ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE Rotary District 6630, Rotary District 6600...The OE Lakes to Oceans multi-district, multi-state Rotary Youth Exchange Program gained significant momentum during its annual conference and reveal event held over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Set amidst the resilient backdrop of the scenic mountains, which had faced severe hurricane damage the previous year, the YMCA Assembly hosted a dynamic gathering of inbound students, prospective outbound students, parents, Rotex members, and district leadership. As ambassadors, inbound students and Rotex members inspired others by sharing their experiences and offering practical insights and support to parents of future outbound students. The event's highlight was the reveal ceremony, where prospective outbound students embarked on their journey by discovering their country matches, meeting their country contacts, and get fitted for their Rotary blazers. Additionally, they began working with language tutors from the Italki program and met with representatives from It's Your World Travel to discuss logistical arrangements.
Current outbound students shared their transformative experiences abroad via Zoom, providing valuable advice. The conference included comprehensive training sessions, breakout sessions, and a keynote speaker who introduced a peace initiative. Participants also engaged in a service project, packing school supplies with encouraging notes. District 6600's outbound students, Alannah from Bryan Rotary Club, Raquel from Hicksville Rotary Club, and Alex from Maumee Rotary Club, were matched to spend the 2026-2027 year in Brazil, Spain, and Czech Republic, respectively.
They are set to depart in August 2026. Liberty in Switzerland, Kai in India, and Oliver in Taiwan joined via Zoom, showcasing their personal growth and new perspectives since departing in August 2025. Meanwhile, inbound students Mia, Lena, and Ella served as Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Ambassadors, sharing their experiences and insights with prospective outbound students and parents .
They were excited to meet the other inbound youth exchange students from our 7 state multi district group and will see each other again if they participate in the Rotary endorsed Eastern trip and Western trip.
Rotary Youth Exchange is a Rotary International student exchange program for highly qualified secondary school students. Since 1929, Rotary International has sent young people around the globe to experience new cultures. Currently, about 9,000 students are sponsored by Rotary Clubs every year.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ROTARY CLUB to see what exchange opportunities are available and what the application process involves.
