From Bill Erickson, Chair of Youth Services Committee…
Hi all- finally had some time to summarize some of the things our students are doing.

Youth Exchange Update: December 2017
Our current inbound student Raquel Perez just finished her first trimester as a senior at College Place High School. This past fall she lived with Rotarian Miguel Ibarra and his wife Maria’s family. Turning out for volleyball, she played on the Hawk’s JV team. She attended a Rotary Youth Exchange event in Canada. She also traveled to California for a few days with the Bill and Diana Erickson to experience Disneyland, Universal Studios scary night, Medieval Times Dinner, downtown Hollywood, and a chance to soak her feet for her first visit to the Pacific Ocean. Keeping up with her studies, Raquel finished the trimester with a 3.9 grade point average including an A- in her calculus class.
Raquel is currently living with Rotarian Tim Payne’s family who took her to Leavenworth, Washington, during Thanksgiving to see the town Christmas lighting. Moving into the winter sports season, Raquel is on the sidelines at the girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball games as a recent addition to the College Place High School cheer team. Raquel and Tisha Payne recently served as elves for the Christmas meeting this past Thursday.

 

Bianca Graduates from High School
December 7, 2017, was high school graduation night for Bianca Mizobe, last year’s inbound student. Bill and Diana Erickson traveled to Bianca’s hometown of Álvares Machado to be at the event. Hosted by Bianca’s parents, Roberto and Silvia Mizobe (including family and friends), it was a privilege to see her graduate with her 40 plus classmates.
Bianca had quite a busy spring after she got home in July. It turned out that the school she attended did not accept any of her class work in the United States. Even though she had a hunch that she would have that challenge ahead of her since her cousin went through the same things the year before, she was quite disappointed. To graduate on time with her class, she had to double up her course work and take 22 different classes.
She is now planning on moving to Sao Paulo in February to live with her aunt and uncle to attend a preparatory course that will help her study for exams for the college she wants to go to in Sao Paulo, a six hour drive from Álvares Machado. In Brazil, entrance exams are given by universities once a year. Passing students can attend tuition free. She is planning on going to law school when accepted. In Brazil, students can move directly from high school to professional school. For example, some of Bianca’s classmates are attending medical, law, or dental schools directly from high school.
The Mizobes were great hosts and showed and expressed to us how much they appreciated the efforts of the Walla Walla Rotary Club care of their daughter while she was in the United States.