Guests: Krista Burnham, & Jason Lyne
Random Acts of Kindness –Linda - $67 - nothing yet?
Ticket Activity – Peter Cuthbert final results were $32 won and Alan Kabatoff had the closest guess to the amount and won the gift basket.
Speaker: Darryl Burnham International Exchange Student Program
Rotary Youth Exchange – Hosting students – need a decision quickly to start contacting schools and organizing for next Fall.
Start with Fall’s outbound student selection – 2020 and inbound student at same time.
Purpose – to increase international understanding
The students we have sent out have done very well and were excellent ambassadors for Canada. They become fluent in 2nd language.
International Student Exchange first began in 1929 in Copenhagen – initiated in North American 1939.
The Port Moody Club has been quite active and has sent 16 students from Port Moody
Late June early July – hosted by Rotarians ideally or sometimes outbound student’s family. Attend club – high school. It’s a District to District exchange, the District has final approval of inbound and outbound. Each host family has a student for 3 months or so we need 3 to 4 host families. Sunrise Coquitlam is interested in participating as well. There is a summer program as well.
If you send a student you must host a student.
A Club Rotary Counsellor will be assigned to support the student and host families.
We have had to send a couple back. (Open ticket).
Grade 10 to 11 when applying, it takes quite awhile to get into place.
Host clubs pay Rotary fees, monthly allowance, bus passes and incidentals about $5,000 a year. Families also pay about $5,000 for travel etc.
Students must have own bedroom, become part of the family including the rules, participate in Rotary meetings, follow Code of Conduct.
Goal is to get the youth engaged in school and community – Thomas won outstanding athlete of year in grade 11 – participation, and Marlene played girls Rugby.
Sometimes Rotarians get to connect with them back in their homes. Darrell shared many warm and special experiences of visiting with previous students at their homes in Europe. Linda also shared the ongoing connection that she has with some of the exchange students.
If you are interested in 'hosting' a student, please let Darrell know as soon as possible. This is an outstanding program with many many rewards.
