Rotary Youth Exchange program seeks ambassadors to represent Nevada and the U.S.
“Peace Through Understanding.” That is the motto and the mission statement for the Rotary Youth Exchange program. RYE is a study abroad program put on by Rotary, with students admitted to the US under a J1 visa. At any given time, there are about 8000 students in the program from the US and over 100 participating countries.
The program is for students 15-1/2 to 18-1/2 years old (high school sophomores, juniors, seniors and on occasion recent graduates), and lasts a full school year. This gives US students a chance to experience another country, and foreign students a chance to experience America far more deeply than a simple two or three week vacation.
Every student that participates returns home a changed person, with fluency in another language and added confidence from having done something that takes them far out of their comfort zones, along with intimate knowledge of another country, it's people and culture. It is an important program, and one that a small army of volunteers manage and execute. The most challenging component in all this is finding host families for our inbound students.
Host families play one of the most important part in the success of the RYE program, They don't have to be Rotary Club members to participate either. Each family will be one of three families that a student lives with during their stay in the U.S. As such, each member of a host family acts as an ambassador to the country of the student being hosted.
They will be the face of the U.S. to that young person, and will have an influence on the student's perception of this country. When our students return home, they will take with them all the memories they have made while here, and the host family will be a big part of that. It's a big responsibility, but not without support, and some significant rewards.
There are 14 Rotary clubs in the Reno, Tahoe, Carson City and Minden area. As a host family, you will have the support of club members, and the district RYE members. There are councilors, country contacts, district and area governors, and many more people to help support the host families and their students.
Being a host family has direct benefits as well. My wife and I have hosted three students over the past five years, and have become long term friends with each of them and their families. We have visited some of them in their countries, and had them visit us here on more than one occasion. Our lives are enriched by these experiences with these amazing young adults. Every student and every experience is different, but all are once in a lifetime moments.
Hosting a student is generally a 3-4 month commitment, so it's not like signing up for a whole year as some programs do. In the vast majority of cases, everything works well and it is over all too soon. And if things don't go as smoothly as planned, it's only a couple of months and it's over.
While we look for host families with kids, that is not a requirement. In fact most family arrangements are acceptable as hosts; adults without kids, single parents, even a single adult may be accepted as a host. All candidates must undergo a background check by Rotary International, and interviews with club and RYE members, and they must pass that scrutiny to be eligible eligible to be hosts.
If this sounds interesting to you, contact your closest Rotary Club, or contact the RYE program directly through www.rye5190.org/hostfamilies. Are you ready for a life changing experience?