The Rotary Club of Walkerton is proud to recognize our Rotary Youth Exchange student, Tina Koemmerer, who recently shared a moving original poem with attendees at the District 6330 Conference in Sarnia.
Tina, who is from France, delivered her poem in English — her second language — with confidence, sincerity, and remarkable emotional depth. Her words captured the journey of a young student who once wished she could stop taking English classes, only to later discover that those same lessons would help open the door to a life-changing Rotary Youth Exchange experience in Canada.
Through her poem, Tina reflected on childhood dreams, persistence, uncertainty, and the courage it takes to pursue something that once seemed out of reach. She spoke about dreaming of North American schools, yellow buses, tall lockers, new friendships, and the chance to explore a world beyond home. What began as a childhood wish eventually became reality through Rotary.
One of the most powerful themes in Tina’s poem was the idea that dreams do not always come true immediately. Sometimes, they take years of hope, effort, family support, and the help of people who believe in young people and their potential.
