Rotary Youth Exchange
Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE), the most successful
exchange program in the world for high school students, began in
1927 with the Rotary Club of Nice, France. In 1939, a more extensive
program was initiated between the clubs of California and Latin
America, and in 1972, the Central States Youth Exchange Program
became the nucleus for major expansion.
RYE is not associated with The Rotary Foundation; it is open to
families of Rotarians. It is a program coordinated by Rotary clubs
and districts that allows students, at their families' expense, to
spend up to a year attending school in another country as a member
of Rotary-approved host families. Internationally, over 9,000
students participate in RYE each year. District 6220 is one of the
most active of the 15 districts that use Central States to assist in
the coordination of country-district-club matches.
The objectives of RYE are:
- To further international goodwill and
understanding by enabling students to study firsthand some of the
accomplishments and problems of people in other parts of the world;
- To enable students to advance their education by
studying for a year in an environment different from their own;
- To broaden their own outlook by
learning to live with and meet people of different cultures and
creeds;
- To act as ambassadors of their country,
state, and hometown by addressing Rotary clubs, community
organizations, and youth groups in their host country; and share as
much knowledge as they can of their country and discuss its
attributes, good and bad, with the people they meet during their
year in a host country; and,
Following their return form their year abroad, to
share with others in their local community and beyond the knowledge
they have gained from their exchange experience.
To qualify to be a RYE Student, students who will be
age 16 to 18 ½ at the start of the exchange and are in the upper
half of their academic class, must apply through their local Rotary
club the prior September. If their application (interviews with the
students and their parents are required) is accepted, the student
must pay a registration fee and will be required to participate in
four conferences to prepare them for their year abroad. They will be
responsible for their own airfare, spending money, and incidental
expenses during their year abroad; room and board (host families)
and a monthly allowance are provided through their hosting Rotary
club.
