they meet about our country, culture and ideas. They make some good friends in the process. Both students have plans to host their students again or to visit their countries again.
For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.
